The Houston Texans suffered a setback in a 24-21 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, putting them back in a hole of five-loss teams in the AFC. However, not all losses are equal. Wins are used too frivolously as a quarterback stat, but throughout his rookie season, CJ Stroud showed how differently he is built. He’s been turned around from the hot start where he produced a rookie record for touchdown yards and most pass attempts without an interception to start his career, but he’s still walking in rarefied air.
Sunday was a microcosm of all the heart CJ Stroud had in him. And I’m not talking about the perfectly choreographed landing celebration tribute to Baby Boy the Texans’ end zone production came after its rushing score in the second half.
The Jags hit Stroud like they were Jody and Sweetpea in the park. But Stroud never flinched. His ability to lick and keep ticking should be evaluated by sports science, if this is still relevant. This makes sense if you look at its history. Stroud is not your typical Ohio State quarterback. At every level, Stroud has been anything but a sure bet. In high school, he was behind and climbed the rankings after good performances. at a Nike-sponsored event before his junior year against the nation’s top prep quarterback prospects.
A 65-yard bomb on Tank Dell during the Texans’ opening drive was erased by an illegal formation penalty before the snap. The day was full of plays that were inches away from adding a Winto the Texans win column. It’s one thing to make those plays in September, leading by a few touchdowns, but he overcame the combined pressure of the Jags’ front seven and a tense battle for playoff positioning heading into November.
His first touchdown of the night may have only been because he hacked out of the pocket, scrambled and gave Dell a Secret Santa gift in the end zone. Dell’s seventh touchdown of the season made them the first quarterback-receiver duo in NFL history to score that many in a single season.
Trailing by 10 points, Stroud continually played against the division-leading Jaguars defense, which should have resulted in a Texans defense. The threat of Stroud running opened Nico Collins to an untouched gallop into the end zone.
On the final drive, Stroud was dropped for a 15-yard loss, then immediately fired a laser at Collins who picked up 17. Even without those plays, Stroud threw for over 304 yards, two touchdowns, not including a third ground score. and 47 meters in scrambling. His knack for buying time and recovering first downs while being beaten by the Jaguars’ pass rush was impressive. The Jaguars manhandled Stroud throughout the fourth quarter, but every time he was knocked down, he activated hero mode and responded with a strike to keep Houston alive.
Ultimately, the Texans ran out of steam on a final play in which Stroud extended the play behind the line of scrimmage but failed to find an open receiver. Facing a fourth-and-12, DeMeco Ryans elected to attempt a 56-yard field goal that would push the game into overtime. Ammendola’s kick hit the crossbar, but the Texans shouldn’t hang their heads.
Given the stakes, it’s incredible to remember that Stroud was fighting Trevor Lawrence. Two years ago, Lawrence was a phenom and the undisputed number one pick throughout the draft evaluation process. His rookie season was a disaster. Stroud revitalized the Texans after the calamity of an organization they resembled at the end of Deshaun Watson’s tenure. Houston’s little boy is growing up faster than expected. If any young rookie can bounce back, it’s CJ Stroud.
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