It’s been clear for a while that Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud isn’t your ordinary rookie.
This young man is special.
Now that he and the Texans have kicked in the AFC playoff door to make it to the divisional round, the question has to be just how good can Stroud be? If the Texans and their coaching staff have a say, that question isn’t close to being answered as the way-ahead-of-schedule Texans get set to take on Lamar Jackson and the No.1 seed Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round of the playoffs on Saturday.
A win against the Ravens would put the Texans into the AFC Championship Game for the first time in team history.
“C.J. is the reason why we’re in this position,” Texans first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans said proudly. “He’s special. Special young man, special player, continues to shine no matter how big the moment is. Our whole team is leaning on him, and he has the shoulders to carry that weight, and he shows up week after week.”
That was certainly evident during the Texans’ 45-14 dismantling of the Cleveland Browns during their wild-card playoff game this past Saturday at NRG Stadium. Just two weeks earlier, that same Browns team came into NRG Stadium and roughed up the Texans to the tune of 36-22 on Christmas Eve.
What was the biggest difference?
During Week 16, Stroud was not on the field. But with him in the game during Saturday’s rematch in the wild-card round, the Texans were not just a different team but a far more dominant one.
Stroud was out with a concussion during the first meeting against the Browns. But he was back and playing at another level when it counted most.
“He continues to improve week after week,” said Ryans, whose team won the AFC South with Stroud leading the way. “No moment is too big for him. When you have a young player who can shoulder the load of your team and the way the team is behind him, the confidence that he gives our entire team, it’s so cool to watch because he’s such a special player. I know he has a special season, and we’re looking forward to keep moving on.”
He was nothing short of impressive in his first playoff appearance Saturday, knowing exactly where to go with the ball as he kept his eyes down field and then using his legs to buy more time when it was necessary. The 22-year-old Stroud had passed for 274 yards and three touchdowns by the time day was over, becoming the youngest rookie quarterback in NFL history to win a playoff game.
“I mean, more elusive,” Browns’ defensive end Myles Garrett said of the difference Stroud made in the Texans offense. “He was also — just like I said, very composed, getting the ball out on time, just sliding into different parts of the pocket, moving away from pressure, and just extending plays a little bit longer. He did a good job being where he needed to be and making the plays that he needed to.”
And the belief is Stroud has even more impressive performances in front of him as the Texans continue their improbable postseason run. They return to Baltimore is a rematch from Stroud’s NFL debut in the season-opener, in which he and Texans suffered a 25-9 defeat against the Ravens.
“I think we’ve grown in a multitude of areas,” Stroud said when asked about the growth in the team since that Week 1 loss in Baltimore. “I think at that point, we weren’t really identified as who we are now, and we’ve grown in a lot of aspects. A lot more experience up front now, both offensively, defensively and special teams, so I think we’ve grown in a lot of places.”
The Texans young quarterback has certainly grown since then and has become the talk of the NFL after leading the Texans back to the playoffs for the first time since 2019. Stroud, who was taken No.2 overall out of Ohio State in last spring’s NFL Draft, has been consistent in his poise and leadership in a season that was supposed to be just another step in rebuilding the Texans.
“When we’ve needed it most, I feel like just throughout the entire season, and now in this moment, he’s the leader we need him to be,” Ryans said. “He’s the player that we need him to be. His demeanor on the field, off the field, is exactly what you want out of a starting quarterback.”
What’s perhaps been more impressive than his throws and decision-making on the field have been his maturity and humility in always giving credit for his success to a higher power.
“It’s a blessing,” Stroud said. “Like I always do and more than ever, just thank God, thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It’s been a blessing. It’s been a heck of a year.
“I thank God I can just go another week with my teammates. This a dream come true, as how close we are as a team. We’re really, really close. Offense, defense, special teams, we all blend well together. Just to have another week to go out with my brothers is a blessing. I’m super excited for this team and the city of Houston, and I’m blessed to be in the position I am.”
In all honesty, it’s a position Stroud has believed this team could be in almost from the outset. He and the team adopted the mantra, “Why not us?”
Now, the rest of the NFL is wondering the same about the Texans.
“I think everybody counted us out,” Stroud said. “Like I told you all before, people are going to talk. That’s all they can do, just talk and watch. We’re the ones out there making plays. It’s cool just to see.
“At Ohio State, we used to call it ‘Woody versus the world.’ Here, I think we should call it ‘NRG versus the world’ or ‘Houston versus the world.’ It’s cool just to be able to be playing at a high level right now.”
