Holding the second pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans were set on taking a quarterback. They just had to wait to see what the Carolina Panthers would do first at the position.
When the Panthers selected Alabama’s Bryce Young with the top pick, the Texans picked Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud.
It didn’t take long for the Texans to realize they didn’t get anybody’s leftovers, and the fruit of that decision will be on display Monday night in an AFC Wild-Card round game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While Young struggled in his first two NFL seasons before finding some stability and reaching the postseason this year, Stroud hasn’t skipped a beat since entering the league. This trip to the postseason will be his third in as many seasons, and he already has a pair of playoff victories to his credit.
Stroud and the Texans (12-5) take a nine-game winning streak into the matchup with the Steelers (10-7).
“I’ve got a lot of respect for C.J. Stroud and his body of work,” coach Mike Tomlin said, “and what he’s been able to do in this league over a short period of time.”
Stroud is 28-18 as a starter for the Texans. By comparison, Young is 14-30, with eight of those wins coming this season. He ranks third in franchise history with 62 touchdown passes, trailing only Deshaun Watson and Matt Schaub, and he’s already fourth all-time for the Texans in passing yards and completions.
“We know what it takes to win these games,” Stroud said. “That’s a really, really solid execution plan and executing the little things. Everybody thinks you go to the playoffs, and you’ve got to have extraordinary stuff. The team that does the ordinary stuff better than the other team wins. For me, I’ve got to take completions, take care of the ball.”
That message has taken hold this season. The Texans collectively turned the ball over just 12 times in 17 games, the second-lowest total in the NFL and the fewest in franchise history. In 14 starts — he missed three games while in concussion protocol — Stroud threw just eight interceptions. He contributed 19 touchdown passes and completed 64.5% of his attempts.
“They do a good job of taking care of the ball,” Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “They protect, they get it out quick, and he doesn’t take unnecessary risks. You’re not going to see him throw into triple coverage or double coverage. He’s finding the open man and getting it to the right guys. That’s a testament to him having a really good grasp of the system.”
The Steelers got a glimpse of what Stroud can do in 2023, his rookie season. In a Week 4 matchup in Houston, Stroud completed just 16 of 30 passes, but he still threw for 306 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Stroud had nine completions of at least 15 yards in that game as the Texans rolled to a 30-6 victory.
“He throws a great deep ball,” said Nick Caley, who is in his first year as Texans offensive coordinator. “We never doubted that for a second.”
Although he was the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year when he passed for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns against just five interceptions, Stroud admits to experiencing growing pains that continued into this season. The Texans got off to an 0-3 start and were 3-5 when Stroud was concussed. After backup Davis Mills led the Texans to three consecutive wins, Stroud returned and reeled off six more victories to close the season.
“When I was younger, I struggled with (the process),” Stroud said. “I always wanted to take the top off. I think the best thing that I do is throw the ball down the field, accurately at a high level. It’s something that I’ve learned that stuff comes when it comes. You have to just play the right way every time. Sometimes, it’s throwing the ball away. Sometimes, it’s taking a sack. Sometimes, it’s throwing an incompletion. I think I’ve grown in that area.”
The Texans also have done a good job protecting their franchise quarterback. Stroud hasn’t been sacked in three games, and he was dropped just 23 times in 14 starts. For the season, the Texans have permitted 31 sacks, the fifth- lowest total in franchise history and fewest since 2014.
“When they got C.J. back, they’ve just taken off from there,” Tomlin said.
“We certainly have some challenges in that phase. They do a nice job strategically, particularly in situations of attacking tendencies. We’ve got to be thoughtful about repetitive calls and situational calls.”
One thing the Texans have never accomplished in their 24-year history is win a playoff game on the road. Stroud, who is 2-2 in the postseason, can check off that box with a victory Monday night at the Steelers’ expense.
“I think we’re peaking at the right time,” Stroud said. “We’re starting to click at the right time, so we’ve got to keep that going.”
