C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans have had a rough season. With their 31-2 loss against the Baltimore Ravens, they have now lost six of their last 10 games.
The Texans entered this NFL season as a Super Bowl contender and have again won the AFC South division title. However, their current form suggests a one-and-done scenario in the playoffs. Although injuries are a big reason for their struggle, their quarterback has also played quite poorly.
NFL Analysts React to C.J. Stroud’s Performance vs. Ravens
Stroud struggled massively in the Christmas game against the Ravens, as the Texans’ offense failed to score a single point. The 23-year-old quarterback was 17 of 31 passing for 185 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. It was another disappointing performance for the Ohio State product, who has been given a big reality check about life in the NFL.
Houston would have become the second team this year after the New Orleans Saints to get shutout in a game, but their defense added two points to the scoreboard through a safety by tackling Derrick Henry in the end zone.
Coming into this year, many predicted Stroud to build on his historic rookie season and solidify his place among the top five quarterbacks in the league, but things have turned out the opposite. Like fans, NFL analysts are also finding it tough to come up with reasons why Stroud has struggled this much in his sophomore season.
“CJ Stroud having the most head-scratching year 2 for a QB since Baker Mayfield,” said CBS’ Mike Renner. “Doesn’t even look like the same guy.”
Stroud is grabbing his head after every miss. He's just a mess.
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) December 25, 2024
The Texans quarterback has thrown for 3,677 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions this season in 16 games this season. He is averaging 229.8 passing yards per game, which is much less than last season’s average of 273.9 passing yards per game.
He has been sacked 47 times this year, compared to last season’s tally of 38. Stroud has also thrown more than double of his interceptions from his rookie season, and his form is a big concern for the Texans.
Various Factors Have Contributed to Stroud’s Sophomore Slump
Stroud hasn’t played well this season, and a large part of the blame is on the player himself, but there are other reasons also. The Texans’ offensive line has failed to protect him, and it’s tough for any quarterback to perform when he is always scrambling to save his life.
Stefon Diggs suffered an ACL injury earlier in the season, and Tank Dell is also out for the foreseeable future due to the significant injuries he suffered last week. Coming into this season, the Texans had the best wide receiver trio in the league, but now Stroud only has Nico Collins to work with (who also battled the injury bug).
The team recently acquired Diontae Johnson off waivers, but it will take him time to adjust to the offense. With Stroud continuing to struggle and his supporting cast banged up, Texans fans shouldn’t expect anything from the team in the postseason.
This year will be a great learning curve for the second-year quarterback, and the team can only hope Stroud will return strong next season.