The supposed make-or-break season for C.J. Stroud got off to a dubious start, leading to some polarized commentary around the fourth-year Houston Texans quarterback.
Former Texans defensive tackle Seth Payne believes Stroud mostly played well in Week 1.
“Look, he was facing a Buffalo Bills defense that the Texans had no film on. Brand-new defensive coordinator. So, they had to figure a lot of things out on the fly. And I gotta remember, too, that he’s involved in the run game,” Payne told Zack Tawatari on KHOU-11 CBS after the game.
“CJ., he’s making the MIKE calls at the beginning, setting the blocking up. And it wasn’t a huge running output, but they converted a lot of third-and-short, fourth-and-shorts. We didn’t see that last year, especially down in the red zone.”
That was not to excuse his miscues, and Payne was not alone in his general assessment that there were things that Stroud and the Texans can build off.
“There’s no moral victories, obviously. But I do think this is a good stepping stone for C.J. Stroud to learn from,” former Bills running back Damien Harrris said on “CBS Sports HQ” on September 13. “Especially considering how he’s been playing as of recently. I know we’re going back to last year. But his last couple starts–it’s been way uglier before than it was today. Now, obviously, there were the crucial mistakes in crunch time that you can’t have.
“There was a lot to be positive about if you are C.J., starting to feel good about yourself. But again, those costly mistakes at the end of the game, those are things he’s going to have to cleanup, but it’s Week 1, so he’s gonna have some time.”
Texans Get Clear Message on C.J. Stroud
Former NFL stars Shannon Sharpe (a Hall of Famer) and Chad Johnson discussed Stroud’s contract situation in the wake of the contest, along with former NBA star Joe Johnson, the latter of whom argued the Texans should pay up for Stroud given his body of work.
Sharpe believes Stroud is seeking market-resetting money in the $70 million-range amid reportst the Texans have offered something around $55 million or less.
Johnson believes they will plit the difference, coming in around $60 million to $63 million.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans lamented the turnovers, but he also lauded Stroud’s efforts through much of the eventual defeat. Stroud also commented on his belief that, apart from game-starting and ending fumbles, he performed well.
By and large, the discourse around him has not reflected that as strongly as Payne and Harris did after the game.
Unfortunately for Stroud, that is unlikely to end until he gets a win and looks good doing it.
Even then, his true test will not come until the Texans get back to the postseason, which–after Thursday’s loss–looked like far less of a certainty than it did pregame. Of course, the Texans will not face the Bills and former MVP Josh Allen every week, either.
However, Stroud and the Texans will face three-time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl QB Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2
Ex-Texans DT Gets Honest About C.J. Stroud Amid Strong Words From Hall of Famer