If they can get past the No.-2 seeded New England Patriots in the Divisional Round on Sunday afternoon, C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans could face a career backup quarterback for the right to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
Stroud and the Texans would still have to win on the road, but that would be the case in a potential Super Bowl berth anyway.
At any rate, the Texans’ potential path continues to clear up.
Texans Receive Critical QB Intel Before Patriots Game
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans adjusts a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Stroud and the Texans are battling against the Patriots for the right to move on and face the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, one step away from the Super Bowl.
The Broncos entered the postseason as the AFC’s No. 1 seed, boasting a clutch offense and the NFL’s best pass rush. However, they suffered a major blow during the Divisional Round, with starting quarterback Bo Nix injuring his ankle late in their win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.
Nix will miss the remainder of the postseason and undergo surgery on January 20.
In his place, the Broncos will turn to veteran Jarrett Stidham, who has been with the organization for three seasons, preceding Nix.
Stidham, 29, was a fourth-round pick by the Patriots, who selected him 133rd overall in the 2019 draft. He has also played for the Las Vegas Raiders. Stidham has started four games in his career.
He is far more familiar with entering a game in progress, with 20 total career games played.
Stidham has completed 59.4% of his passes for 1,422 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions overall. However, he has a 1,080-6-4 line on 62.5% completion as a starter.
Still, he played in one game during the 2025 regular season and did not attempt a pass. His last start came in Week 18 of the 2023 season, when Russell Wilson was still a member of the Broncos’ roster.
Facing a defense like the one backing Stroud and the Texans’ offense is a daunting task.
Texans Facing MVP Hopeful
GettyDrake Maye #10 of the New England Patriots looks on after defeating the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC Wild Card Playoffs.
Stroud and the Texans, and even more, their defense, cannot get too far ahead of themselves, not with Patriots quarterback Drake Maye healthy and active.
Maye, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2024 draft, is a legitimate MVP candidate this season.
The 23-year-old completed 72% of his passes for 4,394 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions this past regular season. He had a 268-1-1 line on 58.6% completion in the Patriots’ Wild Card win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Disrupting Maye in the Divisional Round is paramount to success for the Texans, who will also be facing the Patriots’ top-10 defense.
Stroud and the Texans’ offense can help.
Sustaining drives, both by completing passes and remaining committed to the run–the latter of which relies more on the Texans’ offensive line, play-caller, and running backs than Stroud–will help limit Maye’s time on the field.
It would also extend the Patriots’ defense’s playing time, which is a scenario Stroud and the Texans’ offense could look to exploit.
Texans Get Major QB News Before Divisional Playoff Showdown Against Patriots