The Houston Texans are easily the most surprising team in the NFL during the 2023 season. Not many people expected them to find this much success, especially with how poorly things have gone in the last few years.
The Deshaun Watson debacle highlighted what has been three years of embarrassment and ineptitude for the franchise. DeMeco Ryans, who was hired to be head coach, is the fifth different person who has held the position in the last four years. But, they look to have gotten this one right, as the former Texans linebacker has this team on the right path.
A big reason for that success this season has been the performance of rookie quarterback, C.J. Stroud. Stroud has surpassed even the most ambitious of expectations for the season, as he is rewriting the Texans’ franchise record book and taking down NFL records as well.
The No. 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State looks like a bonafide star in the early going. He is severely outplaying the No. 1 overall pick, Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers, who would likely like to hit the redo button on their entire draft plan.
Stroud is not only having a remarkable season by rookie standards but in general. He is leading the league in multiple passing categories, including having the most deep ball success of anyone in the NFL.
While it is still early in his career, Stroud is already drawing some high-level comparisons. No matter the situation he is facing, he is finding success on the field. In the opinion of one NFL analyst, Stroud has already proven that he is a great quarterback.
During a recent segment of his show, Colin Cowherd heaped praise on the Texans’ emerging star. He compared Stroud to Andrew Luck and Justin Herbert, two other quarterbacks who found a ton of success early on despite not having the most to work with around them.
Luck and Herbert are the only two quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for more yards than Stroud has in the first nine games of an NFL career. Stroud has shown composure and poise throughout the season no matter what he has been faced with.
Whether it is teams blitzing or having to come from behind late in the game, Stroud remains even-keeled and productive. The Texans look to have a great one on their hands, as they are way ahead of schedule on their rebuild. Already challenging for a playoff spot in his rookie season, the sky’s the limit for Stroud and Houston.
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