One of the biggest surprises in the 2023 NFL season has been the performance of the Houston Texans. With their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, their fourth of the season, they have matched or surpassed the number of wins they have had in any of the last three seasons.
There was optimism in Houston this offseason when they landed DeMeco Ryans as head coach and that has translated to the field. They were aggressive during the 2023 NFL Draft, landing cornerstones on both sides of the ball.
It was a risk selecting quarterback C.J. Stroud No. 2 and then trading with the Arizona Cardinals for the No. 3 pick, but to this point, it has worked out magnificently. Stroud is in the midst of one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history, which has the Texans in the playoff hunt in the AFC.
At 4-4, they are right in the mix for a Wild Card spot. With a victory already in hand over the AFC South-leading Jacksonville Jaguars, a division title is certainly still a possibility as well. Stroud’s performance thus far this season is a big reason for that.
The Ohio State product is coming off of a historic performance in Week 9, setting the rookie record for passer rating and passing yards. One NFL analyst believes if he keeps up this pace, Stroud could find himself in the MVP discussion at the end of the season.
“Why not?” wrote ESPN NFL reporter Dan Graziano. “If the Texans can finish this season with a winning record and Stroud is playing like this, he’s definitely going to show up on some MVP ballots.”
MVP may be a stretch, but right now, Stroud has the 16th-best odds at +13000 per oddschecker. If the Texans make a push for the division title and can claim a playoff spot, Graziano is probably correct; there will be people putting him on their MVP ballots.
It would be hard to argue against that. Through the first eight games of his career, Stroud has completed 62 percent of his passes for 2,270 yards, throwing for 14 touchdowns and only one interception. His interception percentage leads the NFL at 0.4 percent and his 62.2 QBR is above-average as well.
If he can keep that pace up, the Texans emerging star will be taking home some hardware this season. Even if he isn’t in the MVP race, the Offensive Rookie of the Year award is certainly his to lose.
After some gloomy seasons, things are looking up in Houston. Stroud is looking like the face of the franchise the team has been looking for since the relationship with Deshaun Watson deteriorated and resulted in him being traded to the Cleveland Browns.
Want the latest NFL analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click here. Interested in reading storylines and analysis about the NBA? Check out our partner NBA Analysis Network.
