There isn’t a more surprising team in the NFL during the 2023 regular season than the Houston Texans. No one gave them much attention heading into the season as they were embarking on another reset. Houston had won only 10 games combined the previous three seasons and had a rookie head coach in DeMeco Ryans looking to get a foundation in place.
That foundation was securely built when they used the No. 2 overall pick on Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. It was fortified when they pulled off a shocking blockbuster, acquiring the No. 3 overall pick from the Arizona Cardinals and selecting Alabama pass rusher, Will Anderson Jr.
Both players have been excellent in the early going and have attributed to the team’s strong 5-4 start. Anderson is already receiving special attention from opposing coaching staff, routinely drawing double-teams. While his stat sheet isn’t eye-popping, it is clear he is making an impact.
Stroud, on the other hand, is making an impact while providing eye-catching performances. Week 10 against the Cincinnati Bengals was yet another one, as he led the Texans into Paycor Stadium and picked up what is arguably the team’s most impressive victory in years.
Houston defeated Cincinnati 30-27 and Stroud was excellent once again. He completed 23-of-39 passes for 356 yards with one touchdown and one interception, adding two rushes for eight yards and a touchdown. The only blemish on his performance was two lost fumbles, but it ultimately didn’t cost the team.
Where Stroud found the most success against the Bengals and throughout the season has been down the field. There isn’t a quarterback in the NFL that has found as much success as the former Buckeye on deep passes.
Via Tony Holzman-Escareno, an NFL senior researcher, Stroud has been the league’s best passer on throws with 20+ air yards this season. His 64.5 completion percentage leads the NFL and has turned that into 665 passing yards and a 147.5 passer rating. Both of those stats are also first. The 6 touchdowns to zero interceptions is the best ratio as well.
That is a truly incredible performance by the talented rookie, who could rewrite the record books when it is all said and done. He has already set a few franchise and NFL records through Week 10, but even more could be toppled as he is putting up numbers and accomplishing things that haven’t been seen in about 90 years.
The Texans look to have gotten a great one with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. After watching their last franchise quarterback force his way out of town, the organization has to be happy with how things eventually turned out.
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