How Can The Browns' Defense Slow Down Texans' QB C.J. Stroud?

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has had a phenomenal rookie campaign but the Browns look to keep him in check in Super Wild Card Weekend

The short answer is this: play man coverage and limit the big plays.

Easier said than done for Cleveland, especially after the news that Denzel Ward suffered a knee injury at practice on Thursday. He is now listed as questionable for Saturday.

For most, losing your top cover guy is disastrous, and Cleveland ŵould surely prefer to have him out there. But this season they've managed without him before.. 

Ward has a little over 24bhours to do whatever he must to get his knee in a decent spot to be available on Saturday. If he isn't the Browns will call on MJ Emerson and Greg Newsome to step up and put a stop to the big play.

Dec 28, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) reacts after defending a pass intended for New York Jets wide receiver Xavier Gipson (82) during the second half at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports   / © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Houston's offense is built exclusively on the big play. We saw it last week in their "win and in" game against Indianapolis. On the very first snap, they hit a 75-yard touchdown to Nico Collins, then went on to punt on three straight possessions before punching in another touchdown right before half. 

According to NextGen Stats, CJ Stroud is near the top of the league in pushing the ball down the football field. He is fourth in the league in intended air yards per pass, one spot behind Joe Flacco, at 9.2 yards. He ranks sixth in longest completed air distance average at 59.2 yards. Amazingly, with his aggression, he doesn't turn the football over and has just five interceptions on the year. 

How do you stop this young phenom?

The solution to CJ Stroud is twofold. The first is NFL standard: get pressure on him. While he is aggressive with the football, he holds onto it longer than just about every quarterback in the league. The opportunity to get pressure and sack him is huge.

The second is to play as much man coverage as possible. While he has torn upbzone defenses this year, he struggles significantly against man-to-man coverage.

In terms of quarterback rating, Stroud leads the NFL with a 73.9 QBR versus zone but is 27th in the league versus man with a 38.8 QBR.

The formula to stop this offense is simple. Eliminate the big play to Nico Collins, and pressure the rookie all day. If Cleveland can do those two things, it will punch a ticket to the Divisional Round.