C.J. Stroud Struggles Late, But Texans Coach Still Proud

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud had a few miscues, but he still helped the team win.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 7, 2024

Oct 6, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) looks for an open receiver during the fourth quarter against the Buffalo Bills at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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Houston Texans

The Houston Texans may have committed two unfortunate turnovers in the fourth quarter, but they still found a way to beat the Buffalo Bills 23-20 in Week 5 at NRG Stadium.

The turnovers are rare from quarterback C.J. Stroud, and coach DeMeco Ryans wasn't thrilled with not taking care of the football, but he was still proud of his ability to bounce back and come up in a big way.

“I’m so proud of him because it's easy to see the negative plays," Ryans said postgame. "It’s easy to see the turnovers. Everybody knows, nobody hurts more when that ball is turned over than C.J. He feels really bad about it. But you keep punting, keep battling, that's why I'm so proud of him. In those moments, a lot of guys can tuck their head and feel sorry. When we needed to play at the end to get a few more yards, C.J. stepped up. Our play wasn't there so he improvised and found Dare to get a few more yards so ‘Imi’ could kick the field goal. I’m so proud of C.J. and his growth throughout this entire year.”

Stroud was able to find running back Dare Ogunbowale for a five-yard pass with just a few seconds left to go in the game, which was all Ka'imi Fairbairn needed to knock down a 59-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Bills.

That play won't be the headliner after their result, but it was exactly what the Texans needed to seal the victory. The win could have been decided much earlier, and Stroud will hope not to make those same mistakes again, but the Texans are on the right side of the result, and that's what the second-year pro cares about more than anything.

Stick with TexansGameday for more coverage of the Houston Texans throughout the season.

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Published Oct 7, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.