Browns 'Bad Matchup' for Texans: Rookie C.J. Stroud To 'Struggle'? - PFF Predicts

Cleveland Browns 'Bad Matchup' for Houston Texans: Rookie C.J. Stroud To 'Struggle'? - PFF Predicts

To the layman? (Not to mention the Houston Texans fan?) The single-most powerful reason the Texans can beat the visiting Cleveland Browns in today's 3:30 p.m. Wild Card Playoffs opener at NRG Stadium is C.J. Stroud.

Oddly - we think - Pro Football Focus seems to believe that Stroud is a factor for an opposing reason.

The Browns are “not a good matchup for the Houston Texans,” according to Brad Spielberger of PFF, who cites is what he says are Stroud’s struggles passing against man-to-man defenses.

“CJ Stroud has our third-best passing grade against zone (but is) 26th against man,'' he said. "And the Cleveland Browns lead us (grade-wise) in man coverage on the season.”

Meanwhile, Spielberger also believes the Texans rookie sensation - a top candidate for Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year - will be find himself bothered by Cleveland’s Myles Garrett-led pass rush.

“When pressured,'' he wrote, "it’s the one thorn in (Stroud's) side, and obviously the Browns have an elite front four to get home without blitzing.''

We have no counterargument for the damage Garrett can do. We do note that Cleveland's defense is banged up. ... and that the Browns are a 2-point favorite.

But we wonder, as always, if PFF's grades are to be taken as gospel. And in terms of "pressure,'' by all definitions of the word, we've found Stroud to be amazingly mature.

"C.J. Stroud is a great player," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. "He is awesome. He is a talented young man. ... Really talented."

'He is Awesome': C.J. Stroud Brings New Challenge for Browns

Will the "playoff environment'' mean a different level of play for Stroud on Saturday? The suggestion here is that the answer is "yes,'' and that C.J. will be negatively impacted by it.

Houston fans, though, have reason to think another opposing thought: What if the "playoff environment'' means Stroud follows his season-long path and raises his level of play?