Houston Texans' C.J. Stroud Makes Rookie of the Year Case in Win Over Cincinnati Bengals

C.J. Stroud continues to look polished under center for the Houston Texans.

C.J. Stroud is a rookie quarterback in the National Football League. Let that sink in.

Sure, he threw an interception in the Houston Texans' 30-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon...his second of the season...but the numbers he put up against one of the AFC's contending teams should make a strong mark among the followers of the league.

Stroud finished the day with 356 yards passing alongside a score, and he also rushed for a touchdown as his team went on the road and took down Joe Burrow and the Bengals. It's not easy to win on the road in this league (or win period, for that matter), but to do so against a quarterback who has reached the Super Bowl is another feat entirely.

Rookie of the Year? It certainly seems to be trending that way.

Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud.  / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Stroud has been in that conversation for quite a while now, but it may be time for analysts and fans alike to start taking notice of what's happening in Houston. The Texans have a young core of talent (including Stroud and wideout Tank Dell), and a team that seemed left for dead a year ago at 3-13-1 already has five wins this season.

If the campaign ended today, the Texans would find themselves squarely in the AFC playoff conversation. That in itself is remarkable, and it's largely thanks to the rookie they've thrust into the quarterback position.

Against fellow AFC teams, Stroud now has a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 7-to-1, and considering those are the teams that he will be competing for playoff spots against, that's a good sign. Sunday's win also marked Stroud's fourth game of the season in which he surpassed 300 yards and his second straight.

It's time to come out and say it: right now, C.J. Stroud is the Rookie of the Year in the National Football League, and his team is officially dangerous. If you take the Texans lightly week-to-week, they will get you, and Sunday is evidence on both of these accounts.