Houston Texans' C.J. Stroud Discusses Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow Ahead of Week 10 Game
In a rather boring slate of Week 10 games, an early-afternoon contest could save the day. On Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals will host the Houston Texans in what is easily the best combination of passers on the docket.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is lighting the world on fire in the weeks after his calf injury healed and is on the cusp of re-inserting himself into the MVP conversation. Texans passer C.J. Stroud will look to end Cincinnati’s four-game win streak and stack back-to-back strong performances.
However, expecting a better showing than last week’s 39-37 victory feels greedy. In Week 9, Stroud had the game of his life, totaling a rookie-record 470 yards to go with five touchdowns and a stunning game-winning drive. In less than a minute’s worth of game time, Stroud established himself as the brightest star of his rookie class and the most exciting man in Houston.
Stroud escapes a Tampa Bay pass rush during his record-setting day.
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
The Texans (4-4) are back in the thick of an AFC Wild Card chase, but the Bengals (5-3) aren’t looking to slow down anytime soon, even with injuries to top receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Stroud took the time earlier this week to speak about his relationship with Burrow.
“Joe is somebody that I respect a lot, was a big fan of his, especially when he was at LSU,” Stroud said. “Of course, he was at Ohio State so we got that similarity. We met each other over the summer and … He had a lot of great advice for me that I’m still using to this day, so he’s somebody I look up to.”
Whatever advice he gave to Stroud seems to be working. The rookie has thrown for 2,270 yards, 14 touchdowns, and just a single interception through eight games. He’s shown up in the biggest moments and made Houston a tough game on any given week. Since starting 0-2, the Texans are 4-2 with more 20-point victories (two) than three-point losses (zero).
Stroud was also quick to acknowledge the talent that his defense will be tasked with stopping.
“Really happy that he’s getting it rolling and he’s having a great season so far,” Stroud said. “Definitely think that he’s an MVP of this league, he’s a top-five player every year.”
Burrow is proving once again to be one of the league’s best. Since Week 5, when he finally began to look healthy, his success rate (56.8 percent) and completion percentage over expected (7.7) are both the second-best in football.
Expect the quarterback with a better day on Sunday to come out with a crucial win with legitimate playoff implications. If nothing else, this Week 10 matchup should provide plenty of fireworks.
“I’m excited to line up against him and compete against those guys,” Stroud said. “I have a lot of respect for him.”
