'We're Just Dogs!' C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans Continue to Prove Worth in AFC

C.J. Stroud's record-setting streak of throws without an interception may no longer be intact after Houston's victory over New Orleans, but the rookie quarterback's confidence, poise and trust in his teammates is nowhere near broken.

Six games into an NFL season is just enough to gauge a rookie's talent level, but at the same time, still, a small enough sample size to leave unanswered questions in the air.

But as far as Houston Texans rookie C.J. Stroud goes, leaving things in the air is rare. Unheard of to this point, even. Instead, he's thrown quickly, accurately, and well enough to put him right in the mix for Offensive Rookie of the Year. 

Coming off of a last-second loss to the Atlanta Falcons last week, the Texans entered Sunday with a chip on their shoulder, Stroud included. And despite tallying his first-ever professional interception, the rookie proved he was capable of staying confident. 

"They made a good play," Stroud said. "But they were not going to get me again.”

Oct 15, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans laughs with quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) before the game against the New Orleans Saints at NRG Stadium / © Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Stroud's interception, which came on Houston's second offensive possession of the game, technically leaves a black mark on the rookie's season stats but had no effect on the game — or his productive outing afterward. 

"I’m really hard on myself," Stroud said prior to the Texans' matchup against the Saints. "[It's] a good thing, but I’m trying to be more accepting of my flaws and plays I don’t make. But, at the same time, I’m a perfectionist. I can’t even sugarcoat it."

Luckily, no harm was done to the Texans after Stroud's misfire.

Houston recovered a fumble by the Saints on the same play as the interception to ultimately retain possession, and it kept on pushing from there, eventually edging New Orleans for a 20-13 home victory. When asked about his ability to remain poised throughout the game and beyond his interception, Stroud kept it simple.

"All glory to God," he said. "He blessed me with a certain skill to just let the [football] go, and I let it go. My teammates were right behind me, and from there we took off.

"It's a blessing to be in a city like Houston and get a good win." 

Almost as quickly as he became a Texan, Stroud has become a true Houstonian. The rookie is now a crowd favorite at NRG stadium, especially with an impressive 9:1 ratio of touchdowns to his lone interception. His stellar play is a big part of the Texans' latest success, and had it not been for Younghoe Koo, Houston would likely be on a four-game winning streak. 

Win or not against Atlanta, though, Stroud has continued to impress and improve week after week. He's proven that he's not only talented, but he's what Houston was looking for when it picked up a first-round quarterback. And according to Stroud, his ending up in Houston has been nothing but positive.

"We're just dogs," Stroud said of his team. "We want to play savage on offense and defense, be explosive, and make plays. We complement each other. From the offensive line to the tight ends to the running backs to the defense... everyone compliments each other. We all want to play for each other." 

As Stroud took in the empty scene at NRG Stadium following the Texans' win, he noticed the empty seats. The marked-up field. The stragglers, even, waiting by the stadium barriers in hopes of meeting a player or two. 

All of it was part of what he'd imagined. Leading his team to a win at home and finding a true connection with his teammates and fans while doing it. That's Texans football.

And behind Stroud, it seems that it could be that way for quite some time.