'C.J. Doesn't Surprise Me': Texans Rookie QB Dazzles In Playoff-Clinching Win Over Colts

In the final game of the regular season for the Houston Texans, C.J. Stroud came up clutch.

C.J. Stroud exhaled a sigh of relief, knowing he had kept his promise to his new home set back before the season began.

When Stroud arrived for training camp in July, he told reporters that the Houston Texans would "shock the world" in Year 1. A bold claim for a quarterback who had yet to win the starting job, let alone take a snap for the franchise that drafted him to be the difference-maker at the game's most critical position. 

But as the clock struck zero and players stormed the field, Stroud allowed his emotions to flow. No one expected this type of season from the outside. 

Internally, it was another day at the office for Stroud, but one ending with an added week to the season. 

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) tosses the ball to Houston Texans running back Devin Singletary (26) on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2024, during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis :: © Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

"C.J. doesn't surprise me," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said following Houston's 23-19 playoff-clinching win over the Indianapolis Colts. "We talked about it earlier in the week with C.J. being special in these big-time moments when you need it most, to step up and make plays. He's done it time after time throughout the entire year. It's not surprising. That's who he is. He's one of the best passers in this league. And he shows it consistently, game in and game out."

Stroud was immaculate in his first primetime game since leading Ohio State down to the wire in the College Football Playoff semifinal Peach Bowl. He went 20-of-26 for 264 yards with two touchdowns and a passer rating of 134.1.

From the second he took the field, Stroud looked locked in. He wasted little time taking the lead with a 75-yard touchdown pass to Nico Collins on Houston's first offensive snap. He did more of the same just before halftime, finding Collins for a gain of 29 to set up a 1-yard touchdown to Andrew Beck. 

As Indy fought back, Stroud took the blows. He accepted the punts instead of the punts, and trusted his defense would hold the line to keep things close. 

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They did, allowing Stroud to deliver when his team needed him most. With 11 minutes left, Stroud led a 12-play, 73-yard drive, capped off by a 3-yard touchdown run from Devin Singletary. 

"Just the time that we put in together, to see the fruits of that labor to come to be, it's a blessing," Stroud said. "Man, I'm just blessed to be a part of this."

Saturday's heroics was the final piece of a Rookie of the Year-worthy season. Stroud finished the regular season with 4,108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions and a passer rating of 100.8. He became the fifth rookie quarterback to throw for over 4,000 yards, and the first rookie passer since Andrew Luck to lead his team to the playoffs. 

And he did it all short-handed. Collins, who finished with a career-high 195 yards on nine receptions, was the only active receiver with extensive reps. Tank Dell had been ruled out since Week 13 and both Robert Woods and Noah Brown were inactive. 

Ryans said the duo was "in sync" all night and paved the way for Houston's first playoff appearance in four years.

"For them to step up and make plays when we need it most, that's a special connection," said Ryans. 

Stroud won't take all the credit for the turnaround of the locker room. Teams often emulate the demeanor of their head coach. 

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Ryans, a former Pro Bowl linebacker drafted by the Texans in 2006, remembers the dark times of the Texans' early stages and wanted to make sure those moments were left in the past. Entering this season, Houston posted a combined 11-38-1 record from 2020 to 2022 under fired coaches Bill O'Brien, David Culley, and Lovie Smith.

With a win against the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card Round, Houston would match the win total of the three seasons. Stroud believes without Ryans, that goal wouldn't have been possible. 

"DeMeco is the perfect guy for the job. He brings something out of his players, and it's indescribable," Stroud said. "Just like the strain, the mental stability and that toughness that he talks about. I can do nothing but just be appreciative and thankful for where I was picked to be in this situation right now. It's just been a blessing."