Houston Texans vs. Miami Dolphins Preseason Preview: Can CJ Stroud Rebound?

Rookie quarterback CJ Stroud will make headlines, good or bad, with his performance on Saturday when the Houston Texans play the Miami Dolphins.

The Houston Texans (1-0) will host the Miami Dolphins (0-1) on Saturday for their second preseason contest. All eyes will be on rookie quarterback CJ Stroud, who aims to improve upon a poor professional debut.

Despite his struggles, Stroud seems to have impressed both teammates and opponents during camp. Their praise suggests Houston is in good hands.

“He looks the part to me with the way he throws the ball,” said Miami head coach Mike McDaniel. “And you can tell that he has an aura of confidence that’s exciting to see from a player.”

Stroud completed two of his four attempts last week for 13 yards, underlined by an ugly interception. He will get the start on Saturday, as will the rest of the first-teamers.

The Dolphins, however, were noncommittal. McDaniel gave his starters more run during the second joint practice of the week, but fell short of confirming their presence for Saturday.

“Loosely, I would expect players to play in the game,” he said on Thursday. McDaniel was similarly vague regarding quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

“I would probably hesitate to say that [Tagovailoa would play].”

Whether he is facing Miami’s Pro Bowlers or practice squad candidates, a strong day from Stroud can give Texans fans some extra comfort as the regular season approaches. Saturday offers him the opportunity to take a step in the right direction—one towards competency and, hopefully, long-term success.

WHAT: Houston Texans (1-0) vs Miami Dolphins (0-1)

WHERE: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX (72,220)

WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023, 3 p.m. (CDT)

TELEVISION: ABC 13 (Houston), CBS 4 (Miami), NFL Network

RADIO: SportsRadio 610 AM, The Bull 100.3 FM, Mega 101 FM, Texans app

ODDS: Texans -2.5 (-105, -150 moneyline), Total: 39.5 (o -111/u -111)

Make sure to follow along with in-game updates at Texans Daily!

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You can follow Anthony Licciardi on Twitter @ALiccScouting.

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