Why DeMeco Ryans Was 'Proud' Of C.J. Stroud After Texans' Loss to Chiefs

The Houston Texans head coach was proud of C.J. Stroud despite the loss.

Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) looks to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans have fallen again. They suffered a 27-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs to fall to 9-6 on the season. On the other hand, the Chiefs continue their storybook season with a 14-1 record as a true juggernaut in the AFC.

Still, the Texans would have loved a momentum-capturing win over a stout team as they've locked up the AFC South title for a second straight season.

One issue that led to a deficit by halftime despite a 10-7 lead in the first half was a pair of interceptions from Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud. He cleaned things up in the second half, though, despite the loss. He finished with 244 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 23 of his 39 passes in the loss.

Even with the first-half turnovers, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was proud of Stroud and his ability to rally back in the second half and clean things up.

“C.J. battled all day and made some really good passes," Ryans said. "I think our offensive line did really well versus a good defensive line and did a great job of protecting and giving us time. C.J. (Stroud) made some plays and I’m proud of his effort today.”

The offensive line doing a good job of protecting Stroud is huge. Two early turnovers and more pressure coming from the Chiefs could have made this game a blowout. Still, this game wasn't enough from the Ohio State product as the Texans suffered their six loss of the season.

Even worse, the Texans saw star wide receiver Nico Collins suffer a significant knee injury -- something that has majorly impacted the wide receiver corps this season. They continue to be littered with injuries that have left their impact on the season.

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READ MORE: Tank Dell Injury Diagnosis Shared After Texans vs. Chiefs

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