The season has not quite gone according to expectations for either C.J. Stroud or the Houston Texans. But that doesn’t mean Stroud is planning a midseason overhaul to his approach.
“I think I’m not just a game manager,” Stroud told reporters on Thursday, “I can be a game changer.”
The Texans have lost three of their past four games, and Stroud’s play has tailed off in that stretch. Over the past four games, he has completed only 53.7% of his passes -- nearly 15% lower than his first six games -- for 794 yards, two TDs and two INTs, currently sitting at 11th on NFL.com's Nick Shook’s QB Index after making the top five earlier this season.
“For me, I try to not only make plays but take care of the football, and do the right things that win the game,” Stroud said. “Sometimes it goes our way, and sometimes it (doesn't).”
One reason for Stroud’s dropoff: He’s also taken 18 sacks in the past four games, compared to 16 in his first six games this season. Another factor is that Stroud’s top target, Nico Collins, has been out of the lineup since suffering a hamstring injury against the Bills in Week 5. The good news is that Collins has returned to practice and might soon be available in games for the Texans.
But either way, Stroud isn’t planning any major changes to his approach, comparing himself to one of the NBA’s best all-time shooters.
“For me, I’m going to keep the swag,” Stroud said. “Kind of like what I told y’all last year, Steph Curry can go 0-for-whatever, but he’s going to keep shooting. I’m going to keep shooting. Keep trusting myself and the talent God gave me.”
With a 6-4 record, the sky is not completely falling for Houston. The Texans remain in the driver’s seat for the AFC South crown. They currently sit as 95% likely to make the postseason, and a win Monday at the Dallas Cowboys would push them to 98%.
Stroud said his teammates have had his back and have been letting him know just that during this tough spell.
“One of the biggest things is, my teammates trust me,” Stroud said. “Me and talked the other day, and he has the utmost respect for me and I have the utmost respect for him, and I needed to hear that. That the team still rallies behind me, and still wants me to be at the helm and love me through the thick and the thin.”