C.J. Stroud

[Colts And Orioles]

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C. J. Stroud Admits That He’s Not Playing Up to His Standard ...... ‘I Got to Be Better'

(By Sam Warren)

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/spo...s-19939858.php




Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud looked like he was playing college ball at the start of Sunday afternoon. One play after Dameon Pierce returned the opening kickoff 81 yards, Stroud found former Ohio State teammate Cade Stover wide open in the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown.

Stover’s first career score was also the fastest of the Texans' season and Houston was up 7-0 before the NRG Stadium crowd had even filtered in from their tailgates.

But Sunday ended as many games have of late for Stroud and the Texans offense. The second-year quarterback threw two interceptions as Houston lost 32-27 to the Tennessee Titans. Just one of Houston’s 12 drives following Stover’s score resulted in a touchdown, and that came on a second-quarter Nico Collins 5-yard grab.

The Texans' offense failed to score a touchdown in the second half against the Titans. It’s the seventh time they’ve done so in 12 games this season. But Sunday’s final two quarters were particularly tough for Stroud and his unit. They did not cross midfield by their own accord, only running plays in Tennessee territory after recovering a muffed punt. The Texans were also 0-for-6 on third down in the second half, the first time they haven’t had a converted for a whole half this season.

Stroud took ownership of the offensive struggles that ultimately resulted in defeat.

“You can point a lot of places, but I always point at myself,” Stroud said. “I’m the leader of the offense, I got to get us rolling, get our rhythm. We got to find a better way to end the first half better, start the second half better. Ultimately, that starts with me and taking care of the football and getting into a rhythm. Running the ball well, getting us into the right reads and right looks. I would just say that’s how we’re going to get better is I got to be better.”

However, Stroud has regressed rather than gotten better throughout the season. His 73.9 passer rating since Oct. 20 was only ahead of Chicago Bears rookie Caleb Williams (72.2) and Dallas Cowboys backup Cooper Rush (72.2) amongst quarterbacks with 100+ pass attempts headed into Sunday’s games. Stroud was sixth in the league in his NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year-winning first season with a 100.8 rating over 15 games. He’s gone over that mark just twice this season and not since a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 29th.

His 20-for-33, 247-yard day with two touchdowns and interceptions apiece earned him a 78.7 rating. That was almost 45 points worse than Titans quarterback Will Levis’ 128.7. He ranked 31st before Sunday.

Stroud’s rating and the Texans' loss were directly affected by his two turnovers. He was a clean 11-for-15 for 149 yards and a touchdown when the Texans started their final drive of the first half. With the game tied at 17 and Tennessee getting the ball to start the third quarter, Stroud was determined to untie it headed into halftime. He helped do that, but not in Houston’s favor.

On 2nd-and-10 from the Texans own 14, Stroud fired to a settling John Metchie III wide-open in the middle of the Titans zone defense. But Stroud’s pass sailed right and right into the hands of rookie corner Jarvis Brownlee Jr. A short interception return gave Tennessee the ball in the opposing red zone and a chance to double-dip on points on either side of halftime.

“The first one, couldn’t really see Metch,” Stroud said. “I tried to put it in the window, and we just weren’t on the same page. Can’t do that right there. That’s giving them points which ultimately led us to lose.”

Gave them points it did, as Titans kicker Nick Folk knocked through a field goal as the half expired to give the Tennessee a 20-17 lead.

Stroud’s other turnover didn’t result in a score but gave the Titans good ground to do so. The Texans went three-and-out on their first drive of the third quarter and a Joe Mixon first-down stuffed run on their next threatened another. Stroud had an opportunity to get his stagnant offense moving on 2nd-and-10 as reliable target Nico Collins streaked open across the middle. But his try to push the ball downfield wasn’t pushed high enough, as lurking linebacker Kenneth Murray Jr. leaped and caught Stroud’s pass before it ever got to Collins.

“The second one, just got to put it a little bit higher,” Stroud said. “If I get it to him, Nico has a lot of space to run. Just two mistakes that I made that can’t happen.”

Murray’s pick put the Titans back in Texans territory, albeit not for long. Three plays later, Houston safety Jimmie Ward jumped a Levis pass for a 65-yard touchdown and put his team up for the first time since the Stover touchdown. But the 24-23 lead was one the Texans offense couldn’t contribute to, lost and ultimately provided detriment.

Stroud was 8-for-15 for 94 yards the rest of the way, having a 48.4 rating in the second half. He could have added 33 yards and a touchdown to that when he found Collins on a catch and run for a score late in the fourth quarter, but an illegal shift penalty where Texans receiver Tank Dell and running back Joe Mixon motioned at once negated that. The drive ended in Ka’imi Fairbairn missing a game-tying 28-yard field goal and killed Houston’s last real scoring chance.

Stroud said he was to blame for the penalty because of miscommunication with Dell and Mixon.

“Those are things that can’t happen,” Stroud said. “I have to be better in the huddle. I’ve got to give the play better and make sure guys are on the same page. Even when we break the huddle, still communicate a little bit and make sure everybody is doing what they’re doing. It was my fault.”

Though Stroud and the Texans had more inexcusable plays to display on their final drive. Houston had one last shot down 30-27, though it was slim being backed up to its own 8-yard line with 1:29 left to go. That small chance quickly suffered as Stroud couldn’t connect with Collins over the middle and Jeffery Simmons sacked him on the Texans’ goal line. It was then finally snuffed out as Stroud scrambled right on 3rd-and-17 while looking downfield from his own end zone. He also scrambled right into the arms of Titans linebacker Harold Landry, who sacked him for a safety and effectively ended the game.

The Texans did not allow a sack through three quarters but gave up four in the fourth. Though Houston’s offensive line has been much maligned this season for faulty protection, Stroud said some of the sacks “were my fault,” including the safety.

While the two touchdowns are his most since Oct. 13’s win over the New England Patriots, Stroud took no solace in any positives coming from Sunday’s defeat.

“It’s no secret, I haven’t been playing well personally up to my standard,” Stroud said. “I have a couple of good drives, a couple of plays here and there. But it’s just up and down right now.”

While it’s been up and down for Stroud and the Texans this season, he knows now is not a time to mope. At 7-5 and 4-1 in the division, Houston still owns a two-game AFC South lead over the Indianapolis Colts.

“I’m not gonna hold my head down,” Stroud said. “I’m gonna keep my chin up and chest high. I know I’m still a great player, I just got to put better stuff on the field.”

o

[Racehorse]

But Dam said!