Following the Houston Texansâ fourth loss of the season, C.J. Stroud received clear comments from head coach DeMeco Ryans about playing better. He addressed his play as the Texans returned to practice before facing the San Francisco 49ers.
Stroud is on pace for a career-high in touchdowns, but a career-low in passing yards.
He is also coming off his least efficient outing of the season against the Seattle Seahawks on âMonday Night Football,â and he owned up to that as well.
C.J. Stroud Ready to âConquerâ Texansâ Offense
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans rushes with the ball against the Baltimore Ravens.
Stroud fielded a question about whether there were any particular aspects of the Texansâ offense under rookie offensive coordinator Nick Caley he still wanted to âconquer.â Candidly, Stroud responded that are were âa bunch of things.â
âMonday, for me, of course, wasnât my best outing. I donât think I played well. But to me, it really starts with preparation. I thought I prepared as best as I could for that game. And sometimes, you go out there and lay an egg. But my confidence is high as ever. I have the most confidence not only in my team, but in myself, and Iâm just going to continue to show up every game,â Stroud told reporters on October 22.
âI think as time goes on, you start clicking more and more and more. You can see when we were playing against Tennessee and Baltimore, and then had the buy, came out, we had a really good week of practice. But sometimes that just happens. And so, I think the focus for me is to stay confident in my process and my prep preparation and myself. So, Iâm going to continue to do that and continue to get better in areas I need to get better in. But yeah, thereâs things schematically as well, or footwork, and different things that I can always get better in as well.â
Stroud completed 46.9% of his passes for 229 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in the Texansâ 27-19 loss to the Seahawks.
He has a 1,305-9-4 line on 64.8% completion this season.
C.J. Stroud Explains âDeath by a Thousand Cutsâ Offense
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans celebrates a win against the Tennessee Titans.
Much of Stroudâs availability was spent offering insight into the Texansâ offense, which he has often described as being âdeath by a thousand cuts,â including what exactly their identity is seven weeks into the season.
âThereâs a lot of different ways you can say our identity is. I would say as a mindset thing. Itâs more physical. Point A to point B. Going as fast as you can, running to swarm [the ball], everything Coach talks about. Schematically, I think, weâre finding our area there, where weâre leaning somewhat on the run game, be in RPOs,â Stroud said.
âThen we can go big personnel. So, itâs a little bit of everything. But I think weâre still finding that as time goes on. And I think it could always adjust. But I think weâre finding as as weeks go on.â
However, regarding having ways to make up ground, Stroud said they âhave to figure that out.â
âThe game plan, I think, for every team, if you ask them, is do well on first, second down. And then, thatâs where I think some of the playmaking abilities has to come out. And thatâs the thing in this offense, is every play, just doing your job. Even if it means gain of 2 [yards],â Stroud said.
âThatâs what weâre being asked to do. Thatâs what weâre asked of. So, thatâs something Iâm still getting used to. But yeah, I think when that time comes, we got to find answers. And thatâs where, when the ball is getting out for two yards, that’s when I trust Hutch [Xavier Hutchinson] or one of the guys on the outside and make somebody miss and get 8 [yards]. So, thatâs the type of offense weâre living in. I think itâs a good thing. But yeah, those type of situations kind of test those rules. But the more you can stay on track, the better what we have when we play on Sundays.â
Stroud acknowledged the Texansâ offense uses motions and changes in cadence to overcome the defenseâs late stunts and games up front, and their coverages on the back end.
However, âsometimes they just hit you, and they get you.â
C.J. Stroud Wants Texans to Tighten Up
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans waits to take the field against the Baltimore Ravens.
Stroud described a plan for the Texans to right the ship that is simple in theory but has proven far more difficult in practice. That is honing in on the details.
âJust practicing better. Having hard conversations. Being better by each individual. Just doing our job and making sure weâre just all on the same page. I think the effortâs there, but now, just execution needs to pick up,â Stroud said.
Asked about improving the Texansâ operation post-snap, Stroud cited pre-snap and execution.
âThereâs multiple things I could say,â Stroud said. âProbably the main thing, just communication pre-snap. I think everything starts pre-snap. When the ball snaps, taking that communication, and pushing it forward to post snap, and making it work, and thatâs execution in a nutshell. So, I think thatâs what we need to do.â
The 49ers are not their usual selves, despite their seventh-overall ranking in scoring, due to various injuries. Stroud and the Texans can and must take advantage of that.
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