C.J. Stroud Delivers Strong Message Amid Texans’ Ongoing Struggles

Following the Houston Texans’ 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 “Monday Night Football,” and he owned up to that as well.

C.J. Stroud Ready to ‘Conquer’ Texans’ 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 Texans’ offense under rookie offensive coordinator Nick Caley he still wanted to “conquer.” Candidly, Stroud responded that are were “a bunch of things.”

“Monday, for me, of course, wasn’t my best outing. I don’t 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 I’m just going to continue to show up every game,” Stroud told reporters on October 22.

“I 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, I’m going to continue to do that and continue to get better in areas I need to get better in. But yeah, there’s things schematically as well, or footwork, and different things that I can always get better in as well.”

Stroud completed 46.9% of his passes for 229 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in the Texans’ 27-19 loss to the Seahawks.

He has a 1,305-9-4 line on 64.8% completion this season.

C.J. Stroud Explains ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’ Offense

GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans celebrates a win against the Tennessee Titans.

Much of Stroud’s availability was spent offering insight into the Texans’ offense, which he has often described as being “death by a thousand cuts,” including what exactly their identity is seven weeks into the season.

“There’s a lot of different ways you can say our identity is. I would say as a mindset thing. It’s 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, we’re finding our area there, where we’re leaning somewhat on the run game, be in RPOs,” Stroud said.

“Then we can go big personnel. So, it’s a little bit of everything. But I think we’re still finding that as time goes on. And I think it could always adjust. But I think we’re finding as as weeks go on.”

However, regarding having ways to make up ground, Stroud said they “have to figure that out.”

“The game plan, I think, for every team, if you ask them, is do well on first, second down. And then, that’s where I think some of the playmaking abilities has to come out. And that’s the thing in this offense, is every play, just doing your job. Even if it means gain of 2 [yards],” Stroud said.

“That’s what we’re being asked to do. That’s what we’re asked of. So, that’s something I’m still getting used to. But yeah, I think when that time comes, we got to find answers. And that’s 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, that’s the type of offense we’re living in. I think it’s 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.”

Stroud acknowledged the Texans’ offense uses motions and changes in cadence to overcome the defense’s late stunts and games up front, and their coverages on the back end.

However, “sometimes they just hit you, and they get you.”

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.

“Just practicing better. Having hard conversations. Being better by each individual. Just doing our job and making sure we’re just all on the same page. I think the effort’s there, but now, just execution needs to pick up,” Stroud said.

Asked about improving the Texans’ operation post-snap, Stroud cited pre-snap and execution.

“There’s multiple things I could say,” Stroud said. “Probably 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 that’s execution in a nutshell. So, I think that’s what we need to do.”

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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