For the second time in the last three games played, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week after the league's full slate of games. He first won the award after his 312-yard, three-touchdown performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a thrilling 34-31 walk-off victory in week six. Now, he lays claim to his second of the year after dropping 384 yards, five touchdowns and a 125.5 passer rating against the Los Angeles Chargers.
It continues a "Comeback Player of the Year"-like campaign for the fourth-year signal caller, as Stroud had totaled 2,251 passing yards (seventh-most), 281.4 yards per game averaged (third-best),16 touchdowns, only two interceptions (an 8-1 TD to INT ratio, best in the NFL) and a 104.8 passer rating (seventh-best among true starters) through eight games played. At this pace, Stroud is projected to finish with roughly 4,800 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, roughly four interceptions and potentially a 95-plus passer rating.
If anything like that comes to fruition, I'm willing to bet a hefty amount of Whataburger combos that Houston will be firmly entrenched in the AFC postseason hunt deep into back half of the season.
C.J. Stroud's hot streak will be vital for the Houston Texans to return to the postseason
It bears repeating again how absurb the beginning of Houston's season has been in spite of Stroud's electric stretch of football to kick off the year. Even though the former Ohio State signal caller has played quarterback at a top-five level throughout nine weeks of regular season play, the failures of the rest of his organization has submarined the squad to a 3-5 mark heading into week 10.
To Stroud's credit, he's had to carry the bulk of the team's regular season aspirations on his back in spite of a bottom-five rushing attack, a suspect offensive line, injuries to multiple key offensive skill position players, an obscene amount of Jumbo formation used, a complete disappointment of a defense and yet again playing on a team that ranks in the top-five of most penalties called against in the NFL. Even though the defense specifically has lost multiple contests at the very last second of the respective games, Stroud's efforts have handed them the lead to close out in each of them.
Now that the defense has seemingly found a semblance of itself after a history-filled day against the Chargers on Sunday, Stroud's play can finally be better rewarded in the winning department.
At the moment, Houston is chasing the New England Patriots (5-4), Cleveland Browns (5-4), Las Vegas Raiders (4-5) and Baltimore Ravens (4-5) for the seventh-seed in the AFC. Between the Texans and the Patriots, Stroud's team trials for the final Wildcard spot by 1.5 games.
With more of the same from Stroud—and his newfound defensive assistance—that deficit can be made up in relatively short order.
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