C.J. Stroud completed his NFL debut last week in what was perhaps the most intriguing storyline as the Texans headed into Baltimore. The result was a mixed bag.
Stroud showed glimpses of command and the pinpoint accuracy he was known for at Ohio State, but Houston’s offense failed to produce a single touchdown.
With a matchup against the Indianapolis Colts on the horizon, Stroud and the Texans will be looking to rebound in a big way. But what does the rookie have to do in order to put his team in a position to win?
Here are three ways that C.J. Stroud can shine against the Colts in Week 2.
Continue to develop rapport with top targets
One important takeaway from last week’s contest with the Baltimore Ravens is the involvement of two prominent Texans wide receivers; veterans Nico Collins and Robert Woods. Each man had over 10 targets in the game, quickly establishing a rapport with their rookie signal caller.
More of the same will be necessary for the Texans to have a chance at defeating their AFC South rival. Significant involvement from the team’s top two wideouts was an excellent start to the 2023-2024 campaign, but this certainly cannot be an isolated event.
For Stroud to continue his development as early as Week 2, Woods and Collins must be reliable security blankets for the rookie. They were in Baltimore, can they do more of the same at home?
The run game needs to wake up
Simply put, when C.J. Stroud is your most efficient rusher, things need to change. This isn’t a knock on the rookie, but rather an indication that the Texans employed two backs to ease the pressure off the quarterback, and neither performed up to par last week.
The Ravens were one of the better teams at stopping the run last season, so there were some expected struggles in the run game. However, the run game was completely neutralized, with top backs Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary combining for 53 yards on 18 attempts. Stroud added 20 yards of his own for the Texans rushing attack.
The Colts present a less formidable rush defense and the Texans need to get the ground game going early to capitalize on it. Doing so can make life easier for the quarterback and allow Stroud more time to process his reads and progressions.
Improvement along the offensive line
One of the bigger gripes with Houston’s week one performance is the impact of the men in the trenches. They did little favors for their rookie signal caller, allowing Stroud to be sacked five times. Penalty issues also plagued the unit against a tough Baltimore front.
The unit will have no easy task against Indianapolis. Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner is as disruptive of an interior lineman as you can get in the NFL and will demand routine double teams. How the Texans handle those one-on-one situations in protection will ultimately decide the contest.
It is important to understand that while Stroud did well at limiting mistakes in the face of constant pressure, there were still rookie moments. With little game experience, the time to dissect coverages is often a longer interval for rookie quarterbacks.
Every second matters in the NFL, and if the Texans offensive line can guarantee Stroud an extra second or two, it’ll make a world of difference for the team’s passing attack.
Time will tell how this unit stands up to the test. If last week’s showing is a sign of things to come, this could be another rough weekend for C.J. Stroud and the Texans offense.