The Houston Texans’ season is over after falling 28-16 to the New England Patriots. The sloppy snowfest consisted of eight turnovers, five of which were by the Texans. Houston’s offense kept getting in its own way, and the reservations many had regarding quarterback C.J. Stroud coming into the week only intensified. This Texans squad was on fire, winning ten straight games, but now that the fire is extinguished, serious questions need to be answered.
Stroud was still in the holiday spirit, apparently, because he kept giving the Patriots’ defense gift after gift. After having three turnovers last week, the former Buckeye had another abysmal performance, throwing four interceptions, one of which was a house call for the New England defense. Now granted, the offensive line was less than stellar, but the QB still has to protect the ball in those situations.
There were too many instances where Stroud tried to make something out of nothing instead of taking the sack or throwing the ball away. On one play in particular, the ball floated in the air for what felt like an eternity before being picked off.
Even without hindsight, that was clearly a situation where the best course of action is to protect yourself and the football, take the sack, and live to fight another play.
The Houston defense was able to take over in last week’s 30-6 Wild Card Weekend matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. A game that was 10-6 heading into the final period suddenly became a rout, as the Texans were able to score two defensive touchdowns in the fourth quarter. The defense could not bail out the offense in the divisional round, however, as they eventually became worn down.
There were multiple stretches where the Patriots’ possessions ended with punts and turnovers, but Stroud and the Texans’ offense kept giving the ball right back to New England. It is difficult for a defense to keep holding up when the offense goes pick-six, interception, three-and-out, and then another interception. Each of those drives went four plays or less, so the Houston defenders had no time to catch their breath.
The Texans’ window is now, but it could close quickly if the glaring QB issue continues. Stroud could ultimately be the guy, but the recent play in the postseason suggests that he cannot handle the pressure when the lights are brightest. The postseason QBR started at 83 in year one, then dropped to 61.8 in year two, and ultimately reached a laughable 36.5 in this season of playoff football for Stroud. Those seven total turnovers he had during this year’s run are also six more than the first two years combined.
In addition to Stroud, Houston will have to make some decisions regarding paying rising stars on defense. Will Anderson Jr. should be a lock, but there are also key contributors in the secondary like Kamari Lassiter and Calen Bullock who will be due for a payday soon. If Stroud does not show significant improvement next season, this Texans’ front office may strongly consider keeping all their stars on defense and starting over at QB.
Sometimes less is more, and all Stroud needed to do was take care of the football and make a few plays here and there. It is fine to do the Trent Dilfer, or, based on this past week, Sam Darnold, when the defense is elite, and that is what this Texans group was. Houston likely would have been playing in the conference championship next week if Stroud had played more like a game manager. Hopefully, he will apply these lessons in the 2026 season and have a better outcome next time around. If not, it may be his last year as the Texans’ quarterback.
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