Texans heap praise on Stroud after Bengals upset: 'He doesn't waver'
Houston Texans rookie C.J. Stroud is in the midst of one of the best first-year quarterback seasons in NFL history, having led a second straight game-winning drive Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.
With the Texans in the thick of the AFC playoff hunt, head coach DeMeco Ryans appreciates that he has a special player under center.
"The thing about C.J. is it's the calm in the chaos," Ryans said, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. "He doesn't waver. He's confident that he's going to make plays, and the moment isn't too big for him.
"The calmness starts for him in that he's played in a lot of big games at Ohio State. He's been under the big lights before. They're bright lights, and he's made big plays. He doesn't get wide-eyed when the moment comes."
The No. 2 pick threw just his second interception of the season to give the Bengals a chance to tie the game 27-27, but he made up for it by driving 55 yards in 93 seconds, setting up a game-winning kick for Matt Ammendola.
Stroud also threw a touchdown in the final minute against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, and his ability to thrive in clutch situations has spread confidence among his teammates.
"Nobody panicked," wide receiver Tank Dell said. "Everybody stayed levelheaded. C.J. has all the ability in the world. He's one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. There are a lot of great quarterbacks in the NFL, but he's already putting his stamp on that. When you've got 7 back there, you don't panic, because you know what he brings to the table."
Through his first nine starts, Stroud ranks first in the NFL in passing yards per game (291.8), third in yards per attempt (8.3), and sixth in passer rating (101.0). His NFL-best touchdown-to-interception ratio of 7.5 is almost double that of the second-best quarterback.
"I never get down in the dumps, because I know we have a quarterback like that," defensive end Jonathan Greenard said.
The Texans - who occupy the No. 7 spot in the AFC and sit one game behind the Jacksonville Jaguars - will look to win their third straight game in Week 11 against the Arizona Cardinals.
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