After winning just 11 games between 2020 and 2022, it was clear that the Texans needed a complete overhaul of their roster and coaching staff. Ahead of the 2023 season, they brought in former 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans to serve as the team’s head coach while selecting Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 overall pick.
Oftentimes, bringing in a game-changer at quarterback can make up for other deficiencies on the roster and send a team on an entirely new trajectory. Stroud did just that in Houston, leading the team to 10 wins and a playoff berth last season while also becoming the fifth rookie quarterback to pass for 4,000 yards.
A successful rookie campaign for Stroud and emerging talent beside him led to the Texans being pegged as a Super Bowl contender ahead of this season. The preseason hype didn’t stop there; many had Stroud labeled as an MVP frontrunner.
Unfortunately, Stroud and company didn’t live up to those lofty expectations and squeaked into the 2025 playoffs by finishing first in the NFL’s softest division. Stroud seems to have taken a step back as well, both on film and in the box score.
The question looming in the back of everyone’s mind is, why?
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What’s wrong with C.J. Stroud?
If you’ve tuned into a Texans game this season or simply checked the postgame stats, you’ve likely noticed that Stroud doesn’t have “it” this season. After a sensational rookie season, it appears that Stroud is in the midst of a sophomore slump. But what exactly is going on in Houston?
Offensive line play
The struggles of Houston’s offensive line have been well-documented this season. While their play has been poor overall, they have also been banged up throughout the season.
| Texans Offensive Line | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Games Missed |
| Kenyon Green | Guard | 5 |
| Juice Scruggs | Center | 4 |
| Shaq Mason | Guard | 2 |
| Jarrett Patterson | Center | 2 |
| Blake Fisher | Tackle | 2 |
| Tytus Howard | Tackle | 1 |
With various pieces of this offensive line missing time throughout the year, the Texans have been forced to roll out a multitude of combinations of their front five. When players are regularly being cycled in and out of the lineup, it becomes difficult for the line to find the cohesion that they so desperately need to succeed.
Without consistent offensive line play, Stroud was under pressure on 37.8 percent of his dropbacks this season, the second-highest rate of any quarterback (min. 300 dropbacks). This comes after Stroud ranked just 16th in pressure rate during his rookie season.
Stroud isn’t doing his offensive line any favors by having the fourth-highest time to throw (2.75 seconds) among quarterbacks this season. When the offensive line is the weak link of the offense, holding onto the ball isn’t exactly the best idea.
Some of the blame falls on Stroud, but at the end of the day, it’s still quite clear that the offensive line is severely hampering Houston’s offensive production.
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