Former Buckeyes QB C.J. Stroud Shows Improvements In Second Preseason Game

C.J. Stroud looked more comfortable and in control for the Houston Texans in the second preseason game.

Author:
Cole Thompson
Aug 20, 2023 11:13 AM EDT

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HOUSTON -- For a quarterback to be successful, they must present confidence when commanding the huddle. Fear isn't an option when dissecting defenses and looking for open lanes to target receivers downfield.

But there's a fine line between confidence and cockiness — a line former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud has mastered since being drafted by the Houston Texans. He carries himself with an élan swagger in the locker room, but remains humble and eager to learn at the podium.

After a rocky debut against the New England Patriots, Stroud rebounded in the Texans' preseason home opener against the Miami Dolphins. And while he didn't find the end zone, Stroud found rhythm and consistency attacking the middle of the field in a 21-3 loss.

Wins matter. So does progression. For now, the Texans need the latter from Stroud before Week 1's matchup rolls around against the Baltimore Ravens.

"I thought C.J. was more efficient," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said postgame. "He felt more comfortable. Everyone around him played better, which allowed him to play better. I'm proud of the progression that C.J. took this week,"

Stroud, the No. 2 pick in April's draft, struggled to find consistency in a 20-9 win over the New England Patriots last Thursday, but his rep count was limited to just 11 snaps. He finished 2-of-4 for 13 yards and tossed his first NFL interception on the opening drive.

Week 2 was different. In front of thousands of Texans' fans, Stroud started the entire first half, going 7-of-12 for 60 yards. He looked comfortable after the first series, picking up a pair of third-down conversions to lead Houston's offense into the red zone.

"I felt like I took a step," Stroud said. "Definitely got to clean up some things but overall, I felt like I got in a good rhythm and I started playing football like I'm used to."

Repetition in time will make Stroud a more dynamic passer, similar to his rise at Ohio State. He didn't step onto campus as a two-time Heisman finalist tasked with leading the Buckeyes to a College Football Playoff appearance.

There's room for improvement. Stroud will be the first to admit his opening drive came with some concerns as he went 0-of-2 to begin the game. On fourth down, Ryans trusted the offense to punch it in from the 7-yard line after a Denzel Perryman interception.

Instead, Stroud sailed it over tight end Dalton Schultz's head, though there was miscommunication from both sides on the route and timing. Schultz ran a comeback route while Stroud threw a pass intended for the front pylon.

"It's frustrating when you don't score on the 1 (yard line), but it was learning," said Stroud. "Any L that you take and don't learn from it is a real loss."

The "L" wasn't duplicated on Stroud's second drive. He went a perfect 5-of-5 to close out the first quarter, with two impressive throws for any quarterback, let alone a rookie. He connected with Robert Woods for an 11-yard gain on third down. Two plays later, Stroud found Noah Brown on a bootleg pass for a gain of 14.

The Texans were driving in the red zone, but a pass deflection by Dolphins' cornerback Xavien Howard against Brown forced Houston to settle for a field goal.

"Everyone got to touch the ball on the drive. It shows what we can do," said Stroud. "We just got to finish. That was the main thing I thought we had. We just didn't finish well."

Houston has a long way to go in improving its status as the AFC South's bottom-dwelling franchise. Every positive rep from Stroud is a step in the hopeful direction for that three-win seasons are a thing of the past.

Ryans is still leaving the quarterback battle up for grabs between Stroud and third-year starter Davis Mills. Reps were split by halves as Mills played the final 30 minutes, finishing the night 10-of-22 for 93 yards.

“We’ll have a starter Week 1 in Baltimore,” Ryans said when asked if Stroud had done enough to earn the starting role.

Stroud's not concerned with starting status. Everything for him about the little developments picked up in practice that will eventually translate to live reps.

He's still learning. He's still growing. But Stroud's performance Saturday shows Houston can have a promising future with him under center. He possesses the tools and confidence.

Now, it's about putting it all together for four quarters.

Said Stroud: "I actually appreciate the mistakes and lessons learned because you don't really get them anywhere else. You have to learn and you have to have scars.