Colts' Anthony Richardson vs. Texans' C.J. Stroud is Rare Matchup
It's only the second week of the 2023 NFL regular season but we're already getting a matchup with a historical footprint this Sunday as the Indianapolis Colts travel to NRG Stadium to take on the Houston Texans.
This weekend brings a matchup of star rookie quarterbacks in the Colts' Anthony Richardson and the Texans' C.J. Stroud, both of whom were selected in the top five of this year's NFL Draft, and both of whom are under the age of 22 years old.
It's just the second time in NFL history that two quarterbacks so young go head-to-head, and only the seventh time since 1950 that two rookie starting quarterbacks picked in the top five will meet, according to NFL Communications.
“I love C.J.," Richardson told reporters this week. "I’ve known him since high school. We went to a few camps together, been through college together – talk a lot. So whenever I see him, I always tell him he’s a GOAT, he’s a baller. I’m looking forward to playing against him and playing against their team. But yeah, he’s definitely a dog. He’s a baller.”
In his debut last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Richardson went 24-of-37 passing (64.9%) for 223 yards (6.0 YPA), 1 touchdown, and 1 interception for a passer rating of 79.0. He also carried the ball 10 times for 40 yards (4.0 avg.) and another touchdown.
Richardson not only became the youngest quarterback (21 years, 111 days) in Colts franchise history to start a game, but he also became the youngest player in NFL history to record both a passing touchdown and a rushing touchdown in the same game. That was the first time a Colts rookie quarterback had ever done that in their first game and was only the fifth time a rookie in NFL history had done it. With an encore performance against Houston, Richardson would become just the fifth player in NFL history to run and throw for a touchdown in each of their first two career games.
Richardson became the first rookie in NFL history with 200-plus passing yards, 40-plus rushing yards, and both a passing and rushing touchdown in his first game, per StatMuse. Additionally, his completion percentage became tops in franchise history by a rookie quarterback in their first career start, per Colts Communications.
Stroud's debut against the Baltimore Ravens was a high-volume affair, completing 28-of-44 passes (63.6%) for 242 yards (5.5 YPA) and a passer rating of 78.0. He also ran the ball 4 times for 20 yards (5.0 avg.).
Stroud's 28 completions are tied for the fourth-most ever by a quarterback in his NFL debut and with another 27 completions against the Colts, Stroud would move into the top five for most completions ever by a player in his first two career games. He currently needs 33 completions to break Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow's record of 60 completions in his first two games.
For what it's worth, Richardson — who passed Andrew Luck for the most completions by a rookie quarterback in his first career start in franchise history — would join the top five with 31 completions on Sunday.
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