The Rams Get Honest About Playing C.J. Stroud

The Los Angeles Rams shared their opinions regarding taking one of the best young quarterbacks in football

Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) warms up before the game against the Carolina Panthers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

WOODLAND HILLS, Ca. On Sunday, while the Los Angeles Rams look to score a statement victory, star quarterback C.J. Stroud stands in their way. Here's what the team is saying about him.

Sean McVay

For the first time in his career, Stroud will be able to make audibles at the line of scrimmage. I asked Sean McVay about how that affects his tactical decisions, and in his response, he shared his thoughts on Stroud and his development.

“I'm not exactly familiar with what they were doing in those first couple years. I know he looked pretty damn good. He looked like he had real clarity and an ownership of what they were trying to get done. I'll see if I can call [Offensive Coordinator] [Nick] Caley and see which audibles that he's going to give him for this game so that we can be ready. I think that's just the natural progression for any of these quarterbacks."

Aug 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay reacts against the Dallas Cowboys in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"He's a stud. He's a guy that has earned the recognition and the praise that he gets. We have to be ready to play rules ball, like what I mentioned earlier. It is the first week. I'm looking forward to watching our defense fly around. They have great players. You know that they'll be able to be productive in both phases and so we have to be ready to roll.”

Chris Shula

On Sunday, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula will be tasked with stopping Stroud and the Texans' offense. He acknowledged how much of a challenge Stroud makes in pursuit of completing the task.

Jul 31, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula speaks to the media after training camp at Loyola Marymount University. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

“He's an elite thrower," stated Shula. "He can make all the throws. Obviously, he’s had a great first two years in the league. He has really good skill. He can do a lot of stuff off-schedule. He can see the field. He can make every single throw. He’s a true, true problem to play against. It’ll be a fun challenge on Sunday.”

Jared Verse

Verse, who was quick to the point on Thursday, showed his respect for the Houston Texans quarterback, detailing how Stroud's game affects his.

Jan 19, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse (8) reacts after a play against the Philadelphia Eagles in a 2025 NFC divisional round game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

“That’s a quarterback," stated Verse. "That's somebody that can hurt you with his legs. He can hurt you throwing the ball. He can throw on the run. That’s somebody that's a dangerous quarterback. There are a lot of dangerous quarterbacks in this league, but that's somebody you are very keen on. We have to do a lot of work beyond keeping them in the pocket, but understanding where his throws are, who he's looking for, who his main target is and who he's edging for so we can take off that side of field not only in the secondary, but in the pass rush.”

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