Texans Daily

Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud Throws Clutch TD to Take Lead Over Chargers

Just ahead of halftime, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw a clutch touchdown to take the lead against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Evan Massey|
Jan 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC wild card game at NRG Stadium.
Jan 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC wild card game at NRG Stadium. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans have had a hard time moving the football this afternoon in their AFC Wild Card matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. However, they were able to make a clutch drive late in the first half.

With the score 6-0 in favor of the Chargers, the Texans moved the football down the field. Stroud was able to find wide receiver Nico Collins for a clutch 13-yard touchdown to take the lead 7-6.

That play changed the outlook of the game for Houston. If the offense can get going, they will have a chance to pull off the win and move on.

Of course, there is a lot of game left to be played and there is no point in guessing about what the outcome coud be.

Take a look at the big-time touchdown pass from Stroud to Collins for yourself:

In the first half at the time of this writing, Stroud has completed 12 of his 21 pass attempts for 167 yards, a touchdown, and an interceptions. The running game hasn't gotten going at all, with Joe Mixon picking up just 15 yards on six carries.

Looking ahead at the rest of the game, the Texans have a lot of work to do. Justin Herbert has been kept in check so far, but the defense will need to continue playing at an elite level.

As Houston fans know well, the offense is capable of putting up big numbers, but they're also capable of going silent. Now is the time for Stroud to step up and play like the star quarterback he's more than able to be.

Hopefully, the score towards the end of the first half will get the Texans going. It certainly has the potential to do so.

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Evan Massey
EVAN MASSEY

Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst who covers college football, the NFL and NBA. He has contributed to the On SI network since July 2021. He has also written for ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, NFLAnalysis.net, NBAAnalysis.net and many other publications. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son.

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