14 September 2023 , 22:48
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Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has explained why there were plenty of positives to take from CJ Stroud’s debut.
Stroud played his first game in the NFL last Sunday for the Texans against the Baltimore Ravens. The Texans lost 25-9 in the Week One opener at the M&T Bank Stadium, with Stroud failing to complete a single touchdown pass.
Despite not getting a TD pass, Stroud still managed to amass 242 total passing yards with 28 of 42 completed passes and zero interceptions. The rookie quarterback will be hopeful of putting in a performance that leads to a win when he takes to the field in Week Two against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Stroud was the second overall pick for the Texans in the 2023 NFL Draft and has begun his rookie season in the league. To put into context, Stroud’s debut game saw him finish with a passer rating of 78.0, via , which is 22nd overall and higher than the likes of Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs), Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys), Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills), and Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals).
However, Stroud was sacked five times which was fewer than only Sam Howell of the Washington Commanders (six) and Daniel Jones for the New York Giants (seven), as well as the same amount as Allen and Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh Steelers). In total, Stroud lost a total of 46 yards from being sacked, but he still managed to avoid a pass interception when throwing the football.
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Even though Stroud has yet to complete a touchdown pass in the NFL, the Texans’ offensive coordinator is full of confidence in the rookie quarterback. Slowik explained why Stroud’s performance justified the decision from the Texans' front office to draft the QB with the second overall pick.
“For a young quarterback, he’s very functional from the pocket, which is rare, and he has elite accuracy, the ball goes where he wants it to go,” Slowik told reporters on Thursday, via .
“I think he’s shown in the NFL, in one game, that he has more athleticism than a lot of people gave him credit for.”
The next test for Stroud will be coming up against the Colts this Sunday in the second game of the season. After the loss to the Ravens leaves the team 0-1 after Week One, the young quarterback will be looking for an improved performance in the home opener in Houston to get the first win of the year.