It is safe to say that the Texans offense has been a big disappointment to Houston fans early. After the first two weeks of the season, the Texans are 0-2, and the offense has struggled mightily. While blame is plenty to go around for the lack of offensive results, there is a lot to put on third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud.
The expectations for Stroud in Houston and across the NFL are quite high, and there is a wide consensus that he is at least a top-10 quarterback. After a remarkable first season where he won Offensive Rookie of the Year, he has not looked the same. While there were plenty of glimpses of greatness last season, Stroud threw 12 interceptions, seven more than in his rookie year. At the same time, he was sacked 52 times, the second most in the NFL.
A lot of blame for the Texans' offensive struggles has been thrown on the offensive line going back to last year, and rightfully so. However, not all the sacks were on the men up front.
This year, the Texans completely revamped their offensive line and traded star left tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Washington Commanders, doing a clean house approach for 2025. It has not looked too great so far. While there have been some holes in the running game for Nick Chubb, it has not been very consistent. The pass protection looks about average, but Stroud has not done anything to help it out.
What Needs to Be Fixed
Stroud has a knack for holding onto the ball too long and not being quick enough to get rid of it when nothing is there. New offensive coordinator Nick Caley has taken a lot of heat for a lack of creativity and not targeting the playmakers such as Nico Collins or rookie receiver Jayden Higgins.
It is quite possible that the routes or plays may not be effective, but even when Stroud has a good 3-4 seconds in the pocket to make a decision, negative plays and sacks are a common theme. There are a lot of instances where Stroud has enough time to make a play or avoid something negative, but the pass rushers end up getting to him.
Pocket Presence
Stroud needs to do a better job moving around and managing the pocket. He hasn’t done the best in finding the open spaces and adjusting, specifically stepping up to throw. He is partly allowing the pressure to get to him. There are all these stats out there about the hits Stroud takes, but some of these are self-inflicted as well.
The rookie Stroud didn’t have these many issues. The offensive line was certainly better, but the play feels like it has regressed.
Stroud, now in his third year, needs to do better in anticipating blitzes and when the opposing defenses will be sending the heat. It seems as if he isn’t aware at all and is surprised when defenses send a blitz.
The lack of pre-snap adjustments you typically see in an NFL offense is also a bit surprising. He’s not a rookie anymore. He needs to have better anticipation to get rid of the ball, as his internal clock isn’t fast enough right now.
When he does that, the accuracy will be more consistent. We know how accurate he is. Specifically against the Buccaneers, Stroud struggled with accuracy as he was 13/24 (54% completion). A lot of that is due to what looks like uncertainty in pass protection and a lack of confidence in throws. He is seeing receivers late and not putting himself in the best position to make an accurate throw.
Just a couple of these minor fixes, and the C.J. Stroud that Texans fans know and love will be back in full form. The potential of this offense is very high, and once Stroud locks in, opposing defenses will have to look out.