C.J. Stroud never accepted the gloomy predictions about the Texans, a franchise mired in three consecutive losing seasons before his arrival.
The ascension of the AFC South franchise, after years of coaching and roster churn, controversial trades and former Pro Bowl quarterback Deshaun Watson’s legal issues, has been a long time coming.
After going a combined 11-38-1 over the previous three seasons under coaches Bill O’Brien, Romeo Crennel, David Culley and Lovie Smith, the Texans are more than relevant again. They’re 6-4, highly relevant again in the NFL and have emerged as a viable playoff contender behind the stellar play of Stroud, a lock for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors, and DeMeco Ryans, a top NFL Coach of the Year candidate, along with a strong supporting cast.
Stroud, the second overall pick and a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist from Ohio State, never bought into what people were saying. He just went to work at learning the playbook, building his friendships and chemistry with his new teammates and working on his craft.
“I mean, honestly, I feel from the get-go, we really honestly, in my personal opinion, I really didn’t care,” Stroud said. “I knew how bad people thought we were going to be. They thought we were going to be whatever they thought, but, I think Jalen Hurts said it, we had a purpose before people had an opinion. I think what we’re doing in the city of Houston and bringing people hope, that’s way more special than anything.
“I think that’s what we’re doing it for. We’re not doing it for the glitz and the glamour for us. Of course, you want to play great ball. That’s our job. I, of course, want to play well. My teammates want to play well, but we don’t really care who’s talking or who is not. It’s about what we think in that locker room and when we look each other in the eye before we run out of that tunnel, we want to go out there and do it for each other and win games. And do it for the city of Houston.”
In the midst of a historically prolific and precise rookie season, Stroud has helped boost the Texans to Sunday’s pivotal football game. The Texans are on a three-game winning streak and square off for first place in the AFC South division at NRG Stadium against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the team they handily defeated in September. The 7-3 Jaguars are on a four-game winning streak.
For the Texans, this game marks another step, not the culmination in their climb from a 3-13-1 squad a year ago to doubling their victory total this year under Ryans, a former NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl linebacker for the Texans. Even bigger games could be in the immediate future for the Texans.
If the season ended today, the Texans would qualify for an AFC wild-card playoff berth. If the Texans win the AFC South, they clinch an automatic playoff berth with a division title that would mark their first since the 2019 season under O’Brien before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional round.
“Very excited, knowing this organization is turning it around and getting an opportunity to fight for first place,” said Texans rookie wide receiver Tank Dell, who already owns the team’s franchise rookie record with six touchdown catches. “We’re going to prepare well, go out here and execute in practice, and once we get to Sunday, it’s going to be a showdown for both teams.”
This marks the most important game played at NRG Stadium since the Texans’ playoff win over the Buffalo Bills that season when retired defensive end J.J. Watt recorded a key sack in a triumphant return from a torn pectoral muscle. Now, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year is a proud fan of his former team and was inducted into the Texans’ Ring of Honor earlier this season.
“It’s a blessing,” Stroud said. “It’s been really cool to see our progress. All the way from the beginning of the season to now, and this is all we’ve worked for, so a lot of work has been put in and now it’s time to go cash in.”
In order to do so, the Texans will need to accomplishing something difficult: beating a talented team twice in one season.
The Jaguars, led by former top overall pick Trevor Lawrence, are on a four-game winning streak and have a good receiving corps in Christian Kirk, Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones.
When Lawrence is on, the Jaguars are a successful team. They’re 16-4 when he has a 90 passer rating or higher. When he’s under a 90 passer rating, they’re 3-21 during his tenure.
Stroud outdueled Lawrence in the first meeting, a 37-17 win in an early breakout game for the rookie standout as he completed 20 of 30 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions to earn the Texans’ first victory of the season following an 0-2 start with losses to the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts.
Lawrence was under heavy duress and limited to 27 of 40 passing for 279 yards, one touchdown and was intercepted once by linebacker Blake Cashman.
In the first matchup earlier this season in Week 3, Stroud got the better of Lawrence. He completed 20 of 30 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions. Stroud has completed 62.8 percent of his throws for 2,962 yards, 17 touchdowns and five interceptions.
“For a rookie quarterback to come in and perform at this level, the way he’s thrown the ball, I just really admire his poise quite frankly,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said. “He’s putting the ball where he wants to put it, meaning it is very accurate throws. He’s got the ability to escape and move and still keep his eyes down the field. I think that’s a unique trait for a young quarterback to be able to do.”
This marks the first time the Texans and Jaguars have met this late in the season with each having a winning record.
Should the Jaguars win, they would earn a two-game lead in the division over the Jaguars.
That would make it difficult for the Texans to catch up with them.
During the first meeting, the Jaguars had an interception and a lost fumble and fell behind 17-0 by halftime. They allowed Texans fullback Andrew Beck to return a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown as he became the first fullback to return a kickoff for a score since 2005.
For Ryans, it’s about keeping the focus on the present and not dwelling on the bigger-picture meaning behind this game.
“It’s the next game for us,” Ryans said. “It means our guys have done a really good job and they’ve put the work in. I’m proud of our guys for putting themselves in this position. And now just have to go out and play clean football, play our style of football on Sunday and be the best team within those three-and-a-half hours.”
The Texans, behind a resurgent running game led by Devin ‘Motor’ Singletary and the NFL’s eighth-ranked run defense, are well-positioned for another critical step forward in their progression. They’re 4-2 in one-score games, including recent wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cincinnati Bengals
The Jaguars have improved, too. Following the loss to the Texans, Lawrence has been extremely accurate. He has completed 70 percent of his throws during that span with eight touchdown passes and four interceptions.
The Jaguars are using Lawrence a lot on designed roll-out passes
“He’s done a great job of getting out and utilizing his athletic ability, and I think that’s where he’s made some teams pay, using his athletic ability and being able to run,” Ryans said. “Playing on the edge is where he’s thrived the most.”
The Jaguars are on a 6-1 tear since losing to the Texans, who have gone 5-2 during that stretch.
The Texans have been a solid home team, winning four of their five games at NRG Stadium. The Jaguars have yet to lose a road contest.
The Jaguars are a different team. They are 6-1 since that Texans loss. The Texans are a different team. They are 5-2 since that game.
“I feel like we’ve gotten better as a team, and I feel like they’ve gotten better as well,” Ryans said. “I feel like it is its own matchup. I don’t look at last game to see if we’re going to pick up right where we left off. We have a different offensive line and a lot of different guys who will be out there, so it’s just a completely different game for us. For us if you make games bigger than they’re supposed to be then you’re focused on the wrong things and now you can’t really truly lock in and focus on the small fine details of your job.
“That’s what is going to win football games. It’s about executing the details of your job. It’s not about all of the hoopla that’s going on around the game of what place you’re going to be in if you win, like none of that matters if you don’t go out and execute, play well and play great football – that’s all that matters. When that ball is snapped, no one cares about what’s going on the outside. Are you playing fast, are you finishing with a physical mindset and are you winning that down? That’s the only thing that matters.”
Aaron Wilson is a contributor to Sports Talk 790.
Photo: Julio Aguilar / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images