Has C.J. Stroud altered sport plan for NFL GMs? Why Texans QB has elevated stress to win instantly

What C.J. Stroud has finished for the franchise quarterback is unparalleled. Stroud’s success with the Houston Texans has reversed the course of the franchise and made the group top-of-the-line within the NFL in only a 12 months. 

Having Stroud modified every thing in Houston — for the higher. 

“I had a bunch of his video games final 12 months,” mentioned NFL on CBS broadcaster Ian Eagle to CBS Sports activities this week. “To be trustworthy, I used to be blown away.”

Eagle, who is looking Sunday’s Week 3 sport between the Texans and Minnesota Vikings, noticed issues in Stroud he hasn’t seen with younger quarterbacks shortly. The intangibles Stroud possessed had been there instantly. 

“I simply noticed a savviness. I noticed somebody that was cool below stress. I noticed a pure chief on the market on the sphere,” Eagle mentioned. “Everyone on his workforce was feeding off of him and he was solely a rookie. 

“It obtained to the purpose the place you had been now not C.J. Stroud as solely a rookie of the 12 months candidate, you’re looking at him as a reliable MVP candidate. That is the place his sport took him his first 12 months.”

Stroud’s first 12 months was one for the ages. He completed his rookie season finishing 63.9% of his passes for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns to 5 interceptions for a 100.8 passer score, main the NFL in move yards per sport (273.8) and having the bottom interception fee (1.0%). The very best-drafted rookie quarterback to win a playoff sport (No. 2 total), Stroud’s 4,108 passing yards within the common season had been the third-most by a rookie quarterback in NFL historical past. 

Stroud is simply the third quarterback up to now 50 seasons to guide the NFL in move yards per sport and touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.6, minimal 10 begins). Stroud additionally had the very best touchdown-to-interception ratio towards successful groups in NFL historical past (together with playoffs), having 21 touchdowns to 2 interceptions (10.5). 

Via two video games, Stroud has picked up the place he left off. Stroud has accomplished 69.1% of his passes for 494 yards with three touchdowns and 0 interceptions (104.7 score), main the Texans to a 2-0 begin. 

“It is solely two video games in 12 months two and there are those that imagine in sophomore jinxes, I am not seeing it,” Eagle mentioned. “I am simply seeing a continuation of all of these expertise and a conviction of how he performs. There’s competitiveness there. There’s a capability to learn defenses that you just by no means fairly know will translate to the following stage. 

“He is checked each field of what you might be in search of in a franchise quarterback. And in the event you’re a fan of the Houston Texans, you may be in for a decade of playoff soccer wit this man below middle.”

Has Stroud modified the sport for GMs? 

Discovering a franchise quarterback has at all times been the aim for NFL basic managers, but truly touchdown one is less complicated mentioned than finished. Stroud has compelled basic managers to up their sport in getting that franchise quarterback, simply by watching the Texans’ success since he is arrived in Houston.

The Texans gained 11 video games from 2020 by way of 2022. Stroud already has 13 wins in 21 video games with the franchise (together with playoffs). 

“I do not know if C.J. Stroud’s success is placing extra stress (on basic managers), however I do know it is a reminder on this league you possibly can enhance faster than you possibly can in different skilled sports activities,” Eagle mentioned. “It has been confirmed, in the event you make good personnel choices within the NFL you may get significantly better in a 12 months or two years. 

“Now as we all know, Kansas Metropolis is the mannequin and that performs to the franchise quarterback. And that is the place Houston has to really feel actually good that they have that space lined.”

Kansas Metropolis getting their choose proper with Mahomes and Houston doing the identical with Stroud could not have put extra stress on basic managers to seek out that franchise quarterback, however has definitely upped their sport. There’s sufficient stress to win within the NFL, but it is a lot simpler having that franchise quarterback.