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HOUSTON — Contained in the Houston Texans’ assembly room final week, a debate broke out because the offense was getting ready for the season opener in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts.
Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik was discussing a go play and the way he wished the receivers to run routes in opposition to the Colts’ Cowl 3 look. Receiver Stefon Diggs spoke up, saying he thought the routes must be shorter.
After a couple of minutes of back-and-forth between coaches and gamers, everybody circled and checked out quarterback C.J. Stroud for the ultimate say. When Slowik requested him, he sided with the receivers.
That is the affect Stroud has in 12 months 2. However that is additionally the kind of offensive command coaches challenged him to absorb the offseason. And it is the tactic that helped the Texans win 29-27 on Sunday.
Stroud threw for 234 yards with two touchdowns — each to Diggs. One landing occurred on a vital fourth-and-goal play from the Colts’ 2-yard line with 4:45 remaining to place the Texans up 29-20. One other vital play got here on third-and-11, when Stroud zipped a go in a decent window to Nico Collins for a primary down with two minutes remaining to ice the sport.
Final 12 months, Stroud turned the fifth rookie to go for 4,000 yards in a season (4,108) and led the Texans to the AFC South title. Stroud additionally received a playoff sport, making him the youngest quarterback (22 years, 102 days outdated) to take action.
There are excessive hopes for the Texans in 2024, and Stroud is the explanation. Coach DeMeco Ryans’ essential ask of Stroud as a rookie was ensuring he took management of the offense, and now it is about directing his unit and being a coach on the sector. Stroud is evolving as a frontrunner on and off the sector — from inviting newcomers to his home and educating them the offense to texting receivers clips from final season to debate routes and defenses. He additionally watched movie with Slowik to grasp how his playcaller sees the sport.
“Once we got here again within the spring and began working with guys, we honed in on sure issues,” Ryans instructed ESPN. “For C.J., it was nearly taking extra command, and he is finished that. The person is a soccer junkie. That is the one factor it’s a must to have from the quarterback spot … and that is what permits C.J. to be nice.”
AS STROUD SAT in a collection at Tremendous Bowl LVIII, surrounded by the likes of Kim Kardashian, singer Ciara, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson, New England Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft and Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, he was texting Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson concerning the San Francisco 49ers‘ protection.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes accomplished passes on back-to-back sequences in additional time in opposition to the 49ers’ Cowl 0 blitz. Stroud wished to debate how Mahomes attacked the protection. He wished this to be part of the Texans’ offense.
“[That exchange] simply confirmed we bought the proper man,” Johnson instructed ESPN. “Folks noticed him on the Tremendous Bowl, however he is sending textual content messages concerning the precise scheme and performs whereas he is there. Soccer is at all times on his thoughts.”
When spring exercises started April 15, coaches labored with Stroud to extend his duties within the offense.
“[Last season] when C.J. had command on what was happening, and we had individuals lined up in the proper spot and we have been doing what we have been purported to do, we have been clicking and we have been rolling,” Slowik stated. “I might say nearly each time we had any form of malfunction as an offense, it was as a result of we have been missing a kind of qualities someplace.”
Slowik confirmed Stroud movie of their first win, a 37-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3 of 2023. Stroud had 280 passing yards and two touchdowns within the Texans’ second-highest-scoring output of the common season. Slowik highlighted what Stroud needed to repair pre-snap: lining individuals up appropriately and speaking directions.
“[He] needed to do every part to maintain us on observe,” Slowik stated.
Stroud watched hours of movie to grasp the playbook and stayed in communication with teammates all through the offseason, which helped his progress. He additionally studied different offenses, together with these of the Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions, to steal efficient ideas and pitch them to teammates and coaches.
Stroud would textual content teammates clips of video games in opposition to the Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens and Colts to “clear up on little [details] with routes,” Collins stated. Stroud would additionally ship YouTube clips of five-time All-Professional receiver Julio Jones to Collins since each are related in dimension and Collins views Jones as a task mannequin.
When the Texans traded for working again Joe Mixon and Diggs, Stroud invited them to his home to observe movie to show them their offensive scheme and present them how they are often included.
Mixon and Diggs have been a giant a part of Houston’s aggressive roster improve this offseason, wherein it spent $244.3 million in assured cash, the fifth most in keeping with ESPN Stats & Data. Along with Diggs’ two touchdowns, Mixon rushed for a league-high 159 yards and a landing in Week 1.
Mixon was introduced in to bolster a run sport that was tied for fourth worst in yards per carry (3.7) final season, and the Texans ended Week 1 main the league in speeding (213 yards). Diggs, who had six catches for 33 yards, was introduced in to crew up with Collins and Tank Dell, who mixed for two,006 receiving yards final season.
“He broke issues down and talked concerning the offense and what we wish to do and what we wish to accomplish,” Mixon stated of Stroud. “C.J. is an exceptional quarterback. The best way he prepares each day. He is spending time within the weight room, he is spending time within the movie room, and in addition, he is attempting to be taught. … I feel he does a hell of a job getting ready.”
IN MID-JULY AHEAD of coaching camp, the receivers and tight ends went to the College of Miami with Stroud to work on rhythm and timing. He arrange a number of Airbnbs for the group, and so they spent three days there, understanding within the morning for roughly two hours.
One idea they centered on was working a publish in opposition to totally different coverages in Slowik’s offense, which focuses on throws on and between the hashes. Stroud threw 300 passes in that space final season, in keeping with Subsequent Gen Stats. Tight finish Brevin Jordan known as it “breaking it to sunlight,” which implies if the protection has a two-high-safety look, they might run by the zone and have Stroud ship in that window.
In Stroud’s eyes, the time spent exterior of NRG Stadium is vital. The “extra camaraderie off the sector and spending time with guys,” will assist construct belief, he stated. “When instances are powerful, we are able to lean on one another.”
All through coaching camp, Stroud continued honing in on the main points — issues as small as conserving the huddle tight and ensuring everybody’s eyes are on him when he is calling a play. He has hung out enhancing his timing on a movement snap level because the Texans motioned 386 instances on go performs final season (tenth most within the league). And despite the fact that middle Juice Scruggs makes the offensive line safety calls, Stroud has made positive he has a robust understanding of what is being known as.
“When the quarterbacks get with us to go over protections, [Stroud] is extra outfitted,” proper guard Shaq Mason instructed ESPN. “He is aware of the entire package deal now. It is not like, ‘The place y’all gonna be?'”
The Texans subsequent tackle the Chicago Bears (1-0) of their dwelling opener Sunday evening (8:20 ET, NBC), Stroud’s second regular-season sport in prime time. The Bears have excessive hopes of their new quarterback, No. 1 draft decide Caleb Williams, and their protection was a giant a part of their opening-week win in opposition to the Tennessee Titans, selecting off quarterback Will Levis twice.
However in Houston, the workers feels assured Stroud will likely be prepared for something defenses throw at him. Ryans believes his quarterback is “understanding the whole image,” as in comparison with final 12 months right now. Slowik has seen Stroud’s command go from simply doing his job to creating positive to “repair” every part round him to maintain everybody on observe.
“Final 12 months, a variety of instances C.J. needed to hone in on his personal job a lot,” Slowik instructed ESPN. “Another person may very well be flawed, however you have simply bought to go do your job, and [he] could not essentially proper the ship. This 12 months, he is finished much more of with the ability to not solely do his job, however assist others get the place they should go.”
The Texans entered Week 1 with the fourth-best odds to win the AFC (+750) and seventh-best odds to win the Tremendous Bowl (+1600), in keeping with ESPN BET. Their Tremendous Bowl odds have since improved (+1300), tying them with the Dallas Cowboys for sixth. They’ve additionally moved as much as third in odds to win the AFC (+700).
However Stroud is aware of it is on him to carry all of it collectively.
“I am the captain of the ship, and I’ve bought to run it the proper approach,” Stroud stated. “And I really feel like I’ve stepped into the position of not solely holding guys accountable, but additionally holding myself accountable to these moments. I do not let something slide.”
