Impressive John Harbaugh stat doesn't bode well for Texans' C.J. Stroud
As it stands, three rookie quarterbacks are set to start for their respective teams in Week 1. Out of these quarterbacks, Houston Texans passer C.J. Stroud may have the most arduous test ahead of him. Stroud is set to be under center for Houston’s road clash with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. The No. […]
As it stands, three rookie quarterbacks are set to start for their respective teams in Week 1. Out of these quarterbacks, Houston Texans passer C.J. Stroud may have the most arduous test ahead of him.
Stroud is set to be under center for Houston’s road clash with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft will not only meet a Baltimore defense that ranked in the top five in a multitude of stats last season, but he will also look to do what only two other rookie quarterbacks have managed to accomplish: defeat the John Harbaugh-led Ravens in Baltimore.
The Ravens boast a 14-2 home record against rookie starting quarterbacks in the John Harbaugh era. Overall, the Ravens went 2-1 against such passers in the 2022 campaign, with their lone loss coming in Week 17 to the Kenny Pickett-led Pittsburgh Steelers.
For Harbaugh, the Ravens' notable home record against rookie passers under his reign is not one that he is paying much attention to heading into Week 1.
“There might be a reason for it, but I haven't really done the research on that," Harbaugh said during a press conference on Aug. 28. “But I tell you what, I'm excited about this team, and we're going to have a big challenge in front of us.
"I've seen [the] Houston [Texans] on tape in the preseason. You can see it through the reflection of their coaching staff. They have a lot of young players. They're fast, they're physical, they fly around, [and] they play super hard."
Harbaugh well recognizes that despite the fact that Stroud is a rookie, there comes a “challenge” with game planning against such a quarterback.
“He's a rookie," Harbaugh said. "That's a challenge in terms of really having … there's really no book on him in the NFL, but we'll look at their team as a whole and do the best we can to game plan."
The Ravens will be looking to open up a season with a 1-0 record for the seventh time in the last eight years.
Final Ravens injury report for Week 1 game vs. Texans
Key injury updates ahead of Week 1.
Featured image credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
