C.J. Stroud sends a message to the NFL following win over Browns
The Houston Texans proved on Saturday that they have become the team no one wants to face throughout the AFC Playoffs. The Texans dominated the league's top defense in route to a 45-14 home victory to kick off the start of the NFL's Super Wild Card Weekend. The young team was heavily doubted to even […]
The Houston Texans proved on Saturday that they have become the team no one wants to face throughout the AFC Playoffs.
The Texans dominated the league's top defense in route to a 45-14 home victory to kick off the start of the NFL's Super Wild Card Weekend.
The young team was heavily doubted to even win the AFC South and the doubts were even higher heading into this matchup. But that's a mistake the league, and everyone else, won't dare to make again.
The Texans opened as home underdogs for their first round matchup against the Cleveland Browns as the Browns entered as 2-point favorites. The blatant disrespect for the Texans chances continued throughout the entire week.
While appearing on the "Pat McAfee Show" during the week, Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud was asked about the noise surrounding his team and gave the best response.
The young quarterback was oozing with confidence from the beginning of the week and yet people still continued to doubt the Texans heading into the weekend. For example, let's see how the NFL Network's Gameday crew predicted the game going for Houston on Saturday.
As a result of all the negative talk, the Texans kept their heads down and went to work. The team had a 24-14 lead at halftime, and then jumped to a 38-14 lead entering the fourth quarter. Stroud finished the game with 274 passing yards, three touchdowns and zero turnovers.
Here's Stroud's response to all the doubters after the game:
"I think everybody counted us out," he said. "And out there today, like I told you before, people will talk and that's all they can do. They can just talk and watch. We were the ones out there playing and the ones out there making plays. I think we should call it NRG vs. the world or Houston vs. the world."
"It's cool just to be able to be playing on a high level right now," he added. "It's not about what people say. In the playoffs, it's 0-0. Everybody has a clean slate."
Texans first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans shared his own similar thoughts on the matter following the game:
"Our team is confident and we were confident coming in," Ryans said. "You have to be confident in these moments. We're not shying away from that, we're confident team we believe in each other. We know we have a special group of men in the locker room, and that's what it's all about. It's one game at a time. You continue to go out, don't make the moment bigger than what it is, execute by playing relentless football, and we will be exactly where we want to be."
The NFL itself even doubted the Texans regarding their schedule making decisions. The Texans were forced to play during the early window on Saturday as the first game of the wild card weekend (essentially the least important game of the slate).
The Texans big win proves this team deserves the biggest stage going forward. Even in Week 17, the Texans first primetime game in years, the team came away with a massive 23-19 win to lock up the AFC South title.
This is a primetime team with the highest of expectations now heading into another home matchup in the divisional round. And it's not a bold claim to say that the Texans are the hottest team remaining. The disrespect and negative talk about this team being an underdog should come to an end.
Texans’ young weapon has best game of his career at the perfect time
He stepped up for his team
