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This season has proven challenging for C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. However, the third-year quarterback is not exempt from needing to step up his play amid the team’s 2-4 start to the campaign, and head coach DeMeco Ryans made that very clear. Stroud completed a season-low 46.9% of his passes against the Seattle Seahawks on “Monday Night Football” in Week 7, finishing with 229 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. According to Ryans, the Texans need more from Stroud. DeMeco Ryans Puts C.J. Stroud on Notice After Texans’ Loss to Seahawks Ryans spoke with reporters on Tuesday for his day-after media availability, and he spoke candidly about Stroud following the Texans’ 27-19 loss. He did exactly single Stroud out, but the message was clear. “C.J. [Stroud] has to do a better job of running the offense & getting the ball out when it’s supposed to be out,” Ryans told reporters, per Sports Radio 610’s Tyler Milner on October 21. “Everybody around him has to play better. He has to play better-All around.. It’s not about just 1 person, it’s collectively. Everybody has to play better & he falls in that same category as well.” Stroud has a 1,305-9-4 line on a career-high 64.8% completion through six games this season. He is also tracking to produce career-highs in touchdown rate and Total QBR, while his interception and sack rates are both down compared to last season. However, Stroud has also taken multiple sacks in every game this season, and he is on pace for a career low in passing yards. Both of those could improve if Stroud heeds Ryans’ message. For their next test, Stroud and the Texans face Ryans’ former team, the San Francisco 49ers. C.J. Stroud Places Blame After Texans Fall on ‘Monday Night Football’ Stroud took the podium immediately after the game and acknowledged his shortcomings in running the Texans’ offense, which is in its first year under offensive coordinator Nick Caley. In many ways, his sentiments echoed Ryans’ sentiments. “First, I gotta point to myself, and missing a couple throws. You just gotta let – I gotta work through the pressure. They were bringing some blitzes. Got to just do some things to run some different schemes. I think it will help. But I just think we just didn’t catch a rhythm,” Stroud told reporters on October 21. “I think it starts with me, and I gotta do a better job of distributing the ball better and, when I have good pockets, working them and making sure I’m getting the ball out on time and to the right guys.” Stroud noted the Texans’ offense under Caley is not about dialing up deep shots as much as “death by 1,000 cuts,” and that requires precision on first and second down. DeMeco Ryans Backs Nick Caley Amid Historic Struggles Stroud and the Texans’ two-game winning streak heading into Week 7 was their first time notching back-to-back victories since Week 13 and 15 (bye in Week 14) of last season. Moreover, their 21st-ranked scoring offense is dragging down their top-ranked scoring defense. “The Texans are the first team in NFL history to lead the NFL in points per game allowed and have a losing record through the first 7 weeks of a season,” NFL senior researcher Dan Koplowitz-Fleming posted on X on October 21, citing OptaSTATS. While Ryans was clear about Stroud needing to be better, he largely gave a blanket endorsement of the current setup when asked about Caley, who arrived in Houston this offseason after learning under Sean McVay with the Los Angeles Rams.
