Typically, rookie quarterbacks do not perform well under pressure. However, Houston Texans play-caller C.J. Stroud has proven he is no typical rookie through the first eight games of his NFL career. His legend grew after an iconic Week 9 performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The former Ohio State standout looked calm and collected even if they were down by four points with under a minute left in regulation. He led the Texans to a 4-4 record after completing a 15-yard touchdown pass to fellow rookie Tank Dell with six seconds left.
However, that’s just a tiny sample of how Stroud was the Texans’ best player in that game. Instead, he played a game that burst through the league’s historical records. He finished with 470 passing yards, the most by a rookie in NFL history.
That number also made him the youngest player to collect at least 450 passing yards in a game. Furthermore, he had a 147.8 passer rating against the Buccaneers, the highest single-game passer rating by a rookie quarterback with a minimum of 30 attempts in league history.
Beyond rookie records, Stroud also became the sixth NFL player to throw for at least 450 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions in a game. Dell caught another touchdown pass from Stroud in the third quarter. Dalton Schultz, Nico Collins, and Noah Brown also received Stroud’s scoring throws.
What CJ Stroud accomplished Sunday:
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 6, 2023
His 147.8 passer rating is the highest single-game passer rating by a rookie quarterback (minimum 30 attempts) in NFL history.
His 470 passing yards are the most passing yards by a rookie in a game in NFL history.
Became the youngest… pic.twitter.com/lvqKulw7fX
The rookie quarterback’s big day had Brown, Schultz, and Dell going over 100 receiving yards. Fantasy football-wise, Stroud delivered 42 points, the most among all quarterbacks in Week 9.
Through eight games, Stroud has 173 completions for 2270 yards, 14 touchdowns, and one interception. He has completed 61.3 percent of his throws and delivered an average of 19.6 fantasy points per game.
Texans fans and his fantasy football owners hope he’ll maintain his impressive pace through the second half of the 2023 NFL season. Doing so could allow him to lead the team that selected him second overall to the playoffs in his first NFL season.
-Lance Fernandez