Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has been one of the most impressive first-year players at his position in pro football history, and in Saturday night’s game against the Indianapolis Colts — the winner takes the AFC North — it didn’t take long for Stroud to show why he is who he is. With 9:06 left in the first quarter, Stroud hit play-action and zinged the ball wayyyyyy downfield in the direction of receiver Nico Collins, who singed rookie cornerback JuJu Brents for a 75-yard score.
It took @CJ7STROUD only one play. 75-yard TD to @lbg_nico7! #WeAreTexans
📺: #HOUvsIND on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/C88VYpgzkh pic.twitter.com/FJGmqbmH6F— NFL (@NFL) January 7, 2024
Stroud is doing this right now without three of his top five receivers due to injury — Tank Dell, Robert Woods, and Noah Brown — but as long as he has Nico Collins on the field, things will be alright.
OROY type throw? 🚀 pic.twitter.com/hySsyud4mu
— NFL (@NFL) January 7, 2024
Receiver Puks Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams will have something to say about that, but at this point, how do you not have Stroud as No. 1 in the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation?
60 yards through the air 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/YTTChJLDSH
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 7, 2024
Those who saw the play, and were on Twitter at the time, seemed to agree.