Tag: C.J. Stroud

How Browns TE Jordan Akins saved the Texans from Bryce Young

One touchdown catch from the Browns’ tight end landed Bryce Young in Carolina, C.J. Stroud in Houston, and Caleb Williams in Chicago.

The Carolina Panthers have benched former first overall pick Bryce Young, leaving us reminiscing on the time that Cleveland Browns tight end saved his former team, the Houston Texans, from drafting him.

The Texans were in the driver’s seat to win the first overall pick with head coach Lovie Smith running the show in 2022. Sitting at 2-13-1, the Texans had the rights to the pick, and all it would have taken was one more loss against the Indianapolis Colts.

However, Smith and his team decided to fight, scoring a go-ahead touchdown with less than a minute to go in the game. On the receiving end of that touchdown? Akins.

Not only did Akins catch the touchdown with less than a minute to go in the game, but the Cleveland tight end then caught the two-point conversion from Texans quarterback Davis Mills to give Houston the lead over the Indianapolis Colts.

Ironically, he caught the two-point conversion over his now-teammate and Browns safety Rodney McLeod.

Akins finished that Week 18 game with four catches, 70 yards, and two touchdowns, adding that two-point conversion to win the game.

The Texans would lose the No. 1 overall pick to the Chicago Bears, and the rest is well documented. The Bears traded that pick to the Panthers for a massive haul that included multiple first round picks and Pro Bowl wide receiver D.J. Moore.

To make matters worse for the Panthers, they would go on to have the worst record in the NFL in 2023, giving the top pick in the draft right back to the Bears. They used that pick on former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams.

The Texans would go on to draft Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud. Since then, Stroud has won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, been named to a Pro Bowl, and even beat the Browns in a playoff game in his first season in the league. He has the Texans sitting at 2-0 in 2024 thus far.

And none of this would have been possible if Jordan Akins didn’t catch that touchdown or two-point conversion.

Texans QB C.J. Stroud sets NFL record in Sunday night victory

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud made NFL history during the Texans 19-13 win over the Bears on Sunday Night Football in Week 2.

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has had a historic start to his NFL career since arriving from Ohio State. On Sunday, he added another milestone in Houston’s 19-13 win over the Chicago Bears.

Stroud finished 23-of-36 passing for 260 yards and a touchdown. With a 16-yard pass to tight end Dalton Schultz in the fourth quarter, the former No. 2 overall pick surpassed Patrick Mahomes for the most passing yards in a player’s first 10 career home games, including playoffs.

Through 10 career home games, Stroud has averaged 301.6 passing yards per outing, nearly 70 more yards on the road stats. His best performance in H-Town was the Week 9 win against Tampa Bay, when he threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns.

Stroud entered 2024 as a bonafide MVP candidate and he’s done nothing to discredit the notion through games in which he’s completed 69.1% of his passes with 494 yards and three touchdowns.

Stroud and the Texans are 2-0 and already hold a two-game lead in the AFC South, as the rest of the teams are 0-2.

Houston hits the road in Week 3 to take on the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. Last week, Minnesota held the explosive San Francisco 49ers offense to 17 points.

Texans rookie TE Cade Stover garners praise from C.J. Stroud following strong debut

Cade Stover made his presence felt during Sunday’s win over the Colts and C.J. Stroud wanted everyone to know about it.

Joe Mixon credited his offensive line for paving the way to a stellar Houston Texans’ debut against the Indianapolis Colts.

Traded from Cincinnati, Mixon lived up to the billing as a bell-cow back by rushing for 159 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. The offensive line looked at its peak by creating lanes for the Pro Bowl runner to set the tone at Lucas Oil Stadium.

But Mixon, who currently leads the NFL in scrimmage yards with 178 heading into Week 2, gave one more thank you in the locker room before boarding a flight back home.

“Special shout-out to (Cade) Stover,” Mixon told reporters. “He made critical blocks. … I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen a fullback in front of me. It’s a hell of a feeling, man.”

Stover, the Texans’ fourth-round pick of Ohio State, will carve out playing time in 2024, but where remains the mystery. With Dalton Schultz missing practice, the former Buckeye could see reps at his natural tight end position.

He also could remain Houston’s lead fullback while learning on the fly. Learning positions is nothing new for Stover since he committed to Ohio State as a linebacker before swapping sides in 2020.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Stover earned the trust to learn a new position. After roster cutdowns, Houston was left without a full-time fullback, so Stover and undrafted rookie British Brooks began to take reps in practice.

 On Sunday, Stover saw the most action with 15 reps. He stepped up late in the fourth quarter by setting up a block to help Mixon pick up a first down. He also helped keep his former college quarterback C.J. Stroud upright on two pass attempts.

“Cade is somebody who’s very selfless,” Stroud said Wednesday. “He’s been like that since I met him. And he’s willing to do everything to win and I think he played great in his first game.”

Stroud, who trusted Stover to be his top red zone target in 2022 in Columbus, knows the transition period is the toughest, but nothing a player who’s been through this before can’t tackle head-on.

“It’s not easy going out there, not knowing – not getting a whole bunch of reps doing a new position but he attacked it and he really just wants to win and I love that dude,” said Stroud.

Stover will have a chance to improve his rep count

Watch: Texans WR Stefon Diggs scores first touchdown

The Houston Texans swung big by trading for Stefon Diggs, and he rewarded them in his debut with a 10-yard touchdown from C.J. Stroud.

Welcome to the end zone, Stefon Diggs.

Houston Texans fans should be used to seeing No. 1 punch it in for six points.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud made it a point to find the new wideout in his debut, connecting with the former All-Pro for a 9-yard score in the second quarter against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Diggs is the current receiving leader with three catches for 21 yards.

https://twitter.com/HoustonTexans/status/1832837397165298092

Diggs made history earlier in the game by becoming the eighth active player to surpass 10,000 receiving yards in a career.

Houston acquired the 30-year-old in a trade with the Bills, sending a 2025 second-round pick in exchange. Diggs formed one of the league’s top receiving trios alongside Tank Dell and Nico Collins.

Diggs posted his sixth consecutive 1,000 yard and fourth straight 100-plus reception season. However, he faded out of the Bills rotation, failing to pass 100 yards in the last 13 games, including the postseason.

The trade to Houston has been a positive one thus far with Diggs being named a team captain earlier in the week.

Watch: Texans WR Nico Collins makes incredible catch vs. Colts

Houston Texans star Nico Collins looks unstoppable when playing the Indianapolis Colts and this catch proves it.

Nico Collins loves playing the Indianapolis Colts.

Collins, who last season broke out as C.J. Stroud’s No. 1 target en route to a division title, scored the Colts in Week 18’s win at Lucas Oil Stadium. On the opening drive, he caught a 75-yard touchdown.

It was almost déjà vu in Week 1 of the 2024 season, but the ball was a bit underthrown.

During the second quarter, Stroud heaved a deep shot down the field for Collins in double coverage. It didn’t matter since the 6-foot-4 target overpowered a pair of defensive backs to haul in a 56-yard reception, setting up Houston inside the red zone.

https://twitter.com/HoustonTexans/status/1832836894930968992

While the Texans didn’t score on the play, they found the end zone three plays later on a Stefon Diggs on a 9-yard score.

Collins, who inked a three-year, $72.5 million extension this offseason, became a fixture of Houston’s passing game in Year 3. He posted a career-high 80 receptions for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns, three of which came against Indianapolis.

The Texans believe they could have the best trio of receivers in Collins, Diggs and Tank Dell. So far, everyone seems to have a role.

For Collins? It’s torching Indianapolis in its own backyard.

J.J. Watt believes Texans are equipped for contender expectations

The Houston Texans hype is as big as its ever been but former player J.J. Watt believes C.J. Stroud and DeMeco Ryans can handle expectations

Expectations are high in Houston as the NFL season begins on Sunday in Indianapolis for the reigning AFC South champions. The Texans finished a surprising 10-7 en route to the team’s first playoff appearance since 2019.

DeMeco Ryans’ head coaching debut was a smashing success. His team, led by rookies C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson Jr., captured a wild-card round win over the Cleveland Browns before falling to the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens a week later.

Given the rapid ascension, Houston became one of the top teams discussed in the offseason, with moves such as signing Danielle Hunter and Azeez Al-Shaair and trading for Joe Mixon and Stefon Diggs feeding the media flames.

Every year, there is that one team that receives the extent of offseason hype. In 2022, the Jacksonville Jaguars won six of their final seven games to reach the playoffs, where they came back from down to 27 to beat the Los Angeles Chargers.

Jacksonville elevated from the 27th-best Super Bowl odds in 2022 (+13000) to 12th (+2800) entering 2023. However, the Jaguars sputtered down the stretch, losing five of their last six to miss the postseason.

While quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s ankle injury may have had more effect than the Jaguars increased expectations, the latter can be damaging to teams ill-equipped to handle them.

It’s not something Texans legend J.J. Watt is worried about regarding Houston’s current coach and quarterback combination.

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“I think C.J. and DeMeco, the demeanor that they have, the way they attack each day and the way that they lead that team, nobody’s better to handle this type of hype and expectation than those guys,” Watt said while appearing on the Pat McAfee Show.

The three-time Defensive Player of the Year played alongside Ryans as a rookie in 2011, witnessing how the two-time Pro Bowl linebacker led a Houston team with legitimate playoff aspirations for the first time in franchise history.

Houston’s 2024 team has even higher expectations after Stroud’s historic rookie season. He became the third quarterback to lead the league in passing yards per game and touchdown-to-interception ratio, joining Tom Brady and Joe Montana.

The Texans acquired Diggs from the Buffalo Bills in a trade centered around the former All-Pro and a second-round pick in 2025 that Houston sent in exchange to form one of the league’s top receiving trios.

Diggs joins Nico Collins, who had a breakout third season that he parlayed into a three-year, $72.75 million contract extension, and Tank Dell, who was on pace to shatter the Texans rookie receiving records before suffering a season-ending leg injury in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos.

“You got to spread it amongst these incredible playmakers on the offensive side of the ball, and it’s going to give defensive coordinators nightmares,” Watt added.

The added talent has everyone thinking more is in store for Stroud in year two, who currently has the second-highest MVP odds at +800 on DraftKings Sportsbook, only behind Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

As a team, the Texans’ Super Bowl odds similarly skyrocketed to +1600, tied for seventh with the Buffalo Bills, from +25000 a year ago. It’s the third-biggest odds move in one year in the Super Bowl era.

https://twitter.com/torygattis/status/1831374593921315191

Only time will tell if the Texans can reach the heights the outsiders have placed on them, yet in the mind of the franchise’s greatest player, expectations won’t be the reason they don’t find success.

Texans: QB C.J. Stroud happy for Davis Mills’ recent extension

C.J. Stroud is perhaps the happiest Houston Texans player for Davis Mills following his one-year extension.

C.J. Stroud has plenty of people to thank for a steady first season as the starting quarterback for the Houston Texans.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans is one of them.

Quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik are owed a thank you.

So are backups Davis Mills and Case Keenum, who pushed Stroud in practice to perform like it was gameday to secure the title of QB1. Without Mills, perhaps Stroud’s breakout season would have seen less production.

With Mills now locked into the backup role beyond 2024, the Texans’ franchise signal-caller is among the happiest to see him get paid.

“I’m very happy for him and proud of him,” Stroud said Wednesday following Mills’ contract extension.

A former 2021 third-round pick out of Stanford, the Texans and Mills agreed to terms on a one-year, $5 million extension to him at NRG Stadium through the 2025 season. Mills was entering a contract season and could have tested free agency to compete as a starter elsewhere, thus leaving the Texans without a secondary option.

Mills has proven his value as a serviceable backup and fringe starter. After replacing Tyrod Taylor in 2021, the former top quarterback recruit helped Houston stay afloat for two seasons under the David Culley and Lovie Smith regime.

Across 26 starts, Mills compiled a 5–19–1 record with 35 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. Even though Stroud replaced him after being drafted No. 2 overall in 2023, Mills pushed Stroud to improve weekly.

Their relationship had grown beyond just teammates who play the same position.

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1831299295196176585

“Davis and I have created a great relationship. He’s definitely helped me out a ton,” Stroud said. “We have our little dinners and what not, and just being able to talk to him and his wife, to see where they come from, and just really having that brotherhood and fellowship has been amazing in that quarterback room.”

Mills said he wanted to stick around Houston for the long haul and sees a promising future with the organization. While the Texans hope they won’t have to call upon him in games outside of a blowout, they know their quarterback room is in good hands.

“Davis had a really great training camp, saw big-time improvement from last year to this year,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Thought he handled camp really well, playing some of his best ball in training camp, and he went out and proved it in the snaps he was able to get in the preseason.”

The Texans take on the Colts this Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium at noon CT.

Texans QB Davis Mills agrees to one-year contract extension

Davis Mills is sticking around the Houston Texans through the 2025 season on a new extension.

Davis Mills is here for the long haul.

Well, he’s at least here through 2024.

According to multiple reports, the Houston Texans and Mills have agreed to a one-year extension worth $5 million, keeping him on staff through the 2025 season. Mills has served as the Texans’ backup for two seasons and has been a serviceable starter since being drafted out of Stanford in 2021.

Entering his fourth season, Mills has played in 34 games and has 26 starts, posting a 5-20-1 record. After the Texans drafted C.J. Stroud, Mills competed with veteran Case Keenum for the backup job.

https://twitter.com/AaronWilson_NFL/status/1831315502272053444

Keenum, a longtime journeyman in the league, suffered a season-ending foot injury during the preseason finale. Mills saw little action last season and was benched in favor of Keenum when Stroud missed two games because of a concussion.

Now, he’s the first call well beyond 2024 if something were to happen to Stroud. That’s a positive given his play in training camp and the preseason this summer.

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1831299295196176585

The former No. 1 overall quarterback recruit had an efficient preseason, completing 18 of 26 throws for 191 yards and a touchdown. He looked more comfortable in the pocket and while throwing under duress.

Mills is now the second homegrown player signed under Nick Caserio. Wide receiver and fellow 2021 third-round pick Nico Collins agreed to a three-year, $72.5 million extension earlier this offseason.

The Texans travel to Indianapolis to face the Colts on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

Texans VP Hannah McNair takes delightful dig at Cleveland Browns heading

Hannah McNair is making sure Houston Texans are saying thanks to the Cleveland Browns heading into 2024.

Cal McNair keeps a stern face whenever addressing something surrounding the Houston Texans. 

Hannah McNair isn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers. 

As the Houston Texans prepare for what looks to be a promising 2024 season, the McNairs continue to see their popularity rise. Cal, who was named the majority owner during last year’s owner’s meetings, continues to win over the fans with his social media presence. 

Hannah McNair, however, truly has embraced the H-Town culture, going so far as to take a few playful jabs at other teams. Recently on The Ultimate Fan Experience with Texans super fan Steve Beckholt, Hannah said Houston fans should actually be friendly toward the Cleveland Browns. 

Why? 

“Have you thanked a Brown lately,” Hannah told Beckholt. “I thank them for all of our players.”  

Players? What? What are you talking about, Hannah? 

https://twitter.com/TexansCommenter/status/1829581147392622786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1829581147392622786%7Ctwgr%5Efe805f0123b94c7342664625c9b9acd69ce159fb%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.chron.com%2Fsports%2Ftexans%2Farticle%2Ftexans-browns-hannah-mcnair-19739332.php

Thanks to the infamous Deshaun Watson trade of 2022, the Texans were primed with enough draft capital to secure top-end talent en route to being considered a threat in the AFC. Watson, the expected franchise quarterback for the AFC South club, demanded a trade following the 2020 COVID-19 season after Houston hired Nick Caserio and David Culley. 

After dealing with a year’s worth of lawsuits, the Texans obliged, sending Watson to Cleveland in exchange for six total draft picks, including three first-round selections. 

Let’s look back and see how all six picks were used: 

  • The 2022 first (13) was traded to the Eagles for Nos. 15, 124, 162, and 166. Two picks later, the Texans drafted OL Kenyon Green
  • Pick No. 124 was subsequently traded to the Browns with 68 and 108 for No. 44 to draft WR John Metchie III
  • Pick No. 162 was subsequently traded to the Broncos with 80 for No. 75 to draft LB Christian Harris
  • Pick No. 166 was subsequently traded to the Bears with 207 for No. 150 to select DL Thomas Booker
  • The 2022 fourth (104) was used on RB Dameon Pierce
  • The 2023 first (12) was traded to the Cardinals with pick No. 33 and Houston’s first-round pick for Nos. 3 and 105. The Texans would select Defensive Rookie of the Year and DE Will Anderson Jr. 
  • Pick No. 105 was subsequently traded to the Eagles for a 2024 third-round pick, which was later used to select DB Calen Bullock
  • The 2023 third (73) was traded to the Rams with 161 for No. 69, which was used to select WR Tank Dell
  • The 2024 1st (23) was traded to the Vikings with 232 for Nos. 42, 188, and MIN’s 2025 2nd. Pick No. 42 later became CB Kamari Lassiter, while pick No. 188 became LB Jamal Hill. The 2025 2nd-round pick was later used to land four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs. 
  • The 2024 fourth (123) was traded to the Eagles and then back to the Texans to land TE Cade Stover. 

Booker is the only player not a part of the Texans. Harris, Green and Dell are key starters at their respective positions, while Anderson is the foundation of Houston’s pass rush. 

Lassiter and Bullock are expected to be long-term starters in the secondary next to Derek Stingley Jr., Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward. Stover, who was C.J. Stroud’s security blanket at Ohio State, should factor in the passing game in some capacity as a rookie before expanding his role. Hill and Pierce are high-end backups who could start at any moment. 

And Watson? He’s missed 11 games in each of his first two seasons with the Browns, due to suspension and injuries. In the 12 starts he’s made over two seasons, he’s thrown 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions while posting an 8-4 record. 

The Texans also bettered their draft pick used in the Anderson trade to Arizona by beating Cleveland 45-14 in the wild-card round last season. Stroud, the franchise’s future, became the youngest passer in league history to win a playoff game en route to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. 

So yes, thank a Browns fan if you know one, Texans nation. Those are Hannah’s orders and we follow whatever she says. 

Fantasy football: Where to draft Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud

Analyzing Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud’s 2024 fantasy football ADP and where to target him in fantasy drafts.

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It’s nearly time for the 2024 NFL season, and fantasy managers are excited about picking Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud after a tremendous 2023 rookie season. But, where should he be drafted?

Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, single-handedly helped to turn around the fortunes of the franchise. The team went from 3-13 to 10-7, and an AFC South Division title, thanks mostly to the arm of Stroud, but also the coaching skill of DeMeco Ryans and improved receiver play.

Stroud really developed quite the rapport with WRs Nico Collins and Tank Dell, as well as TE Dalton Schultz. The team went out and added veteran WR Stefon Diggs to give him another weapon. This Houston offense, barring any injuries, should be high-octane again in 2024, with Stroud leading the charge.

Below, we look at C.J. Stroud’s 2024 fantasy football average draft position (ADP) and where you should draft him.

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C.J. Stroud’s ADP: 46.86

(ADP data courtesy of MyFantasyLeague.com; last updated at time of this publishing – ADPs continually change as more drafts occur)

Stroud has quickly risen to elite fantasy status after throwing for over 4,000 yards in his rookie campaign. His ADP sits at 46.86, ahead of some of the more established names in the game. In fact, he is easily considered in the higher end of QB1 options.

Among quarterbacks, Stroud’s ADP puts him 5th at the position. Buffalo’s Josh Allen (21.93) tops the charts, just ahead of Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes (26.78) and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts (28.10). Stroud is also behind Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson (35.42), while checking in just ahead of Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow (53.34), Indianapolis’ Anthony Richardson (55.14), and Arizona’s Kyler Murray (61.48).

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C.J. Stroud’s 2023-24 stats

Games: 15

Passing yards: 4,108

Completions | attempts: 319 | 499

Passing touchdowns: 23

Interceptions: 5

Carries | rushing yards: 39 | 167

Rushing touchdowns: 3

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Where should you draft Stroud?

Stroud racked up 4,108 passing yards, most in Houston since Deshaun Watson rolled up an NFL-high 4,823 yards in 2020-21. The former Ohio State playmaker, not normally known for his running, actually found the end zone 3 times with his feet, 2nd on the team. He also had just 2 fumbles, while losing only 1, which is remarkable for a rookie QB.

Stroud isn’t likely going to outperform the likes of Allen or Mahomes, but it wouldn’t be shocking in the least to see him do better statistically than every other QB in the NFL. He has a tremendous supporting cast, especially at the receiver position.

Once the elite fantasy options like Allen or Mahomes are off the board, it’s time to take Stroud as early as the end of Round 3 in leagues of 12 or more teams. There is no way he lasts past Round 5, so if you want to get in on the Houston QB, plan on doing so early on draft day. He won’t last.

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