How statement upset win over Bengals pushes Stroud, Texans expectations to new heights
TEXANS ON TAP
13 November 2023
Coming off a huge upset win over the Bengals this Sunday, CJ Stroud is now firmly in the MVP conversation with the team at 5-4, one game behind the Jaguars in the AFC South.
Stroud also leads the NFL in passing yards per game, and TD to Int ratio. And man is this offense fun to watch. Nobody pushes the ball down the field more effectively than Stroud and the Texans. So let's give some credit to the pass catchers.
With wide receiver Nico Collins missing the game due to injury, Stroud connected with Noah Brown 7 times for 172 yards. Brown's performance over the last 2 weeks has been incredible.
In fact, the Texans have 2 of the top 3 receivers when it comes to yards per catch. Brown is first with 20.9. Nico Collins is third at 17.5. Brown is also 10th in the league when it comes to yards per game (87.8).
One of the other factors that helped the Texans secure a victory this Sunday was their improvement in the running game. The Bengals struggle to stop the run, and Devin Singletary was able to capitalize with 150 yards on 30 attempts.
Finally, let's discuss the defense that was able to go into Cincinnati and beat Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase. DeMeco's crew was able to sack Burrow 4 times, and Sheldon Rankins had three of those sacks. He also just missed another with about 3 minutes left in the first quarter.
The game actually shouldn't have been this close, as Stroud made a big mistake trying to force a ball to Tank Dell late in the fourth quarter, which resulted in an interception.
Thankfully, the Texans were able to keep the Bengals out of the end zone as Tyler Boyd dropped a touchdown, which led to a Bengals field goal.
It sure is nice to be able to learn from mistakes while still winning the game. And without that poor decision, we don't get to see Stroud finish another game-winning drive, leading his team to victory in back-to-back weeks.
Be sure to watch the video above as we break down what this win means for Stroud and the Texans moving forward.
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The Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday acquired tackle Austin Deculus from the Houston Texans.
The Chargers will send a 2027 conditional seventh-round pick to Houston.
Deculus was picked sixth by Houston in the 2022 NFL draft and has appeared in 15 career games including the postseason, making a pair of starts.
He saw the most action of his career in 2023, when he played in seven games with one start, contributing along an offensive line that helped quarterback C.J. Stroud throw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns.
A four-year starter at right tackle at Louisiana State, Deculus played five years for the Tigers, making 46 starts. His 61 games were the most by any player in program history. Deculus played with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow.
With Deculus off the roster, here's a look at how the Texans look after cutting down to 53 players.
The Initial 53-Man Roster 🤘 pic.twitter.com/78xyi1kopY
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) August 26, 2025
