Here’s why haters should pipe down about CJ Stroud, Texans!
SLOW YOUR ROLL
21 November 2024
SLOW YOUR ROLL
Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud has been receiving a surprising amount of criticism recently, despite coming off the team's convincing win over the Cowboys on Monday Night Football.
Stroud has tossed only 2 TDs in his last 5 games, and already has more interceptions this year, than all of last season. Which is why many are claiming that a sophomore slump is afoot. But there are reasons to believe that's not exactly the case.
Stroud's decrease in touchdowns has a lot to do with Joe Mixon. Mixon already has 10 rushing TDs this season, in only 7 complete games. This Texans team is built more on defense and rushing the football. There's no need to keep throwing late in games when holding a lead with a quality defense.
The o-line can't be ignored
Houston's offensive line play has been an issue all season. Which is one of the reasons Stroud is the second-most sacked QB in 2024. Per PFF, the Texans have a 65.4 offensive line grade, which is 27th in the league.
With guard Kenyon Green out for the season nursing a shoulder injury, the Texans o-line appears to be improving. Stroud was only sacked once against the Cowboys.
Stroud has also been without Tank Dell, Stefon Diggs, or Nico Collins at some point this season. There's no question missing Nico for 5 games has made an impact. CJ is missing more throws this year, to be fair, but his regression is overstated in my opinion.
Let's not forget, Stroud was on the injury report last week with an injury to his right hand. That could definitely contribute to off target passes.
Texans vs. Titans
This could be the week CJ Stroud and the receivers get going. The Titans are down their two top corners once again, which is why PFF loves Collins this week. Per PFF, Nico has the fourth-best matchup advantage against the Titans defense in Week 11.
Houston shouldn't have trouble scoring points, as the Titans have surrendered 23 or more points in four of their last 5 games.
If the Texans can keep defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons in check, like they did with Micah Parsons last week, Stroud should have enough time to make some big plays down the field.
Bulls on Parade
This is setting up to be an exciting week for the Texans pass rushers. Will Anderson participated in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, so he should be back to help Danielle Hunter keep Will Levis and the Titans' passing game under wraps.
Houston #Texans Thursday Injury Report for Week 12 vs. the Tennessee Titans: pic.twitter.com/rWpSiXmgM7
— Houston Texans PR (@TexansPR) November 21, 2024
Not to mention, the Titans have taken 33 sacks this year, which is tied for the third-most in the league.
Corner Kamari Lassiter is also expected to return after missing last week with a concussion. Which should help the Texans keep receiver Calvin Ridley from wrecking the game. Lassiter along with Derek Stingley Jr. will present a big challenge for Levis and his receivers.
Low output
The Titans' offense has scored under 21 points in 9 of 10 games, so points should be hard to come by for Tennessee.
What does Vegas think?
The Texans are favored by 8 points at most sportsbooks. The total is set at 40.5.
Don't miss the video above as the crew from Texans on Tap gets real about CJ Stroud, and previews this week's showdown with the Titans.
Spring has officially sprung and the Astros are about to head home from spring training, meaning the regular season is almost here. Throw in the ongoing NCAA Tournament and late-March Houston weather, and this is one of the best times of the year. There is more uncertainty about the quality of the Astros heading into a season then there has been in nearly a decade, which frankly makes for an even more fun season if the most critical questions get positive answers. Let’s delve into a few issues.
Is it the Cam-shaft if the Grapefruit League phenom isn’t in the Astros’ lineup opening day? No it isn’t, but there really is no downside to giving Cam Smith a shot in right field right out of the gate. The hype has gone over the top given Smith’s spring consists of fewer than 40 at bats with most of them coming against minor league caliber pitchers. Nevertheless, the 22-year-old has looked the part of a big leaguer. If it’s because he’s ready to be one now it’s just wasting time of his career keeping him in the minors. The raw talent is irrefutable. If Smith gets the shot and is overmatched by big league pitching, it’s not catastrophic to have to send him down for some more seasoning. Basically learning to play right field on the fly at the big league level would be an additional challenge. But it’s not as if the Astros would be benching a good player to see what Smith can do.
Manager Joe Espada by nature and by de facto job requirement has to present a positive front. Espada has talked of Chas McCormick making good contact and hitting balls hard. Blah, blah, blah. Three singles and one double in 28 at bats doesn’t make anyone tingly with excitement. Again, spring training statistics should be taken with buckets full of grains of salt, but last spring McCormick hit .366 with an .865 OPS. Then, when the games started counting, his season was pretty relentlessly atrocious. Paraphrasing myself from one of our Stone Cold ‘Stros podcasts this week: in 2022 Chas was a Champ. 2023 was the year of the Chas Chomp. In 2024 Chas was a Chump. You know who hit .308 with a .919 OPS during spring training 2024? Jose Abreu. We heard about his exit velocities and bat speed (and of course the back of his baseball card). Blah, blah, blah. Mauricio Dubon had a gaudy .471 average last spring. Then the real games began. Alex Bregman sizzled in Florida, then started the regular season in a six-week offensive coma. I have covered repeatedly how a very high percentage of bonafide star-level players are in the majors at 22. They don’t all crush it from day one. They absolutely, positively cannot crush it until given a shot.
So far, so bad?
The Jose Altuve left fielder experiment has not gone well so far. Some of it is very problematic, some of it much less so. Altuve botching two routine catches this week may have induced wincing and/or groaning, but there is going to be a learning curve. As a second baseman Altuve never had to worry about trying to catch a ball with his glove in the air, make a quick transfer, and throw the ball a distance longer than from second base to first base. That he rushed a couple times and dropped the fly ball may actually be a good thing because it should reinforce that while you want the catch and throw to be one fluid action, the first component must be secured first. The advice to Little Leaguers may be worth noting too: “Two hands!” Altuve’s weak arm is indisputable and an inescapable problem as long as he is out there, but it is highly doubtful that catching routine fly balls remains an adventure. If it does, aborting Altuve’s outfield becomes near mandatory. All this drives home how substantially the Astros see Altuve’s defensive erosion at second base (as backed up by all the advanced metrics). It’s not as if Altuve was removed from the position at which he’ll be recognized as a Hall of Famer because a Dubon/Brendan Rodgers/Luis Guillorme second base option is exciting. Ideally, 2023 first round draft pick Brice Matthews becomes the Astros’ future regular at second. But Matthews is not close to ready. Basically, would you/they prefer Altuve in left with anybody else playing second, or Altuve back at second with Smith and Jake Meyers manning two outfield spots with some combo of McCormick, Ben Gamel, and Zach Dezenzo in the third. Obviously the Astros see the former as better. For now at least.
Arms race
If the Astros are to win the American League West for the eighth time in nine years (eight straight full-schedule seasons) the starting pitching will almost certainly be the biggest reason. With the Yankees losing Gerrit Cole for the entire season and 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil for at least half the season, there isn’t one American League rotation that definitely rates above the Astros. The Mariners’ rotation probably rates better, maybe the Royals’. Framber Valdez makes his fourth (and last?) consecutive Astros’ opening day start Thursday. The New York Mets will go with converted former Yankees’ reliever Clay Holmes who will make his first start since 2018. Play ball!
Opening Day is almost here! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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