TALE OF THE TAPE
Texans rookie royalty: How Stroud's spectacular season aligns with recent superstar quarterbacks
Jan 4, 2024, 12:30 pm
CJ Stroud is playing on another level. Composite Getty Image.
As the Houston Texans approach their win-in, lose-out clash for the playoffs Saturday night against the Indianapolis Colts – the Texans are favored by a point – let’s get down to brass tacks and put sensational quarterback C.J. Stroud’s season in perspective.
With one game (at least) left, Stroud has tossed 21 touchdowns and only five interceptions, good for 3,844 yards – all sensational, ultra efficient figures. He is a lock to be named AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year. More important, he has led the Texans to an improbable winning record and possible playoff berth.
In short, Stroud is putting together one of the singularly successful seasons ever for a rookie quarterback. For a better grasp of Stroud’s accomplishments, oranges to oranges, let’s compare his numbers with the debut season of several Hall of Fame and recent superstar quarterbacks, all high first-round picks in the NFL draft.
Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys (No. 1, 1989): The Cowboys went 0-11 with Aikman as starter. He threw 9 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts (No. 1, 1998): The Colts went 3-13 with Manning as starter. He threw 26 touchdowns and 28 interceptions.
Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (No. 1, 2009): The Lions went 2-8 with Stafford as starter. He threw 13 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (No. 1 2020): The Bengals went 2-7 with Burrow as starter. He threw 13 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (No. 7, 2018): The Bills went 5-6 with Allen as starter. He threw 10 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (No. 1, 2021): The Jaguars went 3-14 with Lawrence as starter. He threw 12 touchdowns and 17 interceptions.
It’s true that these quarterbacks joined lowly teams that struggled for wins their previous season – that’s how they earned top draft picks. But Stroud didn’t exactly take the reins of a juggernaut. The Texans were coming off three seasons of sucking big time with 4, 4 and (last year) 3 wins.
Again, with a game left on the schedule, Stroud has 21 touchdowns and only five interceptions. And that’s with Stroud missing two games with a concussion, which the Texans split 1-1.
In Week 9, Stroud set a rookie record against the Buccaneers by passing for 470 yards in a single game. He also became the only rookie ever to throw five touchdowns without an interception.
Had he not missed two games, Stroud may be challenging the all-time record for passing yards by a rookie, 4,373 yards set by Colts quarterback Andrew Luck in 2012. Luck started 16 games and threw 23 touchdowns that season. But he also threw 18 interceptions.
Edge: Stroud … more to come.
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.