HIGH PRAISE
Here are all the ways Houston Texans QB CJ Stroud is breaking the mold
Sep 25, 2023, 4:37 pm
CJ Stroud has been beyond impressive. Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images.
There was a dull hue over the sky this morning. As I made my way to 59 heading north, I could see the sun shining brightly off in the distance to the right. The scene was pretty cool. Despite the imminent rain and rain clouds making the sky appear as if it was going to come crashing down at any moment, there was that bright beam off to the right letting us know everything would be fine.
That sunshine off to the right for the Texans has been C.J. Stroud. Despite the imminent rain of growing pains, with the rebuild still partially cloudy looming over this team, that beam of brightness has emerged as the thing that people will look forward to most. For years, this team has looked for a franchise quarterback. They've found a couple who were expected to fit the bill, but they haven't panned out for one reason or another.
Through the first three games of his career, he has the second most passing yards by a rookie, and has the most consecutive passes thrown without an interception in his first three games to start a career. Mind you, the offensive line is still in shambles. Four of the five guys expected to start this season in that position group are either hurt now, or won't return this season. The talk of not having a true number one at wide receiver has been bandied about. So has talk of possibly trading for one of the disgruntled running backs. I've even seen people who wanted other quarterbacks here change their tunes.
Add to all of this the negative stigma attached to Ohio State quarterbacks. From Art Schlichter to Justin Fields, there have been 12 OSU quarterbacks to play in the league starting in 1982. They've gone a combined 84-122-1. Two didn't have a career start (Cardale Jones and Joe Germaine). Former Heisman winner Troy Smith was .500 at 4-4, and only one has a winning record (Mike Tomczak 42-31). I won't bore you with their combined passing stats. Just know C.J. is already years ahead of the curve. He's breaking the mold of OSU quarterbacks being worthless at the next level. And he's doing so in impressive fashion.
I know this team has had a guy come in and look like a franchise guy before. David Carr was the good-looking all-American kid who was married with a family, but he was shell shocked and never panned out. Matt Schaub played very well, but caught the yips and never recovered. The last guy turned out to be an alleged pervert, despite seeming anything but previously. The difference I see in Stroud is he's such a student of the game. The way he talks about it and how others speak about his work ethic is remarkable. He talks about how his upbringing made him more appreciative of what he has. There's a calm about him that he must exude even in the huddle. His teammates have spoken about him as if he was named the starter and captain since he walked in the door. What other Texans quarterback has had that type of respect and command of the locker room this quickly?
For me, it was always his accuracy. Ball placement is more valued than arm strength. Anybody can launch the ball 60-plus yards in the air, or throw an out route that breaks fingers. But can you drop it in the bucket between two defenders and the sideline? Can you stay cool under pressure? Are you a laid back type of guy who likes to relax and have fun outside the spotlight? Would you split your NIL money with your teammates and make sure you don't take on too many, which could lead to a lack of focus, even though it may have cost you millions? Again, more reasons to like this kid.
Coleridge Bernard. C.J. QB1. The Franchise. Call him what you want. What you will do is respect this kid and how he's come to play.
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Road teams made a stand on Monday, and a pair of series are suddenly knotted up.
Day 3 of the NBA playoffs was about the visitors. Kawhi Leonard scored 39 points — his most in any game since December 2023, his most in a playoff game since 2021 — to lift the Los Angeles Clippers past Denver 105-102. And in New York, Cade Cunningham scored 33 points, Dennis Schröder had a big 3-pointer with 55.7 seconds left and Detroit beat the Knicks 100-94 for its first playoff win in 17 years.
Those series are now tied at a game apiece, heading back to L.A. and Detroit.
There are three games on Tuesday, with Indiana playing host to Milwaukee, Oklahoma City hosting Memphis and the Los Angeles Lakers hosting Minnesota. The Pacers and Thunder are seeking 2-0 leads; the Lakers will try to make it 1-1 before the series shifts to Minnesota.
Tuesday's national TV schedule
All times Eastern
7 p.m. — Milwaukee at Indiana (NBA TV)
7:30 p.m. — Memphis at Oklahoma City (TNT/truTV)
10 p.m. — Minnesota at L.A. Lakers (TNT/truTV)
Wednesday's national TV schedule
All times Eastern
7 p.m. — Orlando at Boston (TNT/truTV)
7:30 p.m. — Miami at Cleveland (NBA TV)
9:30 p.m. — Golden State at Houston (TNT/truTV)
Thursday's national TV schedule
All times Eastern
7 p.m. — New York at Detroit (TNT)
9:30 p.m. — Oklahoma City at Memphis (TNT)
10 p.m. — Denver at L.A. Clippers (NBA TV)
Betting odds
Oklahoma City (+175) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed closely by Boston (+200). After that, it's Cleveland (+600), Golden State (+1400), the Los Angeles Lakers (+1600), the Los Angeles Clippers (+2000), New York (+4000), Minnesota (+4000) and Denver (+5000).
Denver's odds took a big hit after the Nuggets lost Game 2 at home to the Clippers — whose odds, in turn, improved greatly.
From there, it's Indiana (+8000), Houston (+10000), Milwaukee (+15000), Detroit (+35000), then Miami, Memphis and Orlando (all +100000).
Golden State, the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, is favored (-375) to win its series against No. 2 seed Houston. The Warriors entered that matchup favored, and Sunday's win moved those odds even more.
Other underdogs now favored to advance: Minnesota and the Clippers.
Award season
The first of the major NBA awards comes out on Tuesday, when the league announces the sixth man of the year — either Detroit's Malik Beasley, Cleveland's Ty Jerome or Boston's Payton Pritchard.
It’ll be revealed at 7 p.m. Eastern on TNT.
The other awards this week: clutch player (Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on TNT), defensive player of the year (Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Eastern on TNT), and the hustle awards (Friday at 2 p.m.).
Key upcoming events
April 26 — NBA early entry deadline.
May 3 — Earliest possible start date for Round 2 of the playoffs. Series could also start on May 4, May 5 or May 6.
May 12 — Draft lottery, Chicago.
May 18 or 20 — Game 1, Western Conference finals.
May 19 or 21 — Game 1, Eastern Conference finals.
June 5 — Game 1, NBA Finals. (Other games: June 8, June 11, June 13, June 16, June 19 and Game 7, if necessary, will be June 22.)
June 25 — NBA draft, first round.
June 26 — NBA draft, second round.
Stories of note
— Preview of Tuesday's games: Pacers-Bucks, Thunder-Grizzlies, Lakers-Timberwolves.
— Tom Thibodeau isn't happy with how Game 2 was officiated.
— Mavs GM Nico Harrison didn't know how beloved Luka Doncic was in Dallas.
— The NBA finalists for seven awards are released.
— The playoffs could be wide-open. Again.
— A look inside the numbers of this season, headed into the playoffs.
— Cleveland's Kenny Atkinson wins NBCA coach of the year award.
Stats of the day
— The Pistons snapped a 15-game playoff losing streak. Another loss would have tied the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (1975-79) for the second-longest in U.S. pro sports at 16. The playoff-futility record is held by baseball's Minnesota Twins, who once dropped 18 straight.
— The last time Detroit won a playoff game before Monday, LeBron James was 249th on the all-time scoring list and Gregg Popovich was 19th on the all-time coaching wins list. They're both No. 1 now by wide margins.
— Strange but true: The last three playoff triple-doubles have come in losing efforts. Nikola Jokic had one Monday night in Denver's loss to the Clippers and Luka Doncic's final two playoff ones for Dallas last season — one against Minnesota in the West finals, the other against Boston in the NBA Finals — both were in losses.