(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The Houston Texans are far ahead of schedule as they made the postseason in head coach DeMeco Ryans’ first year leading the team.
The Texans took advantage of a Jacksonville Jaguars collapse in Week 18 to win the AFC South, earning the No. 4 seed in the 2023 NFL Playoffs in the process.
Houston will host the Cleveland Browns during Wild Card weekend and there is optimism they can make some noise given the play of CJ Stroud.
Stroud was taken No. 2 overall in last year’s draft, but he’s firmly proven that he should’ve gone first overall because of what he did in his rookie season.
In 15 games, Stroud recorded 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns compared to just five interceptions.
Now, Stroud will have a chance to make more history if he’s able to beat Joe Flacco and the Browns via Omar Ruiz of NFL Network.
“In Texans vs Browns, CJ Stroud will try to become the 1st rookie quarterback to ever beat a former Super Bowl champion QB in the playoffs,” Ruiz tweeted.
In #Texans vs #Browns, CJ Stroud will try to become the 1st rookie quarterback to ever beat a former Super Bowl champion QB in the playoffs. Meanwhile, history on the line for Joe Flacco, too. More on that pic.twitter.com/XxIn7O1KYt
— Omar Ruiz (@OmarDRuiz) January 13, 2024
It’s incredibly rare for a rookie quarterback to lead their team to the postseason, so what Stroud was able to do in year one is nothing short of amazing.
However, beating someone like Flacco and Cleveland will take one of his best games to date.
Flacco has looked like his former self slinging the football for the Browns, while their defense will be a tough mountain to climb for Stroud.
In one of the more underrated games on the Wild Card slate, it’ll be exciting to see whether or not Stroud can continue this run.
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