Just last year, the Houston Texans were at the bottom of their relatively weak division, the AFC South. The Texans starting quarterback was Davis Mills, who threw only 17 touchdowns alongside 15 interceptions in 2022, which statistically is a very poor season. After finishing in the bottom of their division, most people expected that the Houston Texans would have another poor season in the upcoming year.
That offseason, the managers of the Houston Texans understood that they needed a substantial change. They fired their former head coach, Lovie Smith, and hired the 49ers defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans, as a replacement. Before even hiring Ryans, the Texans had a prior relationship with him. In 2006, the Texans had drafted Ryans in the second round and he ended up winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The Texans continued making moves in the offseason, as they traded with the Arizona Cardinals for their third overall pick that draft. However, the trade included giving the Cardinals both their 2023 and 2024 first round picks. With this third overall pick, the Texans chose a promising, young edge-rusher in Will Anderson Jr.
In the 2023 draft, the Texans also made a semi-controversial pick when taking C.J. Stroud second overall. This pick was only so controversial because, prior to the draft, it was learned that Stroud had scored low on the cognition test, which is a test to measure a quarterback’s intelligence and their ability to make decisions. However, the Texans trusted their instincts and took Stroud, a 21 year old quarterback out of Ohio State. Later in the draft, thanks to Stroud putting in a good word for him, the Texans also selected wide receiver Tank Dell.
After having an underwhelming preseason, many fans of the NFL started to think that Stroud would be a bust, a waste of such an early pick. However, things started to take a turn once the regular season started. Thanks to his great chemistry with Tank Dell and creative play calling from new head coach DeMeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud is having an electric season.
Most of the time, when a rookie quarterback has a great first season, they are placed in an easier situation, not a team with a weak run offense and a below average offensive line. However, despite all his challenges, C.J. Stroud is breaking rookie records and is currently an MVP candidate. Stroud has the most rookie passing yards with under six interceptions, as all quarterbacks who’ve had more passing yards in a rookie season have had double his number of interceptions.
C.J. Stroud has not been the only rookie who has been great this season. Will Anderson Jr. has been a solid pass rusher, as he already has seven sacks in his rookie season. Although he was recently injured, through eleven games Tank Dell led the Texans in receiving touchdowns and had 709 yards.
Thanks to confident decisions, a new, bold coach, and a future star quarterback, the Texans currently have a 9-7 record and have a good chance at making this year’s playoffs, an outcome nobody had expected. The future is bright for this young team.