How Texans can get enough out of C.J. Stroud, spotty offense to stun Chiefs

A fumble changed everything for the Houston Texans in last week’s wild-card playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Just before the two-minute warning in the second quarter, quarterback C.J. Stroud let the snapped football slip through his hands on third-and-long. But he tracked the ball down, and rolling toward the sideline, with several Chargers defenders on his tail, Stroud managed to complete a 34-yard pass to Xavier Hutchinson in the middle of the field. 

The improbable play set up the Texans’ first touchdown of the game, giving them a lead they never relinquished in the 32-12 victory. 

"Those are the type of plays that change momentum," Stroud said postgame, "and a team can rally around plays like that." 

When the Texans face the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round Saturday, they’ll need those kinds of plays — and much more. They'll need their offense to rise to the occasion.

The expectation is that DeMeco Ryans’ defense will meet the moment. After all, Houston picked off Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert four times (including a pick-six) and pressured him on 50% of his dropbacks in the wild-card round, according to Next Gen Stats. It was a continuation of what the Texans showed defensively during the regular season, when they ranked third in defensive DVOA, according to FTN Data. 

But on the other side of the ball, no one really knows what to expect from Houston's inconsistent offense. 

"It fueled us for real," Stroud said of the defense against the Chargers. "That’s one thing that’s not good, when the defense keeps getting stops and we’re doing whatever with the ball, not moving it. … It was good for us to have that 99-yard drive [in the second quarter]." 

Stroud