For all the promise of C.J. Stroud’s mercurial rookie season, the Houston Texans’ offense has been a shadow of that unit ever since. Stroud took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023, throwing for over 4,000 yards and powering the Texans to a playoff victory, but the regression since then has been difficult to ignore.
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While his sophomore slump in 2024 left the Texans clinging to a Wild Card berth before being bounced by the Chiefs, two weeks into the 2025 season, it looks like the problems are only compounding. Case in point, the Houston Texans’ Monday night’s 20-19 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers has put Stroud’s struggles under the scanner once again. And Asante Samuel is among the critics.
Playing against a defensive unit where more could have been done, Stroud went just 13-of-24 for 207 yards and a touchdown, took three sacks, and saw none of his receivers finish with more than three catches.
Moreover, many of his exploits came early on, as the Texans started brightly, scoring on their first two drives, but the offense then stalled completely, punting four straight times before failing to score from the one-yard line early in the fourth quarter.
As a result, by the time Nick Chubb’s 25-yard touchdown run briefly put Stroud & Co. ahead with two minutes left, it felt more like an escape than a statement.
For Asante Samuel, the disappointment in Stroud’s performance over the last 12 months seems personal. Once convinced the young quarterback was on his way to elite status, Samuel now sees worrying signs.
“Everyone had a lot of hope and thought that C.J. Stroud would be him, be that guy. He’s tricked and had me fooled, you know,” Samuel said after the Bucs game. He also recalled how Stroud’s rookie-year accuracy looked “off the charts,” but admitted, “Now it looks like he’s taking a step back.”
What frustrated Samuel the most, however, was how DeMeco Ryans’ team let the game slip in key moments.
“C.J. Stroud and the Texans, man, they had multiple, I mean multiple, opportunities to take control over that game against Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,” the analyst noted, pointing specifically to the third quarter. “This is the chance for C.J. Stroud to earn his legend… Can’t get it done. Can’t get it done.”
That said, the numbers do back up Samuel’s assessment.
Through the first two gameweeks, the Ohio State product ranks 31st in adjusted QBR (34.8) and 25th in passer rating (85.0), with just one touchdown pass and one interception. Even HC DeMeco Ryans admitted the offense “didn’t move anybody off the line of scrimmage” in their goal-line failure, a blunt description of a unit that looks short on identity.
So as the Texans prepare for Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the mandate is simple: CJ Stroud has to find his rhythm again. His rookie season proved he can thrive under pressure, but right now the accuracy and composure that once defined him are missing.
Beyond that, the Texans’ offensive line must establish push up front, especially in short-yardage situations that doomed them against the Bucs. Otherwise, a season that began with playoff ambitions could unravel quickly.
Meanwhile, for Samuel and many others who bought into the hype, CJ Stroud’s next performance will be a litmus test. If he doesn’t rebound soon, the doubts will only get louder.
