HOUSTON (AP) — C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans were unable to reach the AFC Championship Game for the first time in franchise history.
However, the team's turnaround under rookie quarterback and first-year coach DeMeco Ryans has been impressive and gives the Texans optimism that they will be contenders for years to come.
Rookie defensive end Will Anderson, the third overall pick in the draft, was crying after Houston's 34-10 loss to Baltimore on Saturday when Stroud, the No. 2 pick, approached him.
“We're good, we'll be good next year,” Anderson said Stroud told him.
So, Anderson wiped away his tears and thought about what Stroud had said.
“I looked at it from his perspective after we talked,” Anderson said. “Just thinking about how much better we will be next year. We're going in the right direction.”
Stroud said he hates seeing Anderson upset and wants to remind him that more good times lie ahead.
“I just wanted to tell him I appreciated everything he did for us that year,” Stroud said. “I just want to see his head held high. I just want to see him encouraged and positive.”
Stroud has transformed the offense behind his impressive play after Davis Mills struggled as a starter for much of the past two seasons. Houston went 10-7 in the regular season to win the AFC South, a year after having the second-worst record in the league at 3-13-1.
“In this league, everyone is looking for that quarterback,” Ryans said. “We know how important the position is and the resources that go into finding the right guy to lead. And more than half the league has those, the other half doesn't. So, it's a special position, and it takes a special person to play that position, and we're thrilled to have C.J. lead us.”
Including the postseason, Stroud threw for 4,557 yards, the second-most by a rookie in NFL history behind Andrew Luck, who had 4,662 yards in 2012. He finished with 26 touchdown passes and just five interceptions and He is selected in the playoffs. .
The former Ohio State star concluded the season with 198 pass attempts without an interception after opening with 191 consecutive attempts without a pick, an NFL record for the start of a career.
“CJ, over the whole year, what I love most about him is the growth,” Ryans said. “It's encouraging when you have a young man who is able to grow, not just the whole season, but seeing him grow and take coaching points and grow from week to week and see a guy improve so quickly. It's encouraging to see how much he improves as he continues to play throughout the league.”
Stroud is happy with what he has achieved but is looking forward to doing “more” in the future.
“My plan is I want to be the best,” Stroud said. “I don't want to be just the best rookie, the best sophomore guy. I want to be the best guy ever.”
Although Stroud was the team's undisputed star, Anderson also had a solid season, setting a franchise rookie record with seven sacks. He had 45 tackles, including 10 for losses, and 22 quarterback hits while missing two games with an ankle injury.
No doubt
Rookie third-round pick Tank Dell has silenced anyone who doubted his ability to perform in the NFL at his size. He was a standout player in Houston before a broken leg ended his season.
The 5-foot-8, 165-pound Dell had 47 receptions for 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games. He had three 100-yard games, including a 149-yarder in a 21-16 win over Arizona.
“I felt like this was a trial run for me,” Dale said. “I had a lot to offer but God puts you in things for a reason. I keep my head up because I know the coming years will be special here.”
Hot goods
Two Houston assistants are candidates for jobs in the league. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowick has interviewed for several head coaching positions and quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson is a candidate for several offensive coordinator gigs.
“It's the nature of the success you have,” Ryans said. “Other people want to see what's going on and they might want to get some people to help them. So, it's a difficult part of it, but…it's what happens, and we're going to have to have contingency plans in place.”
Breakout season
Nico Collins had a career-high 1,297 receiving yards after combining for just 927 receiving yards in his first two seasons. Collins, a third-round pick out of Michigan in 2021, continued his success in the playoffs with 164 yards and a score.
Collins had three games with 160-plus receiving yards, including a career-best 195 yards in Houston's 23-19 win over Indianapolis that clinched a playoff berth. He joins Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins as the only players in franchise history to have a 1,200-yard receiving season.
Next steps
The Texans will continue to add pieces around Stroud and Anderson to try to take this team to the next level. The top priority will be improving their running game after they were passed 229 yards to 38 in the loss to Baltimore.
