C.J. Stroud wasn’t the only Houston Texan who had a rough game on Sunday in a tough 32-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans, but he was the most open about taking responsibility for the defeat.
“It’s no secret, I haven’t been playing well personally, for my standard,” Stroud said. “I have a couple good drives and plays here, but it’s up and down … I’ve got to be hard on myself and realize that games can come down to me making plays.”
Stroud passed for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw two interceptions as the Texans lost their third game in the last four after a strong 5-1 start.
“I’ve got to just be better, and I know that,” Stroud added.
In the past three games, Stroud has thrown five interceptions, bringing his total to nine for the season. He only had five interceptions in 15 games as a rookie.
The Texans (7-5) got a touchdown from Jimmie Ward’s interception return in the third quarter, but their offense could only manage a field goal after halftime, continuing a pattern of struggles in the second half.
Houston’s offense scored 10 points after halftime in a 34-10 win over the Cowboys on Monday night, but in their last three losses, they’ve scored only nine points in the second half combined.
“We have to create positive plays,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Too many times, whether it’s run or pass, we have a negative play which kills our drive. First things first, how can we sustain positive plays and build drives? Too many drives were stalled out before we could even get started.”
Despite the offensive issues, the Texans still had a chance to tie the game with less than two minutes left. However, Ka’imi Fairbairn’s 28-yard field goal attempt missed wide left.
