C.J. Stroud isn’t fazed by the criticism he’s gotten for throwing more interceptions this season than he did in 15 games last year, when he had a standout rookie year with the Houston Texans.
And it won’t change the way he plays.
“Shooters have to shoot,” he said. “You live by the sword; you die by the sword. So, I am just going to continue to play — throw anticipation, throw no-looks. I am going to continue to be me. I am going to have fun. If it means I have to throw more picks to get us to win, it is what it is.”
Stroud has thrown seven interceptions this season, compared to five last year. Now, he will face another challenge as the AFC South-leading Texans (7-4) return to division play on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans (2-8), who are ranked first in the NFL for allowing only 164.6 passing yards per game.
Stroud has thrown just one touchdown and three interceptions in the past three games, after throwing four touchdowns and just one interception in the previous three games.
Tennessee’s coach, Brian Callahan, believes some of Stroud’s struggles this year are due to missing key players on offense for several games. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games with an ankle injury earlier in the season, and top receiver Nico Collins returned last week after being out for five weeks with a hamstring injury.
Despite these issues, Callahan praised Stroud and how he leads the Texans’ offense.
“We have our work cut out for us … because whether he’s played to what he was last year statistically or not, I see the player and the talent and that’s all I really look at,” he said. “And he’s capable of throwing for 350 yards at any point that he walks out there. So, it’s going to be a tough challenge for us.”
The Texans will look for their second straight win after Monday’s victory over Dallas ended a two-game losing streak, while the struggling Titans will aim to stop a two-game losing streak. Tennessee has lost five of its last six games.
