For the third straight season, the Texans exited the playoffs in the divisional round. Houston got off to a slow start this year, but were the hottest team in the league as they entered the postseason on a nine-game winning streak. With their stellar defense leading the way, the Texans seemed poised to advance to their first AFC championship game or even Super Bowl appearance.
Unfortunately for Houston, quarterback C.J. Stroud became turnover prone at the worst possible time. After committing just 10 turnovers over the course of the regular season, Stroud turned the ball over three times in their wild-card win over the Steelers and threw four picks in their 28-16 loss to the Patriots on Sunday. The defense forced multiple fumbles and a interception, but they were unable to overcome Stroud’s mistakes to win the game.
Despite Stroud’s turnover woes practically throwing a Super Bowl-worthy defense down the drain, head coach DeMeco Ryans did not waiver in his faith in his third-year quarterback.
Ryans said he told Stroud, “Keep your head up. I love you. I got your back.”
“C.J.’s our guy,” Ryans said to reporters. “I believed that he could come back out in the second half and flip it. I believed that he could play better, and he did that in the second half. We had some positive drives there in the second half. I believed that he would do that and he did that.”
#Texans coach DeMeco Ryans on C.J. Stroud who threw four interceptions 'C.J. is our guy' @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/5XqIWtMeie
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) January 18, 2026
After his outstanding rookie season, Stroud has failed to take significant steps forward as a quarterback. Some of those woes can be pinned on the offensive line and a lack of playmakers, but Stroud also has not been the consistent player he was in his first year.
Regardless, Ryans remains confident in his young quarterback.
“I believe CJ has done a lot of great things throughout this entire year,” Ryans said. “I know C.J., I know what it means to him. ... I think about the man first and foremost. It’s not about the player. Of course, it’s not what we would have hoped for it’s not what we would have thought would happen, but I still stand by the young man, believe in him and what he’s done for us to be in the position we’re in right here today. It’s because of him and all of the guys on our team.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as DeMeco Ryans Had Simple Message for C.J. Stroud After Four-INT Game vs. Patriots.
