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USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Robert Zeglinski

NFL Week 9 Awards: C.J. Stroud might be the best rookie QB ever (yes, seriously)

NFL CJ Stroud Taylor Swift Brittany Mahomes Matt Ryan Chiefs John Denver Jonnu Smith Josh McDaniels Kirk Cousins

Now and then, we get a rookie NFL quarterback who shows us they don’t really need to learn the ropes.

They’re usually way ahead of the curve, processing and dropping dimes all over the field like veteran superstars. Pro football lore does not feature many youthful signal-callers who are advanced at the position from the jump. We can safely add C.J. Stroud to the shortlist of the greatest rookie quarterbacks ever. Heck, if I’m being candid, he has a strong case as the NFL’s best rookie passer of all time.

After Stroud’s sparkling performance and late-game heroics against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, it’s difficult to argue otherwise.

Most NFL teams who draft quarterbacks near the top of the first round hope their prospect starts showing meaningful flashes by Year 2 or Year 3. They’re more than willing to be patient to see a picture-perfect effort from the ideal face of their franchise. It’s a reasonable thought process because quarterback is obviously hard to play, and there’s so much to learn — on the fly and in the film room.

The Texans are lucky because they didn’t have to wait on the No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

From the jump, Stroud has shown glimpses that he’s not only a serviceable starter but also a player with the potential to be one of the faces of the league. The young man isn’t even halfway through his rookie campaign and already has 14 touchdown passes and over 2,200 yards passing. He’s a gunner, a leader who elevates his teammates with his presence. These Texans have no business being 4-4, but Stroud won’t let them fade. As evidenced by his 40-second game-winning touchdown drive, he’s someone who is never shy of a clutch moment, too.

There will likely be more to come, but Stroud’s 470-yard, five-touchdown game against Tampa Bay in a 39-37 win will be remembered as one of the finest quarterback outings all year. Stroud was so marvelous against a Todd Bowles defense laden with multiple Super Bowl 55-winning veterans that it was hard to distinguish whether he was a seasoned 10-year professional or a guy making his eighth start in the NFL.

That’s just how locked-in he looked.

Take a gander at this passing chart from Next Gen Stats. It’s unbelievable every time I look at it because it reminds me so much of all the other AFC heavyweights like Mahomes, Burrow, and Josh Allen:

Credit: Next Gen Stats

In the coming weeks, we’ll thoughtfully decide on the NFL’s most outstanding rookie quarterback ever. (That’s because Stroud has likely already locked up 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.)

While there will be some who cape for Cam Newton and people who vouch for Justin Herbert, among others, I’m here to tell you that that conversation starts and ends with Stroud. With all due respect, he’s simply better. Beyond the raw numbers, we have never seen a first-year NFL passer look this beyond his years. Stroud is an impeccably mature talent, someone who is taking a mediocre Texans squad and thrusting it into relevance almost singlehandedly.

I’ve never seen anything like it, and I can’t wait to see what he has in store for what looks like an incandescent future.

In For The Win‘s Week 9 NFL Awards, we’ve got a journeyman quarterback endearing himself to pro football lovers everywhere. Meanwhile, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys fans were probably the only ones who didn’t enjoy an NFC East instant classic.

Let’s dive in.

Best announcement of a penalty call: This referee, who called a false start in German

With the NFL playing its first-ever game in Frankfurt on Sunday, even the referees wanted to get in on the fun. Clay Martin, the head official of the Kansas City Chiefs’ matchup with the Miami Dolphins, decided to announce a false start … in German. How wunderbar.

Best evasion of the TV cameras: Mike McDaniel, by hiding behind person in the tunnel entrance

Mike McDaniel might be the NFL’s most hilarious personality right now. After running away from cameras earlier this season, he literally hid behind a person to avoid them on Sunday. When you’ve got a great bit, you keep it going:

Worst fumble in a Revenge Game: Tyreek Hill, after talking a lot of trash about the Chiefs

Tyreek Hill wanted Sunday to be about him making the Chiefs pay for trading him. He responded with a (merely OK) eight reception, 62-yard stat line, and this backbreaking fumble that Kansas City returned for a touchdown. Oof. That’s just bad luck, buddy.

Worst exclamation point on case that they're frauds: This game-losing Dolphins fumble by Tua Tagovailoa

The Dolphins haven’t beaten a winning team since Week 3 of the 2022 season. In every instance they’ve played an NFL heavyweight in 2023, they’ve been humbled. It was much of the same, with Tua Tagovailoa embarrassingly fumbling the game away against the Chiefs.

If you think Miami is a fraudulent “contender,” I wouldn’t blame you:

Best show of love to an injured teammate: The Vikings, by wearing custom Kirk Cousins shirts

Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons was the Vikings’ first game without Kirk Cousins after he tore his Achilles. Cousins’ teammates paid tribute to the veteran by wearing some awesome shirts with him emblazoned all over them. Talk about wholesome appreciation for your quarterback.

Best show of community: Frankfurt NFL fans while serenading each other with John Denver

John Denver’s influence apparently extends to Germany’s Rhine-Main. In the middle of Chiefs-Dolphins, approximately 50,000 Frankfurt pro football fans began singing his classic, “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” That’s not a tear in my eye, someone’s just cutting onions.

Worst (initial) debut: Josh Dobbs, on his second dropback with the Vikings

Josh Dobbs may have eventually led the Vikings to a big win, but it didn’t seem like that would happen at first. On just his second dropback as Minnesota’s quarterback, he took a disastrous safety. (Only a few plays later, he fumbled!)

It’s a good thing you’re not defined by the first few minutes of play, huh?!

Worst recollection of trauma: Matt Ryan, after getting "sacked" by Cameron Jordan

Matt Ryan is no longer an NFL quarterback. He can enjoy the luxury of analyzing why other signal-callers get terrorized by defenses every week. But on Sunday, former New Orleans Saints rival Cameron Jordan reminded Ryan he isn’t as “safe” as he thinks in retirement:

Best decision to skip a bad football game: Taylor Swift, by hanging out with Brittany Mahomes and Selena Gomez

As much as she cares about Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift has clearly seen enough of some middling Chiefs’ offensive play. Instead of heading to Germany to watch Kansas City, Swift decided to stay in the United States and have dinner with Brittany Mahomes and Selena Gomez instead.

A great choice:

Worst utter lack of self-awareness: Josh McDaniels, while cluelessly defending the Patriots

The accusations of Josh McDaniels being a mere byproduct of Bill Belichick are at a fever pitch. Per Jay Glazer, McDaniels couldn’t help himself when he took great exception to Patriots bashing during a meeting about how awful of a coach he is.

I mean, c’mon man. Save that thought for yourself, at least.

Best reaction to his own team's touchdown: This unethusiastic Browns fan

Amari Cooper caught an awesome (if fluky) touchdown for the Browns on Sunday. The way this Browns fan reacted, it’s almost as if he was upset his team scored:

Worst roughing the passer call in a long time: This generous gift to Mac Jones

Look, I get the NFL wants to emphasize quarterback safety because of the scarcity of quality at the position. But I don’t know how the league serves the game when it hands out roughing-the-passer calls like this one on Mac Jones:

Best improvised touchdown celebration: Jonnu Smith, by doing "snow angels" on a snowless surface

Falcons tight end Jonnu Smith has been a welcome safety valve for Atlanta. When he scored a touchdown Sunday, the veteran fell down while running to the tunnel. He played it off beautifully by doing some snow angels in the tunnel:

Best kick(s) in an emergency situation: Texans backup running back Dare Ogunbowale

Houston kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn’s injury left the Texans in a tough spot on Sunday. If Texans backup running back Dare Ogunbowale was bothered by the situation, he didn’t show it with a successful kick-off and field goal.

Wild stuff for a position player.

Best (further) debut on short notice: Josh Dobbs, after spending five whole days with the Vikings

If Dobbs was rattled by his tough start for Minnesota, he didn’t show it. The veteran threw not but two game-closing touchdowns for the Vikings despite not even spending a week with the team. What a story, folks:

Worst fallout from a player's coming-out party: The Texans hurting bettors by kneeling

Anyone betting that the Texans would cover a pre-game three-point spread against the Buccaneers got the worst news Sunday. Instead of kicking an extra point (likely because they didn’t have a reliable kicker on hand), the Texans kneeled, cementing an awful bad beat for Houston bettors:

Best explanation of their belief in a teammate: Jonathan Allen, while talking up Sam Howell

For the most part, Jonathan Allen has had a rough time with the Washington Commanders. But he might be starting to see the light, and it’s all thanks to the rise of Sam Howell:

Best joke "introduction": Josh Dobbs, while talking to Vikings fans

Dobbs is one of the NFL’s best stories this year. It turns out he’s also got a great sense of humor. The quarterback hilariously joked by introducing himself to any Minnesota fans who don’t yet know who he is.

Even in jest, it was kind of understandable!

Worst fit of anxiety: Eagles and Cowboys watching a chaotic ending in Philadelphia

From an unbiased perspective, watching the Eagles and Cowboys square off with massive NFC East implications had to be a blast. That finish was patently incredible. From an emotionally invested perspective — meaning from that of Eagles and Cowboys fans — both parties had to feel tortured watching the ending:

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