The NFL Honors aren’t until the week before the Super Bowl in February, but the campaigning for on-field awards is ongoing.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud blazed the campaign trail in Week 9 with a 470-yard, five-touchdown performance in the 39-37 comeback against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
According to Jarrett Bailey from the Touchdown Wire, Stroud made a convincing case as to why the No. 2 overall pick should be considered for NFL Rookie of the Year.
Right now, the brilliant young quarterback is on pace for 4,540 yards, which would be a new rookie record. He is also on pace for 28 touchdown passes- that would be the second most in history for a rookie behind only Justin Herbert’s 31 in 2020. And if he replicates his touchdowns and interceptions in the second half of the season, that would give him a 28-2 ratio which would be the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history for single-season.
While Stroud displayed a coolness and touch in his fourth win, eighth start of the season, coach DeMeco Ryans saw a precision passer throughout the stretch.
“The accuracy — that was the one thing that stood out with C.J.,” Ryans told reporters Monday. “You see the passes that Tank [Dell] caught, but just being able to slow the film down and pause it and see the precision of where those throws were — it’s just unreal to see how precise he was.”
Stroud and the Texans take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 10 at Paycor Stadium.