Texans' C.J. Stroud May Finally Be Back To His Superstar Self

For the first time in a while, C.J. Stroud looked like the quarterback the Houston Texans thought they were getting when they selected him No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Texans still lost to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, falling 34-30 and dropping to 0-4 on the season. But the loss was hardly on Stroud, who delivered arguably his best performance of the young season. He completed 21 of 31 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns while averaging an impressive 11.2 yards per attempt.

More importantly, the film showed a quarterback playing with confidence, aggression and the ability to create explosive plays. That has been missing at times from Stroud since his spectacular rookie campaign.

ESPN's Ben Solak believes what Stroud is showing goes beyond simply returning to his 2023 form, "Stroud was nails against the Cowboys. In fact, Stroud has been nails for the entire season. His numbers against the Bengals and Colts are unspectacular, given the lack of Collins and some drop-heavy performances from Collins' backups. But the film is not just reminiscent of the 2023 season, in which Stroud dawned as a dominant rookie -- it is at a higher degree of difficulty. This is the sort of player you pay $55 million."

That is a significant statement considering the questions that have surrounded Stroud's future contract and whether he can consistently reach the level he displayed as a rookie. Through four games, Stroud has thrown for 1,141 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions, posting a 95.9 passer rating. His numbers don't tell the entire story, either.

Against Dallas, Stroud repeatedly made difficult throws and pushed the ball downfield. He also delivered when Houston desperately needed points, leading an 87-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter that gave the Texans a 30-27 lead with just over two minutes remaining.

The Texans ultimately couldn't hold onto that lead, but Stroud's performance provided an important reminder of why Houston views him as its franchise quarterback.

The return of Nico Collins certainly helped, as he caught seven passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Still, Stroud deserves credit for taking advantage of the opportunity and looking increasingly comfortable within the offense.

Houston's 0-4 record makes it difficult to celebrate much right now, but Stroud's individual development could be one of the most important storylines of the season. If this version of Stroud continues to show up, the Texans may finally be seeing the superstar quarterback they hoped they drafted in 2023.