CJ Stroud’s season-and perhaps his trajectory as a young NFL quarterback-hit a wall in Foxborough on Sunday, as the Houston Texans fell 28-16 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round. And the struggles weren’t subtle. Stroud, once hailed as the future of the franchise after a dazzling rookie campaign, looked out of sync and overwhelmed against a Patriots defense that came in with a clear plan and executed it to perfection.
Stroud finished the game completing just 20 of 47 passes for 212 yards, one touchdown, and four costly interceptions-all of them coming in the first half. That stat line tells the story: the Texans were playing uphill from the jump.
New England capitalized on nearly every mistake, flipping turnovers into points and seizing control of the game before halftime. By the time the Texans went into the locker room trailing 21-10, the damage had been done.
During the ESPN broadcast, Hall of Famer Troy Aikman didn’t hold back in his assessment of Stroud’s performance-or his development since that electric rookie season. “C.J.
Stroud has been chasing his rookie success for the last two years,” Aikman said. “He's not been the same player.
We've not seen the development from him. There's a reason for that, and it has to be addressed.”
That rookie season, of course, was something special. Stroud threw for over 4,100 yards and 23 touchdowns, completing 319 passes and earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
He looked poised, accurate, and unshakable in the pocket. Fast forward two seasons, and that version of Stroud feels like a distant memory.
The arm talent is still there, but the decision-making and consistency have taken a step back-something that’s hard to ignore when the stakes are this high.
Sunday’s loss wasn’t just about Stroud, though. Houston’s offense as a whole struggled to find its footing.
The run game was completely bottled up-just 48 yards on 22 carries-and without a reliable ground attack to lean on, the Texans became one-dimensional. That played right into New England’s hands.
There were a few bright spots, albeit small ones. Rookie wideout Jayden Higgens continued to show promise, hauling in six catches for 59 yards.
Christian Kirk added a touchdown grab, finishing with two receptions for 20 yards. But overall, the Texans couldn’t get enough going to keep pace with a Patriots team that dictated the tempo and controlled the field position battle.
Now, Houston heads into the offseason with more questions than answers. They’ve got talent-no doubt about that-but the next few months will be critical. They’ll need to evaluate their roster top to bottom, make strategic decisions in free agency and the draft, and take a hard look at the coaching staff and development plans for their young quarterback.
Stroud is still just a few years into his NFL journey, and the flashes of brilliance are too significant to ignore. But if the Texans want to take the next step as a contender, they’ll need him to evolve-not just return to his rookie form, but grow beyond it.
Troy Aikman: "C.J. Stroud has been chasing his rookie success for the last two years. He's not been the same player. We've not seen the development from him. There's a reason for that, and it has to be addressed." 🏈🎙️ #NFL #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/nmAgXfxItQ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 18, 2026
Because in today’s NFL, the margin between promise and production is razor thin. And after Sunday’s performance, it’s clear that the Texans-and their quarterback-have some work to do.