C.J. Stroud Returns to Form as Texans Eye Postseason Push
Two games into his return, C.J. Stroud is starting to look like the quarterback who turned heads across the league earlier this season. And while questions about his postseason ceiling are still fair game, what’s becoming clearer by the week is that his floor is already impressively high - especially for a second-year quarterback navigating the back end of a playoff race.
On Sunday night, Stroud led the Houston Texans to a gritty 20-10 win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead, a notoriously tough place to play, let alone win. It wasn’t a fireworks show, but it didn’t need to be.
Stroud threw for over 200 yards and a touchdown, looking more comfortable and in control than he had in recent weeks. His passer rating came in at 80.4, and his Total QBR settled at 33.4 - not eye-popping, but a step in the right direction for a quarterback shaking off the rust after nearly a month on the shelf.
What’s more telling is Stroud’s season-long performance. Despite missing time, he entered the week with a Total QBR of 62.6 - good for 11th among the league’s 32 starting quarterbacks. That’s no small feat, especially considering the quarterbacks he’s outperforming in that metric: Bo Nix, Aaron Rodgers, Justin Fields - all trailing Stroud in ESPN’s QBR rankings.
Now, for context: Total QBR goes beyond the traditional passer rating. It’s a more holistic measure that factors in everything a quarterback does to impact the game - passing, rushing, turnovers, penalties, and situational performance.
It’s designed to give a more complete picture of a quarterback’s value to his team’s chances of winning. And in that light, Stroud’s standing is even more impressive.
Here’s how Stroud stacks up against the rest of the league’s starters heading into what could be Houston’s ninth win of the season:
NFL Quarterbacks Ranked by Total QBR (Entering Week)
- Dak Prescott (Cowboys) - 73.4
- Jordan Love (Packers) - 73.0
- Drake Maye (Patriots) - 72.2
- Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs) - 69.4
- Brock Purdy (49ers) - 68.9
- Matthew Stafford (Rams) - 68.8
- Joe Burrow (Bengals) - 65.7
- Josh Allen (Bills) - 65.2
- Jaxson Dart (Giants) - 65.1
- Sam Darnold (Seahawks) - 64.4
- **C.J.
Stroud (Texans)** - 62.6
12.
Baker Mayfield (Buccaneers) - 60.0
13.
Lamar Jackson (Ravens) - 60.0
14.
Justin Herbert (Chargers) - 58.3
15.
Jared Goff (Lions) - 56.5
16.
Bo Nix (Broncos) - 55.8
17.
Marcus Mariota (Commanders) - 55.2
18.
Caleb Williams (Bears) - 53.3
19.
Jalen Hurts (Eagles) - 51.9
20.
Tyrod Taylor (Jets) - 51.5
21.
Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars) - 47.1
22.
Riley Leonard (Colts) - 46.7
23.
Bryce Young (Panthers) - 45.9
24.
Jacoby Brissett (Cardinals) - 43.9
25.
Tyler Shough (Saints) - 43.5
26.
Aaron Rodgers (Steelers) - 42.3
27.
Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins) - 38.4
28.
Geno Smith (Raiders) - 32.5
29.
Kirk Cousins (Falcons) - 31.8
30.
Cameron Ward (Titans) - 30.9
31.
J.J. McCarthy (Vikings) - 27.5
- Shedeur Sanders (Browns) - 19.9
The takeaway? Stroud is holding his own - and then some - in a league that’s never been deeper at the quarterback position. He’s not just surviving; he’s competing with the best.
And while the Texans still have work to do to lock in a playoff spot, Stroud’s presence under center gives them more than just a fighting chance. He’s already proven he can win tough games, manage pressure, and make the right reads when it counts. If he continues to trend upward, Houston could be a team nobody wants to face in January.
For now, the focus is on stacking wins. But if Stroud keeps playing like this - poised, efficient, and increasingly confident - the ceiling for this Texans team might be higher than anyone thought coming into December.