C.J. Stroud's struggles in preseason opener say more about Patriots defense
Instead of taking C.J. Stroud’s unimpressive first NFL appearance as a sign that the Houston Texans should panic, the actual takeaway from Thursday night was how good the Patriots defense looked.
Jalen Mills intercepted Stroud to end Houston's first series, and the defensive line continually harassed the No. 2 pick of the 2023 NFL Draft during his two drives.
Stroud finished the game 2-of-4 for 13 yards with an interception. He also lost 15 yards on one sack.
The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin pointed out how uncomfortable the Patriots defense made Stroud look.
ESPN’s Mina Kimes highlighted the discrepancy between the Texans offensive line and the Patriots defensive front.
Stroud’s performance is a great sign for the Patriots defense. The unit made him look like a rookie. It did what a great defense should do.
Stroud’s struggles won’t make anyone in Houston feel great, particularly with the team owing Arizona its 2024 first-round pick. But Stroud isn’t the first rookie to underwhelm in his first preseason game, and he won’t be the last.
For those reasons, the performance was much more important for New England. In a division with Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen and Tua Tagovailoa, the Patriots have their work cut out for them. A strong defense will be the team’s best chance of keeping pace.
And at least for the first game of the preseason, New England’s defense gave no reason to believe it can’t be elite.
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