Stroud’s Accuracy Woes Continue to Hold Texans Back

Third-year quarterback’s decision-making and missed throws cost Houston against Buccaneers

HOUSTON — Year 3 was supposed to mark a step forward for C.J. Stroud. Instead, the same issues that hurt him last season are still dragging the Texans down.

Stroud’s inaccuracy in tight spots, hesitation under pressure and inability to finish drives all resurfaced in Monday night’s 20-19 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What should have been a chance to steady Houston’s season turned into another reminder of how unreliable the offense looks when the quarterback falters.

The game followed a familiar script. Stroud opened sharp, completing five of his first seven passes for 105 yards and a 29-yard touchdown to Nico Collins. But just like stretches of 2024, the efficiency didn’t last. He went 8 of 17 the rest of the way for 102 yards and no scores.

The red zone exposed him again. On third-and-goal in the fourth quarter, Stroud overshot Collins on a fade. On fourth down, he rolled right and sent another ball sailing out of bounds. Two cracks at the same matchup, and neither throw gave his receiver a chance. Houston left without points, just as it did too often last fall.

Even when protection held, Stroud’s placement betrayed him. After a blocked punt set up prime field position, he threw behind Xavier Hutchinson on a simple dig route. Instead of a first down to extend the drive, the ball fell incomplete. Missed opportunities like that carried over from last year’s film into this season’s first two games.

The hesitation problem hasn’t gone away either. Against Tampa Bay’s blitz, Stroud locked on his first read and held the ball too long. On a third-and-10 in the second half, he forced a late throw under duress that nearly turned into a turnover. That lack of command against pressure was a hallmark of last season — and it hasn’t been corrected.

His final line — 13 of 24 for 207 yards — looked manageable. But the numbers mask what mattered most: Houston failed to convert chances because Stroud’s accuracy and timing weren’t there when the game was in reach.

This is the pattern the Texans can’t escape. The defense and special teams do enough to keep games close. The offense gets into position. Then the quarterback leaves points on the field.

By Year 3, these aren’t growing pains. They’re habits. And if Stroud doesn’t fix them now, Houston’s season will unravel the same way last year did — close losses piling up, a talented roster stuck in the middle, and questions about whether the quarterback can ever be the consistent answer the franchise invested in.