Texans look like they found a star in rookie QB C.J. Stroud

It has only been four games, but the Houston Texans look like they have found their quarterback in C.J. Stroud. 

For the third week in a row he showed a shocking level of composure and feel for a rookie quarterback, helping to lead a 30-6 thumping of the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

He completed 16-of-30 passes for 306 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. 

He rarely looked rattled and from the opening drive of the game seemed to be in complete control of the Houston offense. 

It is the second week in a row Houston won big, following last week's 37-17 win in Jacksonville.

This game was perhaps even more impressive given how banged up the Texans' offensive line was coming in and having to going up against a Pittsburgh defense that has been a turnover causing machine. 

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin also had a 23-4 record against rookie quarterbacks going into Sunday's game, the best mark of any head coach going back to 1950.

None of it mattered.

Stroud and his young wide receivers dominated the game while the banged up offensive line did enough to give Stroud enough time to find them. 

Through four games Stroud has already thrown for 1,212 yards and thrown six touchdowns, while also averaging more than eight yards per pass attempt. 

Perhaps the most encouraging number on his stat line, however, is zero. As in zero interceptions. Rookie quarterbacks can tend to make their share of mistakes and be turnover prone, but Stroud has yet to throw an interception on 151 pass attempts through Sunday. 

Nothing can change a franchise quicker than getting it right with a franchise quarterback, and with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft the Texans were given an opportunity to get one in a top-heavy quarterback draft.

Of the three quarterbacks taken in the top-five (joining Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson) Stroud has looked to be by far the most impressive. 

The Texans needed to hit a home run with that pick to help erase the bad taste of the Deshaun Watson era, and so far Stroud looks to be exactly that.