The chance to win the game was in C.J. Stroud’s hands. And then it wasn’t.
As the Texans trailed the Bills 36-31, Stroud had 16 seconds on the clock to make something happen.
On third-and-goal just inside the 20-yard line, the fourth-year quarterback dropped back and pressure quickly closed in, forcing him to go up the middle.
In doing so, Stroud bobbled the ball and was sacked by Greg Rousseau 10 yards back on the 28-yard line before Terrel Bernard recovered the ball at the Bills’ 24.
After the whistle, Bernard took the ball and ran, holding it up and throwing it in the air in celebration.
Stroud’s fumble sealed the Bills’ win and a 0-1 season start for the Texans in front of their home crowd at Reliant Stadium.
In the aftermath, when Stroud shook hands with Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the 24-year-old wore a disappointed and frustrated look on his face.
Just hours before the game, Tedy Bruschi and Alex Smith argued over Stroud’s potential in a tense scene on ESPN’s “Sunday NFL Countdown.”
“C.J. Stroud coming off of that playoff loss in New England and what he did this offseason in turning down a big contract offer. I don’t want my quarterback on this team to go out there and say, ‘This is a prove-it year for me,’” Bruschi said before adding that Stroud wants to be compensated “like he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league.”
“He is, though, Teddy, he is. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the league,” Smith countered. “He is one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. Fact.”
“OK, you throw in the word ‘young’ in there, he’s not the best OK,” Bruschi argued.
Since his outstanding rookie season when the former No. 2 overall pick earned the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, Stroud’s output has declined.
In the past three years, the Texans went out in the Divisional Round in the playoffs, most recently losing to the Patriots 28-16 in a game in which Stroud threw four interceptions. This year, he will strive to put that in the past.
During the offseason, the Texans and Stroud were unable to agree on a contract extension, and general manager Nick Caserio added that negotiations will be tabled for now.
In 2025, he threw for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The Texans will host the Bengals (1-0) in Week 2.
