Not a bad homecoming for C.J. Stroud.
One could call it, historic?
Stroud, a native of Los Angeles, threw for a season-high 384 yards and tied his career high in touchdown passes with five as the Houston Texans rolled past the Los Angeles Chargers in a 44-22 victory at SoFi Stadium. Despite a slow offensive start, Houston found a rhythm in the second quarter and never looked back.
Stroud, seeking more consistency after Week 7's overtime loss to the New York Giants, threw an early pick on a pass batted at the line of scrimmage. He missed Nico Collins on a third-down conversion and overthrew Marvin Harrison Jr. in the second quarter.
Outside of that, the former No. 2 overall pick looked like the quarterback that was promised back when drafted out
of Ohio State in 2023. He connected with four different receivers, including twice with Kayshon Boutte for touchdown passes. Six passes went for gains of over 20-plus yards and were recorded as explosives.
For as good as Stroud was, the Texans' defense delivered a much-needed, jolt-worthy performance while attacking Justin Herbert. The Chargers' quarterback, who entered Sunday as the second-most-hit passer through eight weeks, took over at No. 1 as Houston's defense recorded a season-high eight sacks, including two each by Sheldon Rankins and Jadeveon Clowney.
As for the Cleveland Browns, they're reeling following an overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints. Deshaun Watson, Houston's former starting quarterback, was ruled out with a concussion, leading to Shedeur Sanders taking over for Week 9. While throwing for nearly 200 yards and two touchdowns, Sanders was also sacked five times. Meanwhile, Cleveland recorded five sacks, headlined by former Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger.
Butwhat do oddsmakers think about this battle between two teams very much in the mix for the AFC Playoff race?
Buy Houston Texans vs. Indianapolis Colts tickets
How to watch Texans vs. Browns
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026
- Time: 12 p.m. CT
- Location: Reliant Stadium (Houston, Texas)
- TV: FOX
- Stream: FuboTV (try it for free)
- Radio: 95.7 The Fan (Houston)
Watch Texans vs. Browns game FREE on Fubo
Texans' regular-season schedule 2025
Below is Houston's regular-season schedule.
Week 1: Sunday, September 13, Noon CT: vs. Buffalo Bills - L 36-31
Week 2: Sunday, September 20, Noon CT: vs. Cincinnati Bengals - L 20-6
Week 3: Sunday, September 27, Noon CT: at Indianapolis Colts - L 19-17
Week 4: Sunday, October 4, Noon CT: vs. Dallas Cowboys - L 34-31
Week 5: Sunday, October 11, Noon CT: at Tennessee Titans -W 26-3
Week 6: Sunday, October 19, 8:30 a.m.: at Jacksonville Jaguars (London) - W 34-31
Week 7: Sunday, October 25, 9 p.m. CT: vs. New York Giants
Week 8: Sunday, Nov. 1: Bye Week
Week 9: Sunday, November 8, 3:00 p.m. CT: at Los Angeles Chargers
Week 10: Sunday, November 15, Noon CT: at Cleveland Browns
Week 11: Thursday, November 19, 7:20 p.m. CT: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Week 12: Thursday, November 29, Noon: vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week 13: Sunday, December 6, 7:20 p.m. CT: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 14: Sunday, December 13, Noon CT: at Washington Commanders
Week 15: Sunday, December 20, Noon CT: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 16: Thursday, December 24, 7:15 p.m. CT: at Philadelphia Eagles (Amazon Prime)
Week 17: Monday, January 4, 7:20 p.m. CT: at Green Bay Packers
Week 18: TBD: vs. Tennessee Titans
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: NFL Week 10 odds: Texans open as road favorites vs. Browns
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