In the Houston Texans’ season opener, they gave up 36 points to the Buffalo Bills, their most in a game since November of 2023 in DeMeco Ryans’ first season as the head coach.
Nonetheless, the Texans still had a chance to win on the final drive.
Jaylin Noel set Houston up at the 29-yard line after a 26-yard kickoff return. Quarterback C.J. Stroud got things started with an 18-yard pass to tight end Dalton Schultz and later another 18-yard pass to Noel to get the Texans on the nine-yard line.
On first-and-goal from inside the 10, Stroud was sacked for a loss of nine yards, which forced Houston to use its final timeout. On second-and-goal, now from the 18, Stroud had an incompletion to wide receiver Nico Collins. Third-and-goal proved to be the game's
defining play.
Stroud was sacked for a loss of 10 yards by Gre Rousseau, but that was only the start. For the second time, Rousseu stripped the ball, which was recovered by a Bills defender, thus sealing a Buffalo win on the road for the first time n 20 years.
“We did a good job starting with a positive play in that two minute,” Stroud said. “We got down there, then we can't get stalemated like that. I think that sack really kind of made it a little tougher. Even then we still had a chance. I'm trying my best to protect the ball, but also to make plays. We needed seven [points] right there. I can't be super conservative. I have to be able to take shots. Sometimes it doesn't roll your way. So, we'll try to fix that and go forward.”
Perhaps the strip sack at the end of the game would not be as concerning if Stroud hadn't struggled with turnovers in Houston’s two postseason games. He fumbled five times in the Texans’ first playoff game and threw four interceptions in the second game.
Stroud will have the opportunity to turn the page and get back in the winning column in Houston’s second game of the season against the Cincinnati Bengals.
However, the Bengals' defense is significantly improved from a year ago; Stroud has to protect the ball in this matchup to avoid a 0-2 start for the second time in three years.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans QB C.J. Stroud said he was trying to protect the ball on final drive
