Here is everythingHouston Texans quarterbackC.J. Stroud said ahead of Week 3's matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, including his confidence in standing in the pocket under pressure, the value of Dalton Schultz to the offense, and the correlation between his faith and his journey.
Question: On the offense’s approach heading into Week 3
C.J. Stroud: “The focus is at an all-time high. I don't think effort was ever an issue, but I think effort is high as well. We're really just focused. We’re forgetting what's in the past and moving on to what's next. I think that's all we can do and what's most important.”
Q: On the difference when having joy while on the field opposed to not having joy while playing
Stroud: “I think it's huge. I think there's
a level of maturity that you have to have. I know DeMeco [Ryans] feels the same way, just on our faith, it's like joy is a choice. It's knowing of who you are. I know for me, I'm God's son before I'm anything. Then I'm a son to my mom, my dad, my brother and so many other things. I think when you have that mindset of God is in control, that he has his hand on you, even in the hard times. I still learn that joy… a friend of my dad always used to say this, ‘Joy stands for just over yonder.’ Your joy can be just over yonder and you have to go and get it. It's knowing that it's a blessing to just be here.”
Q: On what he attributes to his confidence while standing in the pocket under pressure
Stroud: “I've tried my best to kind of try to not let it affect me. I think to your point, I have had some pressure in my career so far. I think the way our offensive line practiced in camp, I think the way that we started off the season, even though it hasn't been perfect, they've been fighting their tail off. I'm proud of those guys, the way that they grind, the way that they show up every day trying to make sure I'm clean. I don't want them to be perfect. I want them just to have the effort to try to give me a chance to get the ball out. There are times where that's not going to happen, but it's my due diligence to keep moving around in the pocket, keep stepping up. Stay confident knowing that this is the play where they're going to do that. I think they're doing a great job. I think they continue to get better, but I'm trying my best and I'll continue to do that, just to stand tall and be able to deliver the ball.”
Q: On how he thinks playing without WR Nico Collins will be potentially in Week 3 compared to Week 2
Stroud: “I think it'll be a lot better. Of course, a player like Nico- his presence is always felt when he's on the field. It's tough not having him, but I think this week could be better. We had a great day of practice today. We'll be able to hopefully take what we did in practice and execute on Sunday.”
Q: On whether he has confidence in the team knowing they have overcome adversity in the past
Stroud: “You don't want to be here. You can see the light within the tunnel knowing that you've done it before. When I look at our team, we're a really good football team. I have the utmost hope and trust in our guys to get things that we need to get fixed, fixed. I think if anything, you don't want to lose those games, but you can learn from them. I think you'd rather do it now than later. Of course I don't want to be in this position, but we are, ‘What are we going to do about it?’ It's a mentality that I believe in. We can sulk and be mad at each other or be mad at yourself and not want to get things fixed and just sulk in your misery. The sun's out today to me and we got to practice today, and I got to throw a football, so I'm happy with that. Tomorrow, we'll do it again if we're able to and on Sunday we'll go play, so I'm excited.”
Q: On his relationship with WR Kayshon Boutte
Stroud: “It's building. I think chemistry takes time with certain instances. For me and him, we haven't played together yet and we really didn't get a lot of time during Training Camp. I think even just connecting on the back shoulder the other day, that was a big point for us. We'll continue to hit some more shots and build that chemistry.”
Q: On TE Dalton Schultz
Stroud: “His value is tremendous. I've talked about Dalton a lot this offseason, just a lot of people have asked about him. He's been huge in my development, not just as a quarterback on the field, but just how to operate in and out the huddle, how to communicate in two minute and he's very smart with situations and red zone, all the things. Then off the field, we're very close as well. He's been huge to me, and I think he's been great to this team, great to this organization. He's a man's man, he wants to work hard, he does the dirty work. I think he'll look great on Sunday and he'll continue to be really good for us.”
Q: On what goes into getting on the same page with certain wide receivers
Stroud: “Everybody's different, but I think me and ‘J-Noel’ [WR Jaylin Noel], we have a chemistry, especially for the ball down the field. I think we're building a rapport for the short and intermediate game and I think he's getting better. I think he's one of the best that I've ever seen with just his quickness, his ability to create separation. I think he's playing fast when he's his best. Everything's different. When I went to college, I had a connection with Jaxon [Smith-Njigba] the first day we stepped on campus, but me and Chris Olave took more time. It's nothing that he did wrong or I did wrong. It's just one of those things and I believe that the guys we have, the more time on task, we'll get better.”
Q: On whether his and DE Will Anderson Jr.’s positive attitudes spread to the rest of the team
Stroud: “I would think so, I would hope so. I think there are times where you don't see where we have to be hard on one ourselves and then two, on others, to hold ourselves accountable and others. But I believe just, it goes back to our faith. We believe that this is very important, but it's not the most important thing in our life. I don't think we idolize football, we idolize our faith. I think our identity is in who we are called by before people even know our names. Since we've been kids, that's how we were raised, knowing Will's parents and my parents. They raised us to be very humble, to move with humility, to understand the position that we are in is to uplift people and to give people joy and hope. I think that's our mission. Then of course, the plan is to be great football players on top of that. Those things I believe come first, that's just how we were raised. I would say it has to come from our parents, how we were raised.”
Q: On the correlation between his faith and football as a journey
Stroud: “The best analogy I can think of is how I was taught with faith is, the first step is salvation, believing in your heart, confessing with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. Two is sanctification, that's a process your whole life. Then glorification, when we pass and we go to glory. I believe that in football, it's pretty similar. It's like the first part, you commit yourself, you decide that you're going to do this and that you become disciplined, you have a good work ethic. That's kind of the second part, but you just commit yourself at first. The second part is the discipline, the work ethic. Then the ebbs and flows, the ups and downs. You have to realize, just like in faith, in your sanctification process, you're going to have high seasons, you're going to have low seasons. You're going to have seasons where you want to do it, seasons where you don't. Seasons where you're faithful, seasons when you're not. I believe as you get more mature, you start to realize it's more normal when you actually confess it. Then the end is the end, but I believe that's kind of the correlation in my mind when you asked me that question.”
Q: On whether he feels like he can do more despite doing well statistically
Stroud: “I always look at myself to be accountable like, ‘Where can I have been better?’ There were some plays where, of course, I want it back. That's every game, even games where I throw multiple touchdowns or throw multiple interceptions, that's just football. I believe in that game [Week 2 vs. Cincinnati], I could have completed some of those passes down the field. Especially in the fourth quarter, I missed some down the field. I believe that we're building our rhythm and the best football is ahead of us. I'm not the type of person to think about what's in the past. Too much, I've learned to forget my failures, forget my successes and to work hard to do what's next and do that better. That's my plan and I think I can be a lot better. I will be and I believe that our team feels the same way.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans QB C.J. Stroud said ahead of Week 3 matchup vs Colts
