Here's everythingHouston Texans Pro Bowl quarterbackC.J. Stroud said following Week 4's 34-30 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Question: On his message to the team in the locker room
C.J. Stroud: “I'm going to just keep that between our team, but I just wanted to get in front of them and let them know how much I believe in them and trust in them. I know we're not in a good spot and it's not where anybody wants to be, but I've seen other teams do it before. I know we've done it. We're minus one game of that, but I have the utmost trust and hope in them, in my guys. I was just trying to keep everybody together.”
Q: On the explosive plays from the offense
Stroud: “I thought we did a great job attacking them. I thought [Nick] Caley did a great job of calling
it and us of executing it. Had some big plays early on. I think the more that we can play ahead of the sticks, the better we give ourselves a shot. I thought they did a great job. I thought up front blocked very well for the majority of the game. I thought we ran great routes, created separation, but it's just unfortunate when you can't win.”
Q: On what the Texans need to correct to get on the right track
Stroud: “We have to finish. I think we've shown that we can create explosives, we can have high-scoring games, we could get ahead when we need to. I think the best thing that we need to do and the main thing we need to do is finish. That's not just the end of the game. That's third down. I thought we were not great on third down today. I think we can finish better there, but also just as a team just together trying to finish every play, every down, playing it like it's your last and I think that's what we need to be able to fix.”
Q: On the key to finishing games
Stroud: “I don't think anybody in our building has a mindset of not finishing. I think it's an execution thing. I think we just have to study more. We have to be on our details better than the other team is. I think that's where because I know for a fact in our building wants to win, is doing everything in their power to. I just think the execution, the finishing that is the part where we can get better.”
Q: On Head Coach DeMeco Ryans comments on needing to forget last season and focus on the 2026 season
Stroud: “He's right. Every year is different. Last year's bread isn't going to feed us this year. You have to find new ways. I remember in college, Coach [Ryan] Day used to always say you have to be an iPhone. You have to upgrade every year. You have to upgrade whatever that looks like from personnel to plays to execution. Everything has to rise up and you can't look back and be like, ‘Oh, well, we did it this time, we can do it this time.’ You have to be able to flush successes and failures and be able to do your job each and every play. It doesn't matter what happened in the previous year. It doesn't matter the accolades, the hate, whatever on both sides. You have to be able to flush it because that's our job. I think he's right. This is a new year and we have to be able to get ourselves out of this hole and we're the only ones who can do it. We're all we got. Nobody is coming to save us, so we have to make sure we're looking ourselves in the eye, being accountable and honest and going to work.”
Q: On how to overcome a 0-4 start to the season
Stroud: “Just finishing better, executing better. I think those are the two main things. I think we're practicing well. I think this game we were able to create explosives, but we have to be able to finish. That's the main thing.”
Q: On how he would assess his own play
Stroud: “It's not good enough. I have to find a way to find bigger plays I guess on third down, trying to get us first downs. I thought I took care of the ball. Tried to do the best as I can in that area. I think it doesn't matter, at the end of the day. We have to be able to win. I have to do more and put more on my plate, then I'm fine with that. We have to find ways to win, but that's the main thing. I think as a team we all feel that way.”
Q: On the run game
Stroud: “We have to find a way to get those guys a chance. They're both special backs, both backs that can create. They're trying their best, but I think we have to find things that fit us, that our run game execution needs to go up. I have the utmost trust that it will. I think the backs are doing everything they can. I think our scheme, we're tailoring everything to trying to get that done. I have the most trust and respect in [Offensive Line/Offensive Run Game Coordinator] Cole [Popovich] and [Offensive Coordinator Nick] Caley and [Quarterbacks] Jerry [Schuplinski]and stuff to get that done. That's something I think we definitely got to get better at is run the ball.”
Q: On limiting penalty yards
Stroud: “It's hard to win football games when you have 13 penalties. A lot of those were critical as well. Some of them were questionable, but they made the call. You have to flush it and find a way to execute the next play, but one thing I am proud of my team is just for fighting. We gave ourselves a chance. We had the ball at the end. We gave ourselves a chance on the Hail Mary and who knows? It could have come down and then nobody would have had their head down. I like the way that we fight. I know it's not easy. I know it sucks we're 0-4, but I can look at my team and respect them. No one is tucking their tail. No one is feeling bad for themselves. Everybody is fighting until the end to try to get a win. I believe that we'll be able to flip the coin and hopefully pull out some of these close games.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans QB C.J. Stroud said following Week 4 loss to Cowboys
