Four Reasons Sunday’s Win Was C.J. Stroud’s Finest Hour

Despite the fact that the “Sports Talk Radio Host” handbook probably has at least a half dozen chapters on how to effectively and necessarily deploy hyperbole, I try to avoid it when it’s a complete sham. If you watch any sort of sports debate television, then you know I am probably limiting my career potential by being so careful. 

So when I said that the Houston Texans’ win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5 was “DeMeco Ryans’ finest hour as Houston Texans head coach,” I meant it. Now, as it turned out, Ryans followed up that win with arguably his worst week as a head coach, but I meant what I said at the time, after Week 5. 

So here I go again, about to use the “finest hour” framing of an elite performance by a Houston Texan, and I want you to know, I am about to do this with honesty and authenticity. Here goes — Sunday’s win over the San Francisco 49ers was C.J. Stroud’s finest hour as the quarterback of the Houston Texans. 

Yep, you heard me. I know, I know. I can hear what you’re saying right now. You want to shake me and remind me of his two wins in the playoffs, over the Browns and Chargers. How about the 470 yard comeback against the Bucs in 2023? Or the play-in win over the Colts in Week 18 of that same season? All great debate points, faithful reader!

Here are four reasons why I would pick Sunday’s 26-15 win over the Niners:

4. STATS

Sure, it wasn’t the statistical tour de force that Week 9 in 2023 versus the Bucs was — 470 yards, 5 touchdowns, no interceptions. However, the game Sunday was highly efficient, with Stroud throwing for 318 yards on 30 of 39 passing. Most important statistic? Stroud helped the Texans convert 9 of 16 third downs, keeping the chains moving and directly impacting the 41 minutes in time of possession for the Texans’ offense. The numbers held up. 

3. ABSENCES

This was the first game in Stroud’s career where he had to operate with NONE of Nico Collins, Tank Dell, or Stefon Diggs in the lineup. That’s significant. Stroud was operating with a skeleton crew of Iowa State grads and Braxton Berrios. In fact, once Berrios left with a chest injury, Stroud was deploying a receiving corps that came into Sunday with a combined career total of 51 receptions for 650 yards. Again, COMBINED. Among four people. Stroud undoubtedly and inarguably raised the level of those around him, a huge step for him. 

2. STAKES

Sure, it was only Week 8, but the Texans came into that game Sunday reeling a bit off of an ugly 27-19 loss to the Seahawks last Monday night. More importantly, they were 2-4 in an AFC where a loss, dropping them to 2-5, would have been crippling. When you start the season 0-3, every game you play until you’re a couple games over .500 are dire, potential season ending losses, if you lose. Stroud went out and played 60 minutes of winning football.  

1. FEEL

Put the records and the statistics aside for a moment, and focus on what you saw with your eyes. With Stroud, you saw a quarterback that was in total control the entire game. He didn’t let bad down and distance situations fluster him. He was sacked ZERO times, for the first time, in the regular season, since Week 5 of 2023 against the Falcons. He used his legs effectively to scramble for first downs. This was the C.J. Stroud Show, and we all had tickets for it, and it was glorious. 

Some might say, his finest hour. 

This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.

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