Houston won their first game of the season, and Texans rookie quarterback CJ Stroud made history by becoming the first QB in NFL history to throw for at least 900 passing yards, four passing TDs without an interception in his first three career starts.
Stroud was 20-30 on the day for 280 yards and a pair of scoring strikes in the Texans’ 37-17 upset victory at Jacksonville. Houston TE Brevin Jordan made a bold statement about Stroud and the Texans’ future, telling reporters after the victory,
“The best thing that happened to the Houston Texans’ franchise was us beating the Indianapolis Colts last game, last year,” Jordan told ESPN. “We drafted the right guy. Man, he’s a leader. He’s a phenomenal player and a phenomenal guy with God-given talent. Dude, he’s unbelievable.”
Texans Head Coach DeMarco Ryan discussed his rookie quarterback after what was his first victory as an NFL head coach,
“Sky is the limit for C.J.,”said DeMeco Ryans, who earned his first career win as a head coach Sunday. “He just keeps his head down and keeps working. C.J. is a very humble young man. Everything starts with the quarterback, and we have a good one who’s doing really good things. He’s improved every week. And that’s what I like and admire about C.J. is he’s dialed into improvement every week. He’s not satisfied. He’s been a leader for us as an offensive unit, and it’s impressive to see a young man continue to get better each week and lead that group.”
Stroud was selected with the second pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft and has started each game for Houston this season. Stroud shared the credit for his success with his teammates, stating,
“I have great guys around me,” Stroud said.“Nothing I can do without those guys up front battling, the receiver running the right route at the right depth, [offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik] calling the right plays at the right time.”
2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds
These are the odds at BetMGM for the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year at DraftKings. Please note that Texas online sports betting is prohibited at the present time.
|
Player |
Team |
Offensive ROY Odds |
|---|---|---|
|
Bijan Robinson |
Atlanta |
+125 |
|
Anthony Richardson |
Indianapolis |
+350 |
|
De’Von Achane |
Miami |
+650 |
|
Puca Nacua |
Los Angeles Rams |
+750 |
|
Zay Flowers |
Baltimore |
+1000 |
|
CJ Stroud |
Houston |
+1000 |
Stroud has some stiff competition, as the top five on the DraftKings betting board all have great seasons. Let’s look at the top five and see how Stroud measures up against the leaders and if he is a good bet to win.
- Bijan Robinson leads Atlanta in rushing yards and is second on the team in receiving yards. Robinson has been the betting favorite since the preseason, but the Falcons 1st round pick has scored just one TD thus far but rushed for 124 yards in Week 2 against Green Bay.
- Anthony Richardson was the Colts’ 4th pick in the draft but suffered a Week 2 concussion and missed the Colts Week 3 OT upset victory over Baltimore. Richardson has a TD pass and an interception to go along with 279 passing yards this season, with an additional 75 rushing yards and three TDs.
- De’Von Achane ascended to the top five after scoring four TDs in the Dolphins’ 70-20 beatdown over Denver. Prior to Sunday, Achane accumulated nine yards of offense, and had Sunday’s game been closer, the rookie RB likely wouldn’t have played much at all.
- Puca Nacua rose to up the Rams depth chart when Cooper Kupp was injured and is currently ninth in the NFL in receiving yards. Nacua is dealing with an oblique injury that may hinder his performance in the coming weeks, but we should keep an eye on the Rams’ 5th-round selection.
- Zay Flowers has caught 21 of his 25 targets for 188 receiving yards this season, with an additional 17 rushing yards. He sees seven targets per game, and once the Ravens’ offense gets healthy, Flowers’s numbers will soar once that happens, and he’ll likely move up the board.
Stroud has had a major impact on the Texans; they’d be cooked without him, and he shouldn’t be the fifth favorite on the betting board as a 10-1 underdog.
Flowers would be my second choice, and we should also consider Richardson. Robinson has been solid, but he plays on a terrible offense, and Achane isn’t going to get enough touches in the Dolphins lineup.
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