C.J. Stroud‘s struggles the past two seasons, following an epic rookie campaign, culminated in a horrific, four-interception day in a Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots.
Stroud’s performance in a game in which the defense still somehow gave the Texans a chance to win has sparked whispers about the QB’s future in Houston. That’s outside noise. Within the building, the coaching staff and teammates have supported Stroud relentlessly.
“Everybody has a bad game. Everybody has a rough (day) at the office,” Schultz said when asked about Stroud’s playoff disaster. “To be honest, not all that was on him. Everyone is going to pin it on him, because he’s the quarterback — and he understands that, we understand that. But I think what’s important is realizing, separate yourself from that as who you are. One game doesn’t define you, good or bad. It’s all going to fall on you, regardless, so own it, bro, like the result is bad. We lost. Dude, I got hurt in the first quarter, it sucks. So I look at myself, and I’m like, ‘Alright, that’s never happened…do I need to do more next time? What can I change?’
“Everybody’s got to turn themselves. It’s not all on C.J. Do you think he throws some of those picks if he didn’t have a guy in his lap? Everything is so entangled in football that it’s hard to put anything on one guy ever.”