Feb. 7, 2026, 9:04 a.m. CT

Following a 28-16 loss to the New England Patriots in the divisional round, most Houston Texans fans put the blame on the shoulders of quarterback C.J. Stroud.

It wasn’t unwarranted based on his play. Stroud, who struggled in the wild-card round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, threw four interceptions in the first half, including a pick-six in the second quarter, to help the Patriots build an 11-point lead entering the third quarter.

Houston finished with five turnovers at Gillette Stadium and managed to only score six points in the second half. Even after Stroud finally found a rhythm, the damage was done. For the third straight year, the Texans missed a shot at the conference title game and a trip to the Super Bowl.

Did Stroud deserve blame? Of course, but tight end Dalton Schultz said during his trip on Radio Row out in California that there was more to the issue than simply the quarterback struggling.

“It’s hard to pin it all on him (Stroud), as a player. In my eyes, that game was my fault,” Schultz told SportsRadio 610. “In my eyes, that game was my fault. I left the game in the 1st quarter. It was a big game plan for me and I wasn’t able to be out there.

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“That’s literally all I’ve been thinking about. And everybody’s gonna pin it on CJ, it’s not, it’s not his fault.”

Schultz, who finished second in receptions and receiving yards this season, left after the first scoring drive with a calf strain and did not return. He was expected to be an x-factor in the game, having caught a 42-yard pass from Stroud earlier in the drive to set up the offense inside the red zone.

With Schultz out, that marked two key names for the Texans missing the game. Pro Bowl wideout Nico Collins also did not play after suffering a concussion in the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night. Combined, the duo was responsible for over 60 percent of Houston’s passing production and totaled eight touchdown receptions.

Schultz sticking up for his teammate is one thing, but he also brought up a promising point. The Texans were already limited at tight end with Brevin Jordan being out for the season. Cade Stover, who left in the third quarter with a knee injury, missed multiple weeks because of a foot injury earlier this season, thus costing him reps to build a rapoort with Stroud.

At times, Schultz was the only tight end with actual consistent reps in the passing game, so the loss of his role certainly didn’t help the case. Add in Collins’ injury and the Texans were relying on rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, along with Christian Kirk, to take a jump ahead.

In the end, both parties being off-point led to the demise of Houston’s playoff run. The good news? Schultz plans to run it back with Stroud in 2026, usuing the road trip to Gillette Stadium as a pause in the story instead of the ending.

The Texans own the No. 28 pick in the upcoming NFL draft.