‘Moments you dream of,’ how Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud embraces high-profile game against Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Growing up in Rancho Cucamonga, California, years before he emerged as the Ohio State Buckeyes’ starting quarterback, Heisman Trophy finalist and the second overall pick of the draft, C.J. Stroud watched other quarterbacks ply their trade.

Top passers like Aaron Rodgers and several other elite quarterbacks, including Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes, the former NFL and Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. Yes, even the Texans’ meltdown in the AFC divisional round five years ago at Arrowhead Stadium as a once-commanding lead evaporated during a blowout loss.

Now the leader of the Texans offense, Stroud is embracing this moment, his time, his opportunity to lead the AFC South champions on Saturday in an AFC divisional round playoff game against the defending Super Bowl champion, top-seeded Chiefs powerhouse squad headlined by Mahomes.

The showdowns between the best quarterbacks, legendary games like Joe Burrow against Mahomes or Josh Allen against the Chiefs star, those were all closely watched and soaked up by Stroud.

SEE ALSO: Broken-play brilliance, timely scramble by C.J. Stroud spark Texans, beat Chargers: ‘Play of the ga

“It is moments you dream of,” Stroud said. “You watch them growing up and dreaming of the moments to be sharing that field and be competing in those moments, so I am very excited and ready to roll but you have to have a good week of preparation. But I am definitely exited for it. I definitely looked up to a lot of guys growing up. I watched these type of game growing up and I remember watching Houston play in Kansas City some years back and went up early and they end up coming back.

“I am not saying that is how it is going to go, but I remember watching that one. I remember watching all the AFC championships with Burrow and Mahomes, I watched the one with Josh Allen and Mahomes. Those were all great games. I have always wanted to be in these type of moments, which is amazing that I am able to do it in Year Two again. I am definitely not taking it for granted and definitely going to earn my opp and try to run with it.”

SEE ALSO: How a saddened C.J. Stroud supports injured best friend Tank Dell, embraces emotions: ‘It’s easy to be a fake tough guy’

SUGGESTED: ‘Tough news’ for Texans: Tank Dell out for year with dislocated knee, torn ACL, Jimmie Ward out for year, foot surgery

Stroud endured an up-and-down regular season that didn’t run nearly as smoothly as his first NFL season when he was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. He displayed perseverance and leadership skills and never complained as substandard pass protection and injuries on offense contributed to a dip in his statistics from his rookie season when he joined Tom Brady and Joe Montana as the only quarterbacks in league history to lead the NFL in passing yards per contest and touchdown-to-interception ratio in the same season.

Stroud had a resurgent game against the Los Angeles Chargers, leading his team to a 32-12 victory as he passed for 282 yards and a touchdown. The 23-year-old displayed his improvisational skills, turning a broken play on a fumbled snap into a clutch 34-yard completion to wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson that provided an emotional spark for the entire team as he engineered a 99-yard scoring drive capped by his touchdown pass to wide receiver Nico Collins.

Orchestrating the offense, playing mistake-free football, distributing throws like a basketball point guard, that’s what Texans coach DeMeco Ryans wants to see from his second-year quarterback.

“Offensively, we just have to continue to play efficient and when it comes to the quick passing: getting the ball out, getting completions, allowing our playmakers to make plays, that’s part of being efficient,” Ryans said. “And that helped us last week, it’ll also be a key this week as well, not only the quick passing game, but also running the football. You want to play well in the playoffs, you have to run the ball well.

“So, both of those will be key for us. And C.J.’s just commanding the offense. We know it’s going to be loud, we know it’s going to be rowdy there, so we have to be great with our communication. Everybody has to be very attentive in the huddle, making sure we’re getting in and out of the huddle fast to make sure we’re operating efficiently all the way across the board. When we do that, we’re a really good offense.”

The Texans have an identical record to last season at this stage: 11-7 and winners of the AFC South division.

A year ago, they made too many mistakes and fell way short in the AFC divisional round against the Baltimore Ravens as their season ended.

Progress was made as the Texans went from a 3-13-1 squad under former coach Lovie Smith to the playoffs with Stroud and Ryans making history as the quarterback-head coach tandem making it to the postseason and winning a playoff game in their first season collaborating together.

The Texans are the only team in the AFC South division that has never advanced to the AFC championship game, going 0-5 at this stage of the playoffs.

In 2011, 2012, 2016, 2019 and last season, the Texans couldn’t get over the hump in the divisional round.

Now, Stroud and his teammates have an opportunity to make history if they can beat the 15-2 Chiefs in their stadium.

“That would be huge,” Stroud said. “I didn’t know that, but I think that will be a huge accomplishment. This team is really motivated to go up there and play some good ball and a great Kansas City team that has been in these moments forever. It is going to take all of us and take a lot of execution to get that done so we have to be on our A game.”

The last time the Texans were in Kansas City was Dec. 21 when wide receiver Tank Dell suffered a devastating knee injury while catching a touchdown pass from Stroud on a perfectly delivered spiral. The 27-19 defeat was impacted by an emotional reaction from the Texans’ players, including Stroud, as his best friend was lost for the season and, likely, all of next season with a dislocated knee, torn anterior cruciate ligament, torn medial collateral ligament, torn lateral collateral ligament and damage to his meniscus.

After Dell’s injury, the Texans weren’t the same as players were visibly upset, including Stroud in tears on the field.

“It is an emotional sport we play, especially when you have been with somebody so long,” Stroud said. “You see how hard they work and how much they love the game. To see Tank go out like that was very tough and even seeing him this weekend at the game in better spirits and smiling again gave us a boost of energy. Now we have to go do it for him away in the same stadium he got hurt. We have to find a way not to get emotional and channel that and I think we will be able to do that. Just be more inspired than anything and try to get it done for him.”

With two more victories, the Texans would qualify for the Super Bowl as the AFC representative.

They’re one of the final eight teams left in the playoffs.

It’s a heady moment.

And Stroud can’t wait to take the field and extend the Texans’ season. He wants the football. He wants to keep playing football as long as possible.

“It’s huge,” Stroud said. “You think about it and there are only eight teams left. It seems like you are lonely at practice, not saying that you are ever worried about anybody else, but you always knew other teams were practicing and now it is only seven other teams. It is kind of unique. It feels a little weird but it kind of feels like when you are in youth ball and you play all the way to Thanksgiving, because you usually don’t play that long unless you make it to the championship.

“It is kind of how it feels, and it is cool because we get another week to hang out with one another and go spend time with one another off the field. I think that definitely will be nice, but these types of games are about who stays tight knit because crazy things happen in the playoffs. Just like last game, crazy things happen. Whoever can gel together are usually the ones to win.”

Four ways to watch KPRC 2+ anytime

• Search for the KPRC 2+ app on your smart TV or streaming device - including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Google TV.
• Get the new KPRC 2+ mobile app - which is free to download in the App Store or on Google Play.
• Watch at Click2Houston.com/watchlive.
• Look for the KPRC 2+ livestream in the “Watch Live” section of the Click2Houston news app.

READ MORE:

• ‘Getting a bike is like getting your first car,’ Texans host annual holiday bike giveaway for elementary school students
• Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud’s foundation, Bun B, Trill Burgers team up to benefit Lily’s Toy Box
• ‘All-Pro Sting,’ Texans corner Derek Stingley Jr. named AFC Defensive Player of the Week
• Texans officially activate guard Kenyon Green from injured reserve-designated for return
• ‘Flying around, sideline to sideline, like he hadn’t missed a beat,’ Texans’ Christian Harris productive in season debut
• ‘All we can do is be there for them’ Texans’ Tim Settle

, I know I have shoes to fill,’ Texans’ Tank Dell in spotlight after Stefon Diggs’ torn ACL

• Texans Pro Bowl defensive end Will Anderson Jr. is the AFC Defensive Player of the Month
• ‘I’m just trying to be that light as much as I can,’ Texans nickel Jalen Pitre nabs first interception since rookie year
• “I’m Here to Prove a Point”: Jimmy Flick Eyes UFC Comeback in 2025

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com