It does, and, generally, when it does happen, QBs struggle. It is disingenuous to dismiss this as merely a "first place schedule." They played seven playoff teams, including both #1 seeds. The Colts were 8-3 in their first meeting. The Bucs started 6-2. Kansas City had a healthy Patrick Mahomes and were 6-6, fighting to make playoffs, when they met. Their schedule was not merely a "first place schedule" - it was a gauntlet. No; I'm not arguing any one of those factors, like the fish, were impactful. The argument is that all six of those factors - all legitimate - absolutely contributed to Stroud's season, good, bad, and otherwise. They dug Stroud a gigantic hole. He handled it well. I'm very optimistic he's going to be *very* good next season when several of those factors are off the table and they add more help/weapons.
It’s also disingenuous to make excuses, specially when we have had an extreme amount of luck health wise. The Oline was better this year than with the “Star LT”. The receiving core was healthy, most of the season. And…..we have an all time great defense. Which is an offenses best friend.
Pointing out difficult circumstances is not, by any means, making excuses. It's providing context to try and arrive at a more informed evaluation. All of those things happened. and all of things are detrimental to a young, developing QB. Yes; over the course of a long season, many things happen, good and bad. No one is arguing it's all been bad. But if any evaluation of CJ Stroud isn't passing through the lens of what are legitimate obstacles the team placed in his way - not to mention the three games he lost due to injury - then that person has his mind already made up and isn't interested in an actual discussion. In a lot of ways, the game Monday Night is a perfect microcosm of Stroud's season: he did far more good than bad things, and the good things he did were *really* good. Unfortunately, he had some pretty awful moments. But fans like you, all you want to do is focus on the awful moments because it reinforces your bias.
My question isn’t does it happen, it’s how many QBs have greatly improved their performance in these situations. As that seems to be the thought many have here that CJ should have excelled to greatness despite this. If this is the expectation than I’d like to know who has done it.
Fans like you, show their bias by ignoring what’s right in front of you. He did not have far more good than bad against the Steelers. Those few good plays confirm your bias. Metrics agree that he was not good. That’s just the facts.
What am I ignoring? I've acknowledged he struggled. His RZ interception was awful. But stating the bad plays were effectively counter-balanced by otherwise very good play, is not ignoring ANYTHING. And hoping that the good we saw Monday night - and not what was absolutely an extreme outlier (five fumbles) - is the path forward, is fairly reasonable because, again: he's been playing like the good version Monday for much of the second half of this season. You've just refused to see that. But I welcome you to post the metrics that state he was, however you want to qualify his performance: bad, **** the bed... Because what the metrics will say is that there was a very clear distinction between good and bad: the good play is going to be reflected by good metrics; the bad plays: bad metrics. a bad overall performance would generate bad overall metrics. Again, anyone objectively watching the game Monday night understands this. Those watching so they could scream TOLDYA!!! in a message forum the next day do not.
The irony in your last statement. It was very clear, both in the game thread and watching the game where the broadcast team was calling it out, that CJ played poorly even on successful plays. You find the smallest glimpse of positive to put your overly optimistic viewpoint on what would otherwise be a well below average game. The only bias here is yours.
Elite in have to have it situations. TO’s masked a special game. Still think if Nico or Noel don’t drop catchable balls late that the narrative probably is a bit different. Stroud is good. Don’t let the mouth breathers in here spam you otherwise.
Mouth breathers lol, same guy that says the Nico and Noel catches were on target. Always someone else’s fault except CJs. OC Oline WR Injuries Excuses
CJ fumbled five snaps, which is just a bananas, unprecedented stat, and he threw a red zone pick. Those are attention-grabbing miscues - especially in a 7-6 game where not much is happening on the scoreboard. So, yeah - of course, they've been in the spotlight. But as we've moved away from the game (and emotional responses), more and more people are zeroing in on all the really good things CJ did around the miscues. See the post directly after yours: 8/12 on third down; 152 Yards (1st for QBs during WC) +0.77 EPA/Pass (1st) 58.3% Success Rate (1st) 12.7 YPP (1st) 0 Sacks. On what planet is that the mark of a poor performance?!?! It is, in so many ways, a game-saving performance. How much gas does the defense have if the offense is 3-and-outing - which, IIRC, they did only once all game? The fact that, in previous posts before I engaged with you here, as well as throughout this discussion, I've repeatedly stated - and owned the fact - that he made several really awful mistakes/decisions, removes any idea I'm biased. Meanwhile, anytime anyone posts anything positive about his performance, you not only refuse to acknowledge it, you call the person names , like mouthbreathers, pretending to be superior. They converted 67% of third downs; 80% of which were through the air. To not acknowledge CJ, despite the mistakes, being critical to their success Monday night is you burying your head in the sand.
His stat line was literally identical to Drake Maye’s with one more lost fumble…. So are we going off stats? Or just competing biases where you are biased wanting CJ to live up to your critics and we are biased wanting the QB of our favorite team to be good?
Watch the game. Several completions, including his TD were way off target. He was antsy, poor feet, ran into pressure. Stats tell you he had an ok game, film says different. To use what some of yall say, Maye played a much better defense and had the same stats. Game film says he was more in control and also has a facet that CJ can’t provide in rushing. Either way, Maye is not our QB. The “what about” and “what ifs” from some of yall is ridiculous. If you were happy with that performance, that’s on you. I am happy our defense bailed him out and we won. Now CJ has a chance to make up for it. You can also compare them to the same defense. We did just play them a couple weeks ago
So now the defense they are going against matters, but not when Maye played an absolute cupcake schedule all year. By FAR the easiest while Texans were top 10 hardest. again, no one is saying Stroud played a great game. I’ve said in multiple posts since Sunday that he was arguably the only one that had a bad game, coaches included. And it was terrible at times. But you pick and choose when it’s stats, supporting cast, team playing against, whatever fits your narrative. Guess we’ll see Sunday. I hope Maye plays the worst game of his life an stroud plays his best. Who knows if that will happen. But that’s my hope, not that the guy I’m backing proves you wrong..
Are you reading? There are multiple people saying he played great this game and trust in 7. You just repeated my argument, all year it’s been “the defenses matter” except when it’s “they literally had the same stats” Not actual game play. Either way, I hope CJ plays the best game of his life and the defense dominates Maye and the Patriots. That still doesn’t make CJ a better QB or talent or excuse the last two season of play.
No need to bring in last season, they played roughly the same if anything Stroud had better stats. I mean I’m sure not the stats you would count, but yards per game, tds, INTs, wins. Maye was 3 points higher in cmp% tho so you got that. Agreed he’s been better than stroud this year, but that’s against WAY worse teams/defenses with a better OC. We’ll see on Sunday.
