1. Welcome! Please take a few seconds to create your free account to post threads, make some friends, remove a few ads while surfing and much more. ClutchFans has been bringing fans together to talk Houston Sports since 1996. Join us!

  2. ROCKETS GAMEDAY
    Jeff Balke joins Dave in live postgame as the Rockets face the LA Clippers in the second game of a back-to-back. Come join us for live reaction!

    LIVE! ClutchFans on YouTube

CJ just wasted a generational defense

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by Pringles09, Jan 18, 2026.

  1. Newlin

    Newlin Member

    Joined:
    May 22, 2015
    Messages:
    9,258
    Likes Received:
    12,057
    CJ was bad. But, I put the blame on the organization as a whole. We saw what CJ was capable of his rookie season, but the organization failed to protect him with a competent offensive line. CJ was sacked 130 times in three seasons and sustained multiple concussions. CJ looks like a shell of his former self.

    CJ was awful against the Patriots. But did he have good protection? What weapons did he have to help shoulder the load? Did Niko play? Didn’t Schultz get hurt early in the game? Did we have a running game?

    Sure CJ was bad, but the offense was running on fumes the entire year. Nick needs to really upgrade the talent level on offense.

    CJ may be done as a starting QB. But, the problems on offense run much deeper than just the QB.
     
    DieHard Rocket and ROCKSS like this.
  2. GOATuve

    GOATuve Member

    Joined:
    Aug 25, 2023
    Messages:
    5,092
    Likes Received:
    4,116
    The running game is an issue and we never seem to get the OL right. Injuries obviously didn't help but Stroud is terrible. He stares down WRs, struggles with the deep ball, terrible decision maker, ect. I don't think we know what his true self is. He had a great rookie season but I think it was more a of the league hadn't seen him yet.
    We aren't winning anything with CJ as a QB
     
    raining threes likes this.
  3. TEXNIFICENT

    TEXNIFICENT Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    8,189
    Likes Received:
    7,263
    Spoon played better than Stingley in the playoffs my friend. And collectively that defensive line was on fire. They played as well as anyone. The Seahawks did what they had to do.
     
  4. panamamyers

    panamamyers Member

    Joined:
    Jun 17, 2000
    Messages:
    1,744
    Likes Received:
    1,900
    After we were up 10-7, we could have run the ball up the middle every play and attempted no pass plays and would have won 16-14. Doesn't matter what weapons he had. Just eat the ball or throw it away every time and we win the game.
     
  5. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2013
    Messages:
    71,700
    Likes Received:
    36,286
    Weapons don't matter when you can't throw accurate passes on time. It was 100% on CJ.
     
    raining threes and GOATuve like this.
  6. Mr.Scarface

    Mr.Scarface Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2003
    Messages:
    13,612
    Likes Received:
    8,959
    Bullshit. The Pats scored on ling drives 2 other times. The defense would not have held up. It may been 21-16 them.
     
  7. body slam

    body slam Member

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2012
    Messages:
    3,029
    Likes Received:
    1,139
    As much as I want to blame CJ part of me feels like DeMeco is just as much to blame. He had plenty of chances to pull CJ and he did not. I do not know what he saw during the game but I saw a QB that was having an awful game that should have been pulled.
     
    raining threes and Shark44 like this.
  8. vince

    vince Member

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2000
    Messages:
    4,080
    Likes Received:
    4,058
    I hope CJ Stroud does not go the way of David Carr. A fella with Immense potential, only to be thwarted by shell shock due to constant sacks and lack of being protected.

    But let’s also remember that in his rookie season, Stroud had Tank Dell who bailed him out a ton with his track star speed.

    This offseason the Texans need to get the OL better than average. I think they have pieces to make it work, and if there are pieces to upgrade in the draft, they have to prioritize that aspect of the game.

    The Texans botched a golden opportunity to make their first Superbowl, but they have a very good team that they can run it back next season. Perhaps Stroud may never get his mojo back, but the Texans have to try and protect him like their life depends on it; hopefully he gets back to his rookie level self. But if he doesn’t, then the Texans will need to start to prioritize the QB position going forward.
     
    ROCKSS likes this.
  9. TheRealist137

    TheRealist137 Member

    Joined:
    Jan 27, 2009
    Messages:
    36,931
    Likes Received:
    24,384
    In the snow the passing game was always going to be wack. You need a competent running game to win games like those, and a possession receiver like Nico that can move the chains.

    TExans had neither.
     
  10. Bobbythegreat

    Bobbythegreat Member
    Supporting Member

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2013
    Messages:
    71,700
    Likes Received:
    36,286
    If you don't have a QB, teams sell out to stop the run.

    The Texans didn't have a QB.
     
    raining threes likes this.
  11. astrosrule

    astrosrule Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2002
    Messages:
    8,639
    Likes Received:
    8,539
    He'll never be like Carr. Carr was incredibly lazy and gave absolutely ZERO f's about anyone or anything. Carr was gonna fail no matter what, he was a less talented jamarcus russell
     
    raining threes, ROCKSS, vince and 2 others like this.
  12. jch1911

    jch1911 Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2009
    Messages:
    7,070
    Likes Received:
    8,640
    TBF Carr's focus was family & faith, not football... that being said, he was the Golden Child for Bob McNair (RIP). IIRC most people (incl. Capers) wanted to draft Julius Peppers (i.e. build a dominant defense and then worry about offense). McNair wanted to sell tix and get some of the $$$$ he paid for the franchise back. His thought was golden QB and some offense would sell tix.

    But yes... I absolutely believe Coleridge is more talented than Carr
     
    vince and astrosrule like this.
  13. astrosrule

    astrosrule Member

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2002
    Messages:
    8,639
    Likes Received:
    8,539
    Ya he didn't care at all. Stole some money, gave zero effort, easily my hated houston athlete ever outside of pippen.
     
    raining threes and vince like this.
  14. vince

    vince Member

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2000
    Messages:
    4,080
    Likes Received:
    4,058
    Julius Peppers was the correct choice over Carr, even on draft day; that is who I wanted the Texans to take. Just like Will Anderson over Stroud. Albeit the Texans got lucky and poached the pick from Arizona to draft Will Anderson Jr. So ownership got their ma and so did the coaching team.

    However, I think the barrage of Sacks David Carr suffered his rookie season traumatized him, concussions are real and have significant impact on your life going forward. He may have found peace, and lost that competitive spirit. But alas that is the game of football, to get hit. The part of having zero quality offensive line to protect a premier QB asset is ludicrous. Prancing a premium talent QB with no OL is just a money grab.

    It could be plausible to think that after the concussions, Carr’s whole focus became Family and Christ; after all he never needed to worry about money. Lakewood church really milked their association with David Carr back then.

    Now if it were known he was lazy at Fresno State, then that is a different story. But I’d never heard him being nonchalant until after he got rattled by NFL defenses.
     
    raining threes and jch1911 like this.
  15. jch1911

    jch1911 Member

    Joined:
    May 20, 2009
    Messages:
    7,070
    Likes Received:
    8,640
    There were stories from teammates early on the Da Carr treated his time in the NFL like a job and not a profession. He showed up did "his job" and went home to his family. Supposedly didn't do any more than was required of him. So not organizing off-season throw sessions with WRs. Not hanging out with OL (maybe I understand that part). Not spending extra time watching game film. He punched a clock and (supposedly) could care less how the team was doing.
     
    raining threes likes this.
  16. raining threes

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    20,797
    Likes Received:
    15,104
    They would've had a better chance to win is the point. CJ was that bad.
     
  17. raining threes

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    20,797
    Likes Received:
    15,104
    They can do all that you mentioned and it wont matter. This is the Carr discussion all over again. CJ's broken and it's nobdy's fault but his. He needs to grow a pair if he wants to have a chance at being the kind of QB that doesn't shrink when the lights are their brightest against top tier defenses. This was all so predictable.
     
    vince likes this.
  18. raining threes

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    20,797
    Likes Received:
    15,104
    You need the QB to not turn the ball over and give the other teams free TD's.
     
    vince likes this.
  19. raining threes

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    20,797
    Likes Received:
    15,104
    They've got the same amount of talent. Carr lacked work ethic, CJ lacks intestinal fortitude and he ain't the sharpest tool in the shed. Sad part is he thinks he is.
     
    vince likes this.
  20. raining threes

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2008
    Messages:
    20,797
    Likes Received:
    15,104
    Quoted for thruth.

    The Texans picking of CJ was because that's what the fan council/Hannah wanted. Gotta sell those tickets just like with Carr. This is what has been wrong with the Texans org since day 1 of their inception. History is repeating itself and the quicker the Texans move on the better. Unfortunately CJ may cost Ryans/Caserio their jobs before the McNair's decide to move on. Kinda like what happened with Capers and then Kubiak was hired.
     
    vince likes this.

Share This Page

  • About ClutchFans

    Since 1996, ClutchFans has been loud and proud covering the Houston Rockets, helping set an industry standard for team fan sites. The forums have been a home for Houston sports fans as well as basketball fanatics around the globe.

  • Support ClutchFans!

    If you find that ClutchFans is a valuable resource for you, please consider becoming a Supporting Member. Supporting Members can upload photos and attachments directly to their posts, customize their user title and more. Gold Supporters see zero ads!


    Upgrade Now