C.J. Stroud says Texans were ‘lollygagging’ in loss to Rams after a disappointing week of practice

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — C.J. Stroud began his first NFL gameday in his native Los Angeles area by gratefully reflecting on the people and places that made him into the Houston Texans’ franchise quarterback.

He ended his Sunday with measured frustration about the state of the Texans after their season-opening 14-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Stroud went 19 of 27 for 188 yards with several impressive throws, but Houston was held scoreless in the second half and kept out of the end zone entirely. Ka’imi Fairbairn made three long field goals, but the Texans never got closer to the Rams’ end zone than the Los Angeles 15.

Houston’s defense was mostly solid, but the Texans also committed a whopping 11 penalties for 80 yards. None of it was good enough for Stroud, one of the league’s top young quarterbacks as he enters his third season.

“We didn’t deserve to win that game because we didn’t do the right things,” Stroud said. “When you come out in the NFL lollygagging and going through the motions, that kind of happens. I think we’ll be all right, but I think it’s a good wakeup call for us.”

Stroud said he felt the Texans needed that wakeup call in the opener after “the way we practiced this week. I think we could have practiced better.”

“I love the confidence we have, but there’s a type of mindset of, ‘Did I do enough?’” he added. “I think it’s healthy, because you’ll probably do more. Just for me, preparing, I’ve got to do a better job, and I’ve also got to hold all of my guys accountable. And it’s the first game of the year. We got a lot of exotic looks we did not expect. They did, too. They made the plays. You can come up with a million excuses. We’ve just got to be better.”

Stroud is from suburban Rancho Cucamonga, and he had plenty of family and friends in the stands at SoFi Stadium for his first game in Southern California since his 573-yard, six-TD performance to win the 2022 Rose Bowl for Ohio State.

“Riding in, seeing places I used to go growing up, fields I used to play on, high schools and stuff like that, I think it’s amazing,” Stroud said. “I love where I’m from. I love my village, and the state of California has really backed me in a lot of ways. I love LA, but I wish I got a dub here.”

Stroud was sacked three times and hit seven times as the Rams capitalized on the weaknesses in the Texans’ patchwork offensive line despite a Houston game plan concocted precisely to minimize those liabilities. He had an interception, but it required an extraordinary play by Cobie Durant.

Stroud was impressed by the Rams’ defense, which employed a variety of unusual pre-snap looks to confuse him and Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley, who spent the previous two seasons as Los Angeles’ tight ends coach.

Stroud also realizes the Texans’ current limitations even as they return from back-to-back seasons featuring 10 victories, two AFC South titles and two playoff wins.

The offensive line allowed him to be sacked 52 times last season, and a wholesale offseason shuffle didn’t appear to improve it much — and then right guard Ed Ingram was scratched with an abdominal injury and center Jake Andrews left on a cart with a foot injury.

Houston also played without new receiver Christian Kirk, who has a hamstring injury. Nick Chubb had 60 yards rushing in his Texans debut, but Houston couldn’t manage a run longer than 14 yards or a pass play longer than 23 yards.

“Injuries happen,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Guys go down all the time. Do we not show up? Do we put the ball away and go home? We compete. It doesn’t matter who’s out there. … We don’t complain. We don’t make excuses for that.”

Stroud realizes the season has only begun, and he intends to be a leader as the Texans move forward to Monday night football in Week 2.

“It’s not easy, (but) it’s something, just, what are you going to do, complain about it?” Stroud asked. “Are you going to lay down, or are you going to go play? For me, I just try to go and compete as best I can and show those guys, I don’t care who’s in there. I trust in you. I try to play as hard as I can to show them I’m there for them.”