HOUSTON — C.J. Stroud is undaunted by the criticism he has received after throwing more interceptions through 11 games this season than he did in 15 starts last year in a fabulous rookie campaign for the Houston Texans.
And it won’t change the way the former No. 2 draft pick plays.
“Shooters have to shoot,” he said. “You live by the sword; you die by the sword. So I am just going to continue to play — throw anticipation (passes), throw no-looks. I am going to continue to be me. I am going to have fun. If it means I have to throw more picks to get us to win, it is what it is.”
Stroud has seven interceptions this season after getting picked off five times last year. Now he’ll get another test as the AFC South-leading Texans (7-4) return to division play Sunday by hosting the Tennessee Titans (2-8), who rank first in the NFL by allowing just 164.6 passing yards a game, despite having little to show for it in the win column.
The NFL’s offensive rookie of the year for 2023, Stroud has just one touchdown pass with three interceptions in the past three games combined after throwing four with just one interception in the previous three games.