Is C.J. Stroud playing this week? Texans QB’s situation explored for Week 17 game vs Titans

Houston Texans rookie franchise quarterback C.J. Stroud had a historic rookie season before getting hurt in Week 14. The Ohio State University alum was in MVP discussions as he was willing the Texans to an unlikely playoff push. However, due to his unfortunate injury, the Texans' postseason dreams in 2023 are currently hanging by a thread.

Yes, C.J. Stroud will likely return to the gridiron this week. Stroud remains a frontrunner for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award alongside the Los Angeles Rams' Puka Nacua, and the Texans still have an outside chance of making this year's playoffs. Here's a look at what happened to the young shot-caller and how he performed in 2023:

Update: Stroud will play this week as he has cleared the concussion protocol.

What happened to C.J. Stroud?

C.J. Stroud suffered a concussion in the Houston Texans' loss to the New York Jets in Week 14. The rookie quarterback was promptly added to the concussion protocol following the game, and he was forced to miss his side's Week 15 and 16 games to recover sufficiently.

However, according to reports, Stroud returned to limited practice on Wednesday for the first time since the concussion. According to Texans' head coach, DeMeco Ryans:

"It is encouraging to have C.J. back at practice. We don't want him taking another hit. We have to make sure we're protecting him and make sure we're moving forward with efficiency."

Stroud's return from injury will certainly lift his teammates' spirits, as the rookie QB has proven to be a natural leader during his short stint in the NFL.

The Texans (8-7) have split their last two games without Stroud in the starting lineup. They defeated the Tennessee Titans in Week 15 before losing their Week 16 matchup against the Cleveland Browns 36-22 this past weekend. Case Keenum started in place of Stroud in both fixtures.

The Houston Texans are currently a spot off the AFC's final Wild Card spot and will need to win their last two games to make this year's postseason.

How has C.J. Stroud performed in 2023?

C.J. Stroud has been phenomenal in his rookie season, with the Ohio State Buckeyes alum proving to be as good as advertised. Stroud has 20 touchdowns against just five interceptions this year. The skilled passer has already broken two rookie passing records this season – the most yards passing in an NFL game (470) and the most attempts to start an NFL career without an interception (186).

Furthermore, the Texans quarterback of now and the future joined future Hall of Famer Big Ben Roethlisberger and Y.A. Tittle as the only QBs who have thrown for 470 passing yards with five TDs and no interceptions in a game. As mentioned above, Stroud is a favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he could have been the unanimous pick if not for Puka Nacua breaking records in Los Angeles with the Rams.