C. J. Stroud gets extremely blunt on his performance after Ravens trash Texans 31-2 on Christmas

C. J. Stroud and the Houston Texans had a forgettable Christmas, as Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens rolled into NRG Stadium and thrashed the home team 31-2.

It was the Texans' worst defeat of the season and the first time their offense or special teams failed to score any points since their 31-0 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13 of the 2021 NFL season. The defense's forced safety was the only reason they avoided being shut out at home for just the second time in franchise history.

The Houston offense is missing two of its key contributors, wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell. Dell is expected to miss the entire 2025 season after suffering a severe knee injury in their Week 16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Stroud did not use this as an excuse and took full responsibility for the offense's dismal performance. In his post-game press conference, he said:

“Probably one of my worst games of whole career, came out flat, didn’t have any energy, just didn’t lead the offense the way I should’ve. Always gotta look myself in the mirror & be honest with myself. Just not good enough today. It is what it is. Can't keep my head down and gotta keep going.”

C. J. Stroud stats: QB's sophomore slump

After C. J. Stroud's excellent rookie season, the Texans were expected to be one of the dark horses for the Super Bowl and were touted for a deep playoff run. However, the quarterback's underwhelming numbers compared to last season have subverted those expectations.

Last season, Stroud played 15 games and finished with 4,108 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns and five interceptions. He also had 167 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Through 15 games this season, he has 3,492 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions and 226 rushing yards. He's yet to find the endzone with the ball in his hands.

The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year was expected to enter the upper echelon of quarterbacks in the league this season. Instead, he has been struck with a lightning bolt of reality. Fortunately, their back-to-back losses to the Chiefs and Ravens haven't hurt their playoff odds.

They have already won the AFC South and will host a home playoff game during Wildcard Weekend. However, given Stroud and the team's form over the last few weeks, they'll likely start as the underdogs.