Dan Orlovsky puts CJ Stroud alongside Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson in MVP conversation

Houston Texans rookie quarterback CJ Stroud enjoyed putting up 39 points of offense against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in what some are calling the NFL game of the year. Most considered him the game's MVP, but Dan Orlovsky believes the quarterback should be considered for the 2023 MVP as well.

Here's how he put it when asked if Stroud was an MVP candidate:

"[00:02:21] 100% yes. ... Number one, He's the second pick of the NFL Draft, right? [He took the team from having the] second pick in the draft [to that team being] 4-4. Number two, their offense is sixth in the NFL in scoring and they are the number one turnover offense in the NFL. That is very directly attached to the quarterback."

Orlovsky went on to compare CJ Stroud to conventional MVP picks like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson:

"The last part is this. ... He's seventh in yards per attempt, third in yards per game, he's third in touchdowns, he's sixth in interceptions, he's first in third downs. If you just took anybody else's name: Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, whoever, they would be in the MVP conversation. I don't care if he's a rookie. [00:03:11]"

CJ Stroud's Week 9 performance by the numbers

CJ Stroud at New Orleans Saints vs. Houston Texans

The Texans scored 39 points in Week 9, marking the most points scored by the team since Week 16 of 2021. CJ Stroud's 470 passing yards were the most by a rookie quarterback in a game in NFL history. The team's 443 total net passing yards are the most the team has put up since Week 11 of 2012, per Pro Football Reference.

Stroud threw for a perfect five touchdowns and zero interceptions, posting a 147.8 passer rating while completing 71.4% of his throws. The running game was a non-factor, as their leading rusher carried the ball 13 times for just 26 yards.

Wide receivers Noah Brown and Tank Dell had massive outings. Brown had six catches for 153 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Dell had six catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns. At tight end, Dalton Schultz exploded with ten catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.

Now, the question is whether his performance in the game was a fluke. Can CJ Stroud put on any other similar performances down the stretch?

If any of the above quotes are used, credit Get Up and H/T Sportskeeda.