NFL fans downplay C.J. Stroud's promising outing vs Saints in final preseason game - "He’s just another Dak"

C.J. Stroud started for the Houston Texans in the earliest snaps and led the team to a touchdown. It was also his first passing touchdown for the team that drafted him. He went 2-of-4 for 16 yards with one touchdown and a passer rating of 100.0.

However, given as it was only a preseason outing, some fans were less impressed than others. C.J. Stroud threw to Nico Collins for his first preseason passing touchdown, and it was also the first score of the preseason game between the Texans and the Saints.

While many were happy with the development, those with keener critiques let it be known that they were not getting carried away with his performances. One tweeted:

"He's just another dak nothing too crazy"

Here are some of the responses on social media.

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How good was C.J. Stroud on the day?

C.J. Stroud had a short night and led the team to a touchdown. There's not much one can draw from that for the long-term future, but there were some things that can be deduced.

The rookie quarterback took the first snaps and played with the starting unit. He was taken out with Davis Mills stepping in. He did not return to the field after that. It gives a direct indication that even though he has not been named so, C.J. Stroud is going to be the starting quarterback when the Houston Texans open the season against the Baltimore Ravens in two weeks.

Secondly, as the Saints did not play their starters, with Derek Carr remaining unsuited on the sidelines, there are some other takeaways to make for the team as a whole. Nobody expects the Texans to be world-beaters this year, but they won their pre-season game by a mere four points, 17-13.

It was against a team that had finished 7-10 last season and did not play its primary players on the field, while the Texans did give a runout to every player as much as they could. Therefore, it gave an indication that this season could be painful for Houston.

However, with a young roster in place, they're building well for the future. DeMeco Ryans, as a new coach, will have that leeway this season as well, one hopes. Whether or not Stroud comes good this year or not, he has shown that he can cope with the NFL level. That means, with the right training, he could really shine and be their guy for years to come.