"WTF is he doing?" - HOF TE goes off on C.J. Stroud for throwing costly interception vs. Chargers

C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans starred in a tumultuous first half against the LA Chargers in the first game of the 2024 NFL playoffs on Saturday. The young quarterback is playing his third playoff game but has looked nothing like the player who dominated the Cleveland Browns in his postseason debut last year.

At 11:46 in the second quarter, Stroud was intercepted by Deane Leonard. A floated pass landed right in the arms of Leonard, who stopped the offense and gave the Chargers a chance to score, but they didn't cash in on that, either.

Plenty of fans reacted to this play, and Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe joined the crowd, questioning what Stroud was doing out there.

"WTF is CJ doing? Some1 that knows 🏈 better than me. Tell me so we can BOFF* know. That’s just terrible," Sharpe tweeted.

He finished the first half with 14 completions on 23 pass attempts for 180 yards, one touchdown and the interception by Leonard. Moreover, he was sacked twice by the Chargers' defense. Stroud also carried the ball once, gaining 27 yards.

The Texans entered halftime up 10-6 after a poor first half by Stroud and Chargers QB Justin Herbert. Whoever wins this game will likely go against the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round next week.

The Texans are trying to take advantage of being at home, but such a close score isn't a guarantee for anybody.

C.J. Stroud regressed from his rookie season

After taking the NFL by storm last season, C.J. Stroud struggled to find his best version this season. While he completed more passes (319 to 336), his percentage went down this year (63.9% against 63.2%). Moreover, he threw for 4,108 yards last season while racking up 3,727 this season despite playing two more games in 2024.

When it comes to touchdowns, he threw 23 last season and three less this campaign. His interceptions went from five last year to a staggering 12 this campaign. He was sacked 52 times this season, 14 more than last season. His passer rating went from 100.8 to 87.0.

Stroud was considered one of the most promising quarterbacks in the NFL, but he failed to meet expectations this season. He can still turn things around, but this Chargers game must be the turning point.