Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud struggled in Thursday night's loss to the New York Jets. It hasn't been a banner season overall for the second-year QB. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
And the normal conclusion was that Stroud would be even better his second season. The NFL doesn’t always work that way.
Stroud has been good, but short of great in his follow-up to that rookie season. It hadn’t mattered much because he and the rest of the Texans had done enough to start the season 6-2. But against a 2-6 New York Jets team on Thursday night, Stroud needed to carry his team to a win, and he couldn’t.
The Jets won an ugly 21-13 game in which Aaron Rodgers finally came alive after a bad first half, throwing for three touchdowns after halftime. The Texans produced very little offense. Houston was without injured receivers Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs, and that’s a viable excuse. But still, it was the continuation of some regression for Stroud in his second season.
Jets struggle badly in the first half
Both teams struggled to start the game. The Texans came in dealing with a lot of injuries, which was a big reason they looked off. The Jets just aren’t a very good football team.
Neither team scored until deep into the second quarter. The Jets thought they scored, but rookie receiver Malachi Corley dropped the ball. Corley took an end-around, which was his second career touch, for an apparent 19-yard touchdown. But right before he scored, he let up, dropped the ball in celebration, and he hadn’t yet crossed the goal line. That massive mistake cost the Jets the touchdown and possession, as the ball rolled out of the end zone for a Texans touchback.
But the Texans didn’t take advantage of it. Joe Mixon scored a 3-yard touchdown, and that was the only score of the first half. Houston couldn’t extend the lead any further. Stroud didn’t produce enough big plays. But in the first half, the Jets were even worse and they trailed 7-0.
Aaron Rodgers had 32 yards passing in the first half. It was the fewest passing yards Rodgers has ever had in the first half of a game in his career, with a minimum of 10 attempts. By the the end of the half, an increasingly agitated Jets crowd started chanting “sell the team” in hopes that team owner Woody Johnson was listening.
The Jets needed a rally in the second half just to calm the crowd.
Jets take 4th quarter lead
The Jets finally did some good things in the second half.
The best came from Garrett Wilson. Wilson made a one-handed grab as he crossed the field in the third quarter and ran in for the score. In the fourth quarter, he made a more impressive one-handed grab in the end zone on third-and-19, catching it backhanded and somehow getting his shin down in bounds for the touchdown. The Jets led 14-10 after Wilson’s second touchdown.
The Jets caught a massive break after that. The Texans made a field goal, but the Jets got an unnecessary roughness penalty for hitting the snapper. But Houston couldn’t get a first down, and then Ka'imi Fairbairn somehow missed a 27-yard field goal, clanging it off the crossbar. However, Fairbairn doesn’t miss a field goal if Stroud had capitalized on that Jets penalty and taken his team to a touchdown. Rodgers’ third touchdown, on a nice play to Davante Adams, sealed the win.
The Texans (6-3) are still a good team, and likely on the way to an AFC South title. But Stroud hasn’t emerged as an MVP candidate, as some figured he would be. Last season, as a rookie, he had a 100.8 passer rating. This season, he was down to 95.6 before Thursday’s game and it will dip a bit again after he struggled to an 11-for-30, 191-yard passing night with no TDs.
He has had some poor games this season, like the Jets loss, an 86-yard game in a loss to the Packers and a two-interception day in a loss to the Vikings. He still is a good quarterback, he just has taken a small step back in his second season. There’s still plenty of time for him to rally, although he’ll have to do so without Diggs who is done for the season with a torn ACL.
Thursday night just wasn’t his night. Stroud set the bar very high during a historic rookie season and to this point, it has been hard to get over that bar.
Truly a story of two halves. The Jets looked like a completely different team in the second half, while the Texans could never really get on track with their offense.
Jets win, 21–13. They improve to 3–6. Houston drops to 6–3.
Ian Casselberry
C.J. Stroud sacked for the 8th time
The Texans' drive stalls at the Jets' 11-yard line after C.J. Stroud is sacked by Haason Reddick and Quinnen Williams.
Houston needed two possessions anyway and takes a 29-yard field goal by Ka'imi Fairbairn.
Jets 21, Texans 13 with 0:30 left. Houston will now attempt an onside kick.
Ian Casselberry
Marvelous and improbable
Garrett Wilson's one-handed, 26-yard touchdown catch might have been the best of the NFL season thus far, writes Frank Schwab.
"The catch itself was marvelous. Wilson secured the ball backhanded, using just one hand. But then to have the presence of mind to get his foot down, then get his shin down in bounds before his knee landed out of bounds, is beyond description."
The catch was also highly improbable, according to NFL's Next Gen Stats:
Aaron Rodgers' 26-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson had a completion probability of 13.6%, the 5th-most improbable completion of the season, and most improbable by Rodgers since Week 1, 2020.
🔹 Air Distance: 47.0 yards 🔹 Target Separation: 0.8 yards
The Jets have probably locked this game up. Davante Adams looked just fine catching a 37-yard pass for a touchdown and a 21–10 lead with 2:56 remaining in the fourth quarter.
On 3rd-and-1 from the Jets' 44, Aaron Rodgers finds Kenny Yeboah for a 12-yard gain and a first down. Yeboah is knocked out of bounds, stopping the clock at 3:55. But the Texans have to start worrying if they'll get the ball back here.
Ian Casselberry
Davante Adams returns to game
Davante Adams takes the field on 2nd-and-5 during the Jets' next possession.
Ian Casselberry
Ka'imi Fairbairn misses 27-yard field goal
The Texans blew a huge chance to score the go-ahead touchdown. Ka'imi Fairbairn kicked a 43-yard field goal, but the Jets were called for an unnecessary roughness penalty that gave Houston an automatic first down.
However, the Texans can't get the ball in the end zone and have to settle for another field goal try. But this time, Fairbairn hits the left upright and the kick attempt is no good.
After review, officials overturned the call on the field, ruling that Garrett Wilson got his left shin down in bounds. A great one-handed grab on a 26-yard throw stands for a touchdown.
Garrett Wilson caught a pass in the back corner of the end zone that appeared to be a touchdown, but was ruled incomplete. The play is under review to see if Wilson got both feet in bounds
Ian Casselberry
Davante Adams being checked for a concussion
After being checked in the medical tent, Davante Adams went to the locker room. He's being checked for a possible concussion.
Ian Casselberry
Jets go for it again on 4th down
The Jets went for it again on 4th down, this time a 4th-and-1 from the Houston 22. A play-action fake didn't fool the Texans' defense and Aaron Rodgers nearly threw an interception after scrambling.
However, New York is bailed out by an illegal contact penalty on Derek Stingley Jr.
Ian Casselberry
Davante Adams' 4th down catch
Here's the play on which Davante Adams may have been injured. A 17-yard catch for a first down, but he took a big hit.
Davante Adams appeared to be all right on the sideline. But Prime Video's Kaylee Hartung reports that a staffer asked for his helmet and escorted him to the medical tent to be checked out.
Ian Casselberry
Jets get a 4th down
Jets go for it on 4th-and-2 from the Houston 48 and convert with Aaron Rodgers hitting Davante Adams for a 17-yard gain.
However, Adams was shaken up on the tackle.
Ian Casselberry
Field goal: Texans 10, Jets 7
Houston drives only 20 yards for its opening drive of the second half, but it's enough for Ka'imi Fairbairn to kick a 54-yard field goal.
Texans retake the lead, 10–7.
Ian Casselberry
TOUCHDOWN, Jets
In one drive, the Jets look better than they did during the entire first half.
Garrett Wilson scores on a 21-yard catch and run from Aaron Rodgers. That finishes an 11-play, 70-yard drive to open the second half.
Will Anderson is questionable to return for Houston with a left leg injury, reports Prime Video's Kaylee Hartung.
Ian Casselberry
Jets get ball to begin 2nd half
Breece Hall and Braelon Allen are helping the Jets drive to begin the second half. The two running backs have combined for 18 yards.
Ian Casselberry
Ryan Fitzpatrick takes cayenne pepper shot at Aaron Rodgers
Prime Video's Ryan Fitzpatrick teased Aaron Rodgers about his cayenne pepper/water beverage, saying he's playing like he got cayenne pepper in his eye.
Aaron Rodgers says Thomas Morstead has introduced him to "the fountain of youth" -- cayenne pepper and water. Rodgers says he's "gassing up" with it and feels great physically this week.
Cayenne pepper and water can have several health benefits, including pain relief. Full…
Joe Mixon scored the Texans' first touchdown and he also has 85 yards rushing in the first half on 15 carries.
Ian Casselberry
TOUCHDOWN, Texans
Following a 14-yard pass from C.J. Stroud to Tank Dell that gave Houston 1st-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Joe Mixon runs it in for the score and a 7–0 lead.
After review, officials say Malachi Corley did indeed drop the ball before he crossed the goal line. The ball rolled through the back of the end zone, making it a touchback for the Texans.
This is a play we seem to see every week now, more in college football than the NFL.
Ian Casselberry
Malachi Corley scores - or did he?
Malachi Corley appears to score a touchdown for the Jets. But officials are reviewing whether or not he dropped the ball before crossing the goal line.
Ian Casselberry
Facemask penalty on Texans
On 1st-and-10 from the Houston 34, the Texans' Folorunso Fatukasi is called for a facemask penalty while tackling Breece Hall. That puts the Jets inside the red zone as the first quarter ends.
Referee thought Sam Darnold decided to just twist his own head off. No facemask. Just Darnold trying to go full Exorcist out there. Yikes. pic.twitter.com/ba7EDjodAQ
Kirk Herbstreit brings up the facemask penalty that wasn't called on the Rams' Bryce Young at the end of last week's TNF game versus the Vikings. Sam Darnold was probably yelling at his TV too.
Ian Casselberry
Will Anderson back in
Will Anderson returns to the game. According to Prime Video's Kaylee Hartung, his left ankle got some heavier tape.
Ian Casselberry
Will Anderson appears to be OK
Will Anderson went into the medical tent on their previous defensive series.
But he's moving around on the sideline, testing his forward and lateral movements. He appears to be OK, but has not yet returned to the game.
The Jets' defense put the Texans in a 4th-and-21 and Houston punted. But Irvin Charles is called for roughing the kicker after running into Texans punter Tommy Townsend.
First down for Houston at the Jets' 49-yard
Ian Casselberry
C.J. Stroud gets sacked too
It's C.J. Stroud's turn to be sacked. D.J. Reed comes off the corner to make the play for an eight-yard loss.
Nate Tice is joined by Charles McDonald to give their thoughts and analysis on the two biggest games of Week 9, one thing to watch in six other games and the top prospects in Nate's latest 2025 NFL big board.
On today's episode of The College Football Enquirer, Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger and SI's Pat Forde talk about two vastly different NIL approaches between Pitt and Bryce Underwood's recruitment. They break down a recent piece by Dellenger about Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi saying he pulled back on NIL funds to players. They then juxtapose that with the massive amounts of money being thrown at top 2025 recruit Bryce Underwood to potentially play at Michigan.
Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman talk about the Dodgers winning their eighth World Series title after an embarrassing collapse by the Yankees, Freddie Freeman winning series MVP and where Juan Soto may go from here.
