How a group chat has helped C.J. Stroud, Texans click

WHEN C.J. STROUD obtained residence from a Week 2 follow, he freshened up and began watching tape on the Chicago Bears’ protection.

Halfway by the session, the Houston Texans second-year quarterback began firing off textual content messages to his group chat of receivers and tight ends with ideas on the right way to assault the opposition.

Stroud included the weekly cut-up clips that quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson and senior offensive assistant Invoice Lazor despatched him to level out their upcoming opponent’s weaknesses.

One message learn, “Be able to cross the protection’s face,” foreshadowing what would happen within the Texans’ lone landing of their 19-13 win.

Within the second quarter, the Texans confronted second-and-28 from the Bears’ 28-yard line after huge receiver Nico Collins drew a penalty for slapping Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson. Offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik thought the Bears can be in a two-high security look, probably operating cloud protection (Cowl 6), and referred to as the play the group chat had mentioned.

Collins was the remoted wideout and had the submit. When Stroud caught the snap, the defensive protection unfolded as predicted. Collins crossed the face of security Kevin Byard III and located the window behind linebacker Tremaine Edmunds as Stroud threaded the move for the rating.

That has been the routine for Stroud and his playmakers since he ascended to starter. He fires texts off Wednesday by Saturday explaining how they are going to assault upcoming defenses, one thing he first began doing at Ohio State.

“I wished to deliver that to the league, to see if it really works, and it has been,” Stroud informed ESPN. “I simply need to maintain that going. Simply looking for these little clips of leverage and the way coverages are run and stuff like that.”

The group chat has been a consider Stroud’s early success (he was named the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Yr and led the Texans to their first playoff win since 2019). In Yr 2, Houston is off to a 6-2 begin and Stroud ranks sixth in passing yards (1,948) and tied for tenth in landing passes (11).

The New York Jets are up subsequent for Stroud and the Texans on “Thursday Night time Soccer” (8:15 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime), and a shorter week means an earlier begin to the textual content string.

By way of two seasons, the group has talked about varied defensive eventualities, from the right way to assault Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ Cowl 0 blitzes to New Orleans Saints coach Dennis Allen’s pink zone Tampa 2 protection and even making the most of three-time All-Professional cornerback Patrick Peterson’s path method.

These weekly discussions helped construct the connection between Stroud and Collins, who was main the NFL in receiving yards (567) earlier than being positioned on injured reserve (hamstring) following the Texans’ Week 5 win over the Buffalo Payments.

DeMeco Ryans, additionally in Yr 2 because the coach of the Texans, stated this initiative reveals how a lot Stroud is “dialed into profitable.”

“I have been round a variety of completely different quarterbacks,” Ryans informed ESPN. “The nice ones, that is the kind of issues that they do. Whether or not it is group chats or getting the group collectively for conferences and watching additional movie on their very own, that is what the good quarterbacks do. It is all in regards to the additional.”

THE IDEA STARTED throughout Stroud’s two-year stint (2021 and 2022) as a starter at Ohio State. His receiver group contained 4 future first-rounders: Marvin Harrison Jr., Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. As an alternative of texting, they communicated on Snapchat.

“Everyone was on Snapchat,” Stroud informed ESPN. “It was cool to speak about seems. After which once you discuss it, and it occurs on the sphere, it is simply tremendous dope.”

Stroud threw for 85 touchdowns and eight,123 yards in his school profession and completed second within the 2021 Heisman race. Harrison, Wilson, Olave and Smith-Njigba all had 1,000-yard seasons with Stroud.

“C.J. was taking management, particularly his final yr there, and ensuring all people’s on the identical web page and ensuring we’re doing what we’re imagined to be doing,” stated Smith-Njigba, who’s in his second yr with the Seattle Seahawks. “It was sort of like a bit cheat sheet. It constructed my confidence, understanding that I do know what these guys are doing and what to anticipate.”

Texans follow squad huge receiver Xavier Johnson, a walk-on at Ohio State as a operating again and receiver (2019-2023), stated the chat benefited him too.

Johnson and Stroud talked a few play wherein Johnson would have a checkdown out of the backfield of their opening-round recreation of the Faculty Soccer Playoff on New Yr’s Eve in 2022. They knew Georgia inside linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson was in a quarters protection and can be one-on-one versus Johnson.

As an alternative of checking down, Johnson blew previous Dumas-Johnson down the seam. Stroud floated the move for a 37-yard landing with 49 seconds left within the second quarter to place Ohio State up 28-24.

“We noticed the look, and we knew that they have been doing one thing that we wished,” Johnson informed ESPN. “It was a slight audible from the play that was referred to as in. I used to be like, ‘What do you need to do?’ He is like, ‘Let’s take it.’ And so we took it.”

Ohio State would go on to lose 42-41 to the eventual nationwide champs, nevertheless it’s one of the memorable video games of Stroud’s profession; he went 23-of-34 for 348 yards and 4 touchdowns. 4 months later, the Texans chosen him No. 2 general within the draft.

STROUD DID VARIOUS issues to earn his teammates’ belief his rookie yr, although he entered coaching camp in a contest with incumbent starter Davis Mills.

Stroud hosted a bowling occasion for the offense. He flew his receivers out to Los Angeles to run routes at UCLA. He invited teammates over to have his chef cook dinner for them or watch motion pictures. When the season arrived, Stroud added the group chat in his efforts to construct crew chemistry.

“It is nice, dude,” tight finish Dalton Schultz informed ESPN. “It correlates on to recreation day as a result of it is the seems that we’re speaking about. The entire discourse is simply being on the identical web page. … [Stroud is] the last word teammate, and he desires to win. Doing that, particularly so younger, it is nice. That is management.”

Large receiver Xavier Hutchinson’s favourite instance of the chat from final season got here in Week 4 towards the Pittsburgh Steelers. Stroud was texting the group about how Peterson beloved to undercut inside routes. Peterson had achieved so within the opener towards San Francisco 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings on an in-breaking path to power an incompletion.

“C.J. confirmed us that they are keen to undercut if we go together with a heavy inside launch,” Hutchinson stated. “[He said] when you simply maintain going, he’ll ultimately undercut you. In the event that they undercut, you simply maintain it sizzling. And guess what occurred?”

Late within the fourth quarter, Peterson tried to undercut Collins, so he modified his route and minimize exterior, catching Peterson off guard. Stroud delivered the ball, and Collins sprinted down the sidelines for a 52-yard landing to cap a 30-6 win.

Veteran wideout Robert Woods’ landing towards the Saints in Week 6 was Stroud’s favourite. Schultz had a deep over path to the center of the top zone from the 6-yard line with Woods having a drag route. Stroud informed the chat when Allen referred to as for the Tampa 2 base, Saints center linebacker Demario Davis would carry something vertical. Stroud anticipated Davis would cowl Schultz, making a void. He informed Woods to take a seat within the gap and he would hit him.

“I despatched that clip earlier within the week, so simply cool to see it sort of repay,” Stroud stated. “There’s been moments like that this yr.”

THE CHAT HELPED combine newcomer Stefon Diggs into the combination when he was acquired in a commerce with the Payments in April.

Sadly for the Texans, Diggs tore an ACL within the Texans’ 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday and is out for the remainder of the season. Earlier than the damage, Stroud had a passer ranking of 104 and accomplished 73% of his passes when focusing on Diggs. Diggs ranked seventh in catches (47) and second on the Texans in receiving yards (496).

“[Diggs] may see the seems that [Stroud] sees,” huge receiver Tank Dell stated. “In fact we speak all through follow, however sending a clip of the opposing crew and really taking a look at what they’re doing and [he sees] what 7 is considering. … Stef will inform [Stroud] what he sees and [Stroud] tells him what he sees. And so they’d be making performs.”

Even within the Texans’ 34-7 loss to the Vikings in Week 3, the chat communication helped Stroud and Diggs convert a 3rd down when Diggs ran a slant route towards Flores’ Cowl 0 blitz, in line with Woods. Towards the Colts, Diggs’ longest reception of the season (a 49-yard completion) got here on a Stroud scramble that was aided by the chat.

“Simply discovering holes within the protection, understanding how the protection performs. Simply staying alive and simply understanding that their protection has some gaps in it that is capable of be uncovered when the quarterback leaves the pocket,” Woods stated of their use of the scramble drill. “We all know how the safeties transfer, the linebackers transfer. We all know the right way to manipulate the protection.”

An enormous distinction from Yr 1 to 2 of the group chat is the addition of Diggs. However the different change is the timing of the messages.

As a rookie, Stroud would textual content always of day, in line with Hutchinson. However in Yr 2, Stroud tries to ship most of his messages earlier than it will get too late at night time.

“This yr I have been a bit early hen. I am getting a bit extra relaxation this yr,” Stroud informed ESPN with a smirk. “Final yr I used to be an evening owl. I am studying to get my relaxation now.”

One in all Stroud’s favourite components of the chat is the closeness that it brings between the offensive ability gamers. It reminds him of the camaraderie at Ohio State.

“The brotherhood in that room is sort of what I had in school with Garrett, Chris, Jackson, Marvin and even all the best way to our walk-ons,” Stroud stated. “Everyone was shut, and also you sort of have a look at this crew like that.”

Seahawks reporter Brady Henderson contributed to this report.