C.J. Stroud has been sensational this season, and that is not an opinion. It’s a fact that has been born out in so many ways, statistical or otherwise. The only knock on Stroud’s 2026 season is that his team is currently 3-5, but I will submit that, if the defense had done its job, the Texans could easily be 7-1. Stroud has given the Texans a lead in the final moments of four of their five losses, only to see the defense cough up said lead.
Now, regarding the Texans’ three victories — wins at Tennessee, against the Jaguars in London, and last Sunday in Los Angeles against the Chargers — Stroud was outstanding in all three, but in two of them, he was literally not just the best player on the field, but the place player in the conference that weekend. After the win in London, Stroud was awarded the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, and we learned on Wednesday morning that he was awarded the same honor for his performance against the Chargers on Sunday.
A few thoughts here on Stroud’s continued excellence and the recognition that it deservedly received On Wednesday:
The win over the Chargers was everything great about 2026 Stroud
You can certainly cite the statistics from the game, and you can have more than enough overwhelming evidence that Stroud was the best AFC player in football last weekend — 21 of 35 for 384 yards and a personal record five touchdown passes. However, the nuance is in watching the game, and watching Stroud distribute the ball to every receiver in the room. Four of their five wide receivers caught touchdown passes, and there wasn’t a single one that wasn’t a work of art. Additionally, Stroud used his legs a couple of times, when protection broke down, to move the chains or get a nice chunk of yardage (or both). Stroud is putting a master class at the position right now, and when the Texans are winning, it’s because of him. For a quarterback who had to spend the entire offseason hearing how he was the problem, this is pretty heady stuff!
This may not be the last weekly honor he wins this season
Stroud has now won the AFC Offensive Player of the Week in each of the Texans’ last two wins, and if the schedule delivers on the promise of much easier opponents the remainder of the way, there will be several more wins. In particular, the Texans’ next two home games — Week 11 against the Colts, Week 12 against the Ravens — offer chances to beat up on one time that has caused in its chips on the season (the Colts), and another who is teetering because of a possible season ending injury to their quaretrback. Additionally, the Texans face the Jaguars again, this time at home, in Week 15, and we know Stroud has torn them up once already this season.
There is only one name left above Stroud on the Texans’ weekly award honor roll, and it’s a big one
By winning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, Stroud further moves up the board of all time Texans in winning weekly NFL honors. He had been in fourth place prior to yesterday, but with this most recent award, he now has one Player of the Week five times, which ties him with current teammate Ka’imi Fairbairn and Stroud’s counterpart this Sunday in Cleveland, Deshaun Watson, for second place all time. The three of them trail only J.J. Watt, who won Defensive Player of the Week honors seven times in his highly decorated career.
