NFL21 hours ago1 minute read

Stroud Shines With Five Touchdowns as Texans Blow Out Chargers

C.J. Stroud tied his career high with five touchdown passes to lead the Houston Texans past the Chargers 44-22.

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Stroud dominates in Week 9 victory

Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud put on a show on Sunday. He threw five touchdown passes and racked up 384 passing yards in a 44-22 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. That tied his career high for touchdowns and marked his second highest passing yard total in a single game.

Stroud explained after the game that he plans to enjoy the moment. He noted that he usually beats himself up after bad games, so celebrating with family and teammates feels right after a big win.

Playmakers step up for Houston

The Texans got huge games from their wide receivers. Kayshon Boutte led the team with 125 receiving yards and two touchdowns. It was his first 100 yard game of the season after joining Houston late in training camp.

Tank Dell also had a big day with 105 yards and a touchdown. It was just his second game back after missing 25 straight games from a serious knee injury suffered in December of 2024. Coach DeMeco Ryans praised Stroud for spreading the ball around to multiple targets.

A strong start despite team record

Houston sits at 3-5 on the year, but Stroud is playing some of his best football. Through eight games, he has completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,251 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. His passer rating stands at 104.8.

The performance has pushed Houston's offense up to 11th in total yards per game at 356.5 and ninth in scoring at 26.1 points per game. Ryans pointed to Stroud's confidence, pocket steadiness, and resolve as the main reasons for his high level of play.

What it means for the next game

Here is the projection for Houston's upcoming matchup.

Houston Texans at Cleveland Browns (NFL, Sun, 15 Nov): Cleveland Browns win 34%, Houston Texans win 66%; projected score Cleveland Browns 18, Houston Texans 22. Our safest pick: Over 32.5 points.