Timing is what describes how much you will succeed in your life. And CJ Stroud had a firsthand experience of it during the divisional playoff game against Chiefs. At 9:15 mark in the 1st quarter, their first drive in the matchup, the QB ran to his right. But the Chiefs DE George Karlaftis was on his tail, pushing him out of the bounds. When he got back up, he limped for a moment. That was the first sing of upcoming blow to the hopes.

The visuals at the sidelines were way more disturbing. Clearly in pain, he clenched his fists as other coaches talked to him. This was the second time he admitted being injured. But in the season ending press conference, CJ Stroud put aside all those fears. Confirming he wasn’t too banged up, the signal caller said, “Just rest, yeah thank God. I don’t really have nothing too severe.”

However, the Texans overall need to work on their players. Tank Dell suffered a season-ending knee injury during the week 16 matchup against Chiefs. In the week 8 game against the Colts, Stefon Diggs‘ 2024 season got over with an ACL injury. All of these players will have a huge role if they are aiming for a Super Bowl.

HC DeMeco Ryans has a huge task at hand. He needs to ensure CJ Stroud remains injury free. In his rookie season, he suffered a concussion against the NY Jets, missing 2 games. In 2024, the knee issues did play a major role. Additionally, there are concerns about O-line. The pocket protection was almost negligible against the Chiefs. He was sacked 8 times.

OC Bobby Slowik predicted Chris Jones as a major threat. But They ignored Karlaftis who has 8 sacks and 28 QB hits in 17 regular games this year. Despite this, the signal caller praised his offensive coordinator.

CJ Stroud’s solid praise for Bobby Slowik

DeMeco Ryans didn’t come alone at the Texans. He brought in his trusted aide, the offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. They trained their QB in a variety of plays that worked well. CJ Stroud also praised Slowik and said, “He did great. I think as time went on, he got better and better. I definitely think he has a lot of success coming his way. And I’ve been honored to have it with him and hopefully keep it going. So I’m definitely on Bobby’s side and appreciate him for all the things he’s taught me and how great he’s been in my career.”

For the franchise, it’s their second back-to-back season that ended with 1st place finish in AFC South. But they also lost the divisional matchups. However, there is a question mark on his future. His contract with the Texans is up. And the head coach needs someone who can help him cross the divisional barrier.

The 37-year-old 49ers veteran has a lot of things to learn. However, the fans are getting impatient about the Super Bowl. They haven’t won the trophy ever in their history. While his stay at the Texans might become easier with CJ Stroud’s backing, nothing could be confirmed yet.