C.J. Stroud’s playoff collapse forces uncomfortable questions about his future in Houston

In a 28–16 Divisional-Round loss to the New England Patriots, Stroud unraveled under the bright lights, turning a winnable playoff game into a turnover-filled nightmare that may linger far beyond this postseason.

Stroud’s bad day

Stroud finished the afternoon 20-of-47 for 212 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions, including a devastating pick-six in the second quarter. All four interceptions came in the first half, helping bury Houston in a 21–10 hole they never fully escaped.

This was a historically bad game. According to FOX Sports Research, Stroud became only the second quarterback since 1991 to throw four interceptions in a single playoff half. He was also the only quarterback in the past 35 seasons, regular season or playoffs, to combine four interceptions with 15 or more incompletions in one half. By halftime, the Texans’ season was already teetering, and the conversation had shifted from game management to damage control.

Even the broadcast couldn’t ignore it. At halftime, ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt openly wondered whether head coach DeMeco Ryans should consider a quarterback change. Marcus Spears admitted it “had to be a conversation,” noting that Stroud looked rattled and referencing similar concerns from earlier in the season. Joe Buck echoed the sentiment on the broadcast, suggesting Ryans might be tempted to turn to Davis Mills if things didn’t stabilize.

Ryans never made the switch, and publicly backed his quarterback after the game, but the fact that the question was asked at all in a playoff game says everything about how dire the situation became. What makes the loss harder to swallow for Houston is that everything else showed up.

The Texans’ defense forced four Drake Maye fumbles, intercepted him once, generated steady pressure, and held New England scoreless in the third quarter. They repeatedly gave Stroud chances to reset the game. Instead, he kept giving the ball back.

The most damaging moment came early in the second quarter, one play after Houston’s defense forced a punt. Under pressure, Stroud floated a pass that Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones returned 26 yards for a touchdown. Stroud’s other interceptions ranged from miscommunications to flat-out bad decisions. One pass sailed over Christian Kirk’s head into Carlton Davis’ hands. Another bounced off Xavier Hutchinson and landed with Patriots safety Craig Woodson. His fourth, a late, ill-advised throw near midfield at the two-minute warning, effectively ended any hope of a halftime reset.

To his credit, Stroud avoided interceptions in the second half and led a couple of field-goal drives. But by then, the damage was done. Houston never found the end zone again, and the Patriots calmly closed out the game.

The loss also extends a troubling pattern. Under Ryans and Stroud, the Texans have now been eliminated in the Divisional Round three straight seasons. The franchise still hasn’t broken through that ceiling, and Sunday made it fair to ask why. That question becomes even louder with Stroud’s contract situation hovering.

Stroud is eligible for a massive extension this offseason, with league executives expecting a deal similar to Brock Purdy’s five-year, $265 million contract. While Houston is likely to exercise Stroud’s fifth-year option for 2027, committing $53–60 million per year to a quarterback who just delivered one of the worst playoff performances in modern history is no longer an automatic decision.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport has already suggested Houston may wait another year before extending Stroud, and games like this explain why. This doesn’t erase Stroud’s talent, nor does it mean the Texans should be searching for a new quarterback tomorrow. But it does shift the conversation. What once felt inevitable now feels uncertain.

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