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Executive vice president and general manager Nick Caserio joined Marc Vandermeer and John Harris in studio this week, and when the conversation turned to his quarterback, the review was a good one.
Caserio: C.J. Stroud spread the football everywhere
"Did a nice job, made good decisions with the football, distributed to multiple players," Caserio said of QB C.J. Stroud. "There were 10 or 11 skilled players that touched the ball. So a lot of this is just throwing the ball to the open receiver and understanding what they're doing defensively."
Caserio singled out Stroud's work inside the pocket, and one play in particular where the third-year quarterback turned nothing into something.
"He did a good job of kind of maneuvering within the pocket a little bit," Caserio said. "And he had to scramble on third-and-long where they ended up playing man coverage where they didn't account for the quarterback. And he was able to turn that into a chunk play opportunity."
The bottom line from the man who built the roster: "Overall, did a lot of good things. Pretty solid."
Nico Collins and the art of the quasi-explosive play
If Stroud drew praise, WR Nico Collins drew something closer to awe — the kind reserved for a player whose big days have stopped surprising anybody in the building.
"You almost assume that that's what you're going to get on a weekly basis," Caserio said. "He's just such a unique player. Does a lot of things well."
Then he went to the tape on a play most fans would scroll right past.
"Even the hitch that he caught there early in the game — it was a catch-and-run, he turned a five-yard completion into a 12- to 13-yard gain," Caserio said. "So we talk about getting yards with the ball after the catch. It's a simple play, but it becomes a quasi-explosive play because of his ability to catch and run."
Contested catches, and why the Texans will keep going back
Caserio kept going, because the tape kept giving.
"Made multiple contested catches," he said. "There were multiple plays where the defender was draped on him, but he's just so big and strong, has good hands, and that's kind of who he is. He's kind of shown that through the years."
He also credited Stroud for the sideline throw that set up one of the day's best moments: "Made the play down the field there on the sideline — the third down was a really great throw by C.J."
And the plan going forward is exactly what it sounds like.
"We're going to need him, and we're going to need all of our skilled players throughout the course of this season."
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