Denver Head Coach Sean Payton on Texans Quarterback C.J. Stroud: "It's unique. He's playing well. When you watch him play, you feel like you are watching someone who is savvy and experienced. You don't necessarily feel like you are watching someone in their first year. He's confident, and it's a dangerous team that way."
Denver Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph on Stroud: "It's been amazing to watch. This guy is playing like a veteran. His poise, obviously, is on point. The pressure doesn't bother him. Four-man rush, three-man rush—he's paying at a high level. His accuracy is very special. If guys are open, it's on their bodies constantly. It's not luck, it's who he is. Watching the tape—the reads, the accuracy, the poise—it's all there. What you're watching and what you're reading—it's for real. He's put them in good plays, he's playing with poise, and he's accurate as hell. Even in two-minute, man, he's scoring points. It's been fun to watch, but it's a 'wow' moment watching it."
Denver Quarterback Russell Wilson on Stroud: "C.J.'s been impressive. He's having one of the best rookie years ever. I've been able to watch what he's done, his greatness so far. He's got a great gene in him. It's called the clutch gene. He's got some 'it factor' to him. You saw that in college too."
Denver Safety Justin Simmons on Stroud: "The number one thing that comes to mind is poise. You watch him on film, he's been in a lot of tough situations. Game-winning drives. He's put up big numbers. But I think it's the poise for me. As a young guy, to be able to go in and execute when he needs to. They played the Bengals and he throws almost like a pick-6, and the next drive he comes out there and it's not even affecting him. That can be challenging for a young quarterback or any player in general, to give up a play like that and then to come back and finish out the game. He's got a lot of talent and it's going to be a great challenge for us, defensively, going down to Houston and trying to get a big AFC win."
Joseph on the Texans offense: "It's a high-flying offense. The quarterback is playing at a high level, but he's got some skill around him. They have some young skill in [Texans WR Nico] Collins and [Texans WR Tank] Dell. They have two good backs. Their running game is not dormant—it's real. As good as the passing game is, [when] you watch the game against Cincinnati, their running game won the game. It's a challenge to stop both sides of it."
Simmons on the Texans offense: "They have a plethora of really good receivers, and (Dalton) Schultz coming over from Dallas, a great tight end. I played against him before. Their running game's really good, too. With (RB Devin) Singletary and (RB Dameon) Pierce and what they do. They run hard. They've got a lot of good things going for them on the offensive side of the ball. Obviously they're really good in the pass game with the explosives."
Payton on the Texans success: "You have young players. I've been through it before with a draft where they have the young receiver [Texans WR] Tank [Dell], who is playing well, the defensive end from Alabama who is playing well and the quarterback. They're having success, and they are 6-5. You definitely see the explosives on tape. They've been down late and have come back. There's a confidence they have that's contagious, and you can see that on film. He's been impressive."
Payton on Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans and the Texans defense: "They play as hard as can be. That's how he was as a player. I remember when he was in Houston. You see that on film. You see the 11 guys to the ball. It's very evident on tape. It's a similar scheme that they ran in San Francisco. Each week is different. You are able to look at the structure of the defense and say, 'Alright, this is what it is.' Now it just presents different challenges. How the ends play, and how the inside tackles play. They play hard, they are getting pressure on the quarterback, and they've been good against the run. When you watch them, it's a tough group to run the ball against. Like I said, conversely with their offense and their kicking game, this is a young team that believes. That's a dangerous opponent."
Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi on the Texans defense: "I think they are a really solid defense. DeMeco is a guy that we practiced against in training camp when I was with the Chargers. He's one of those coaches that you have a lot of respect for. Fundamentally, his defenses are always really solid. They generally don't beat themselves. They play hard, and it's a scheme that's not complex on first and second down, but it doesn't make it easy to go against. They know what their strengths are, and in any defense they call, they know where their weaknesses are and they know how to kind of compensate for those weaknesses. They know how you're going to try to attack them. He's always been a challenging guy to go against just because they are so well coached. They play hard and they're fundamentally sound. On third down, it does become a challenge. Their pressure package is tough to prepare for, for sure. [They're] a team that generally doesn't beat themselves and makes you work to get drives and score points."
Wilson on Ryans: "He was a great player, obviously a great coach. I had to go against him several times over the years. He coaches his guys with a great discipline. Great tenacity on the defensive side of the ball. They fly around. He was doing that with the 49ers. He's done it here with the Texans. It's been impressive just to watch what they've done. The turnaround they've had and everything else. I think that he's an enthusiastic coach. He's a detailed coach and they've got great players."
