(SportsRadio 610) - Not to be overly dramatic, but I’m just delivering the facts: The Texans’ performance in Sunday’s come-from-behind, C.J. Stroud-inspired, 39-37 victory over Tampa Bay ranks among the greatest victories in Houston pro football history.
Not just in Texans’ history but in Oilers’ history, too. And that’s going back to 1960.
What made this witness to history so take-your-breath-away special were the circumstances in which it was accomplished at NRG Stadium.
This game was satisfying and exasperating, and the see-saw nature of the scoring must have taken about five years off coach DeMeco Ryans’ life. He awakened Monday feeling like he’d turned 44.
“(A) big sigh of relief,” is how Ryans described the game a few minutes after it ended.
Now, how did the Texans do it?
Let’s start with Stroud and the terrific job offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik did in calling plays for the passing game.
Stroud threw for 470 yards – the most by a rookie in NFL history. His five touchdown passes tied a rookie record. He connected on 30-of-72 for 71.4 percent, averaged 11.2 yards a completion and compiled a 147.8 rating. And he threw the game-winning, 15-yard touchdown pass to rookie Tank Dell with six seconds left in the game.
“It's a gutsy performance from him,” Ryans said about Stroud. “It wasn't all clean, but he gutted it out. He was tough in the pocket, made some big-time throws, and the receivers were reliable for him. They made tough catches.”
Despite Noah Brown (six catches, 153 yards, one touchdown), Dalton Schultz (10 for 130 and one) and Dell (six for 114 and two) giving the Texans three players with at least 100 yards for the first time since 2020 when Atlanta did it, they still
trailed four times. The largest deficit was 20-10 early in the third quarter, and when Stroud ignited them with a barrage of touchdown passes, they still three more leads.
Not only did the Texans have a rookie quarterback coming off his worst game – 140 yards in the loss at Carolina. They had six players leave the game with injuries and couldn’t return. They had no running game to take pressure off Stroud – 7 yards rushing in the first half and 46 in the second.
Without Fairbairn, the Texans went for a two-point conversion four times and succeeded once on Stroud’s run.
And there was that matter of needing reserve running back Dare Ogunbowale to perform his role as the emergency kicker. Ogunbowale, who used to play soccer and was the team’s fourth running back, was active because Dameon Pierce (ankle injury) couldn’t suit up.
When Ka’imi Fairbairn kicked a 50-yard field goal to make it 17-10 at halftime, he suffered a quad injury and couldn’t return. Special teams coordinator Frank Ross put out an SOS, and Ogunbowale answered his distress call in historic fashion.
Not only did Ogunbowale have two touchbacks on kickoffs, but his 29-yard field goal turned out to be the difference in the two-point victory. He was the NFL’s first non-kicker to connect on a field goal since 2004 when receiver Wes Welker did it for New England.
“Dare was the star of the game,” Ryans said. “When you lose your kicker, that's tough. What are you going to do? Your whole game plan changes. Dare stepped up big time. As far as the field goal, we were confident he could make it from there, and he proved us right. He's truly the player of the game. It was outstanding.”
If Ogunbowale was outstanding, then Stroud was magnificent in igniting an offense that generated 496 yards, their most since 2019. His 470-yard performance was third in team history behind two overtime victories in which Matt Schaub threw for 527 yards against Jacksonville and 497 against Washington.
A week after Stroud said he wanted more explosive plays, he had eight of them for at least 20 yards. According to the NFL’s NextGenStats, on passes with at least 20 air yards, Stroud was 6-of-8 for 199 yards and three touchdowns.
And nowhere was he more impressive than the Texans’ game-winning drive.
“C.J. did an awesome job of making some big plays for his receivers,” Ryans said. “The way they executed in the passing game, that's what kept us in there.
“The last drive starts with the protection. When you have to throw it, and they know you're throwing it, it starts with still being able to hold up in protection and still being able to execute and deliver precise throws, and that's what C.J. did.”
Stroud was quick to praise his linemen, including center Michael Deiter, starting his first game for the injured Jarrett Patterson. Stroud needed his line’s support if he was going to work some magic.
“I was trying to stay cool, calm and collected -- one play at a time,” Stroud said. “I told those boys up front, ‘Y’all, give me just a little time, I'm going to make them pay.’ They didn’t just give me a little time -- they gave me a lot of time.
“They’re the heartbeat of our team. They’re special. I told them we're going to go as far as they'll take us. Of course, I've got to make plays and throw the ball where it's got to go, but I can't do any of that without (them).”
After Baker Mayfield led the Bucs on a touchdown drive for a 37-33 lead with 46 seconds left the Texans took over at their 25.
Stroud connected with Schultz for 14 yards, and Ryans used his second timeout. Then Stroud found Schultz for 6, and Ryans used his last timeout. A 14-yard completion to Brown gave them a first down at the Bucs’ 42.
Then, Stroud and Dell collaborated on completions of 26 and 15 yards, the last one for the touchdown in the back of the end zone against four-deep coverage. The 26-yard gain was a perfect throw to the left sideline with Dell making a splendid catch and managing to get both feet in bounds.
“I had complete confidence,” Stroud said. “On the out route to Tank (26 yards), it was a great catch. I honestly didn’t see it because I got it, but I heard everybody cheering.”
On the game-winner to Dell, Stroud credited Slowik for putting in the play right before they went on the field.
“We had just put that in on the sideline, so Bobby did a great job of feeling the tempo of the game, feeling what we probably needed, and had a play we hadn’t worked on since training camp,” Stroud said. “I know Tank's route was nasty. Once the safety (went for) the inside route, I threw the outside route, and (Dell’s) job was to beat the corner.
“I really appreciate Bobby trusting us, so shout-out to Bobby. He called a great game.”
And Stroud – eight games into his NFL career – played a great game, one of the best in the league this season and certainly one of the best in Houston pro football history.
John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on SportsRadio 610 and Monday, Thursday and Sunday on Texans Radio, also on SportsRadio 610. He writes five columns a week and does three Houtopia Football Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com.