About this episode

The episode discusses C.J. Stroud's critical early-season games and the potential impact of Tank Dell on the Houston Texans' offense.

C.J. Stroud's fourth NFL season could define the future of the Houston Texans—and earning his place back among the NFL's elite quarterbacks starts immediately. On today's Locked On Texans, I break down why Weeks 1 and 2 against the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals are more than just early-season games. They're national showcase opportunities for Stroud to prove he belongs back in the top-10 quarterback conversation. If Houston starts 2-0 and Stroud outplays Josh Allen and Joe Burrow, the narrative surrounding both him and the Texans changes overnight. We also dive into the numbers that have to improve. Stroud has thrown just 12 touchdowns and 15 interceptions against playoff teams over the past two seasons, and that's a trend Houston must reverse if it wants to become a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Plus: Why Tank Dell could be the hidden key to unlocking Houston's offense. How Dell's versatility could give Nick Caley another dangerous weapon in the slot. Why Christian Kirk's departure from the slot creates a major opportunity. The surprising role rookie Marilin Klein could carve out sooner than expected. How Houston's defense is built to give Stroud every opportunity to…

People in this episode

Hosts: Coty Davis, John Hickman

Topics covered

• C.J. Stroud performance
• Houston Texans season preview
• NFL quarterback rankings
• Tank Dell's impact
• offensive strategies
• defensive support for quarterbacks

Keywords

• C.J. Stroud
• Tank Dell
• Houston Texans
• NFL
• quarterback performance
• offensive strategies
• season preview
• Josh Allen
• Joe Burrow

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, NFL

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• CJ Stroud Is BUILT for the Erhardt-Perkins Offense + Jayden Higgins Needs to Dominate in Year 2!? · July 10, 2026 · 36 min

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