Texans' C.J. Stroud: 'I Think God Put a Certain Dog in Me That I Don't Flinch'

A lot of athletes are known for having "that dog in him," but Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has a special breed from a higher power that has allowed him to enter the NFL without skipping a beat.

Speaking to ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime, Stroud explained what has helped make him so successful as a rookie:

"[That confidence] means everything. I've played a lot of football in my life, and I think that has paid dividends for me coming into these harsh environments and these situations. I've played in this stadium before in critical situations. I think God put a certain dog in me that I don't flinch. That really has a testament to do with the guys around me."

Expectations were already high for Stroud after being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, but he's found a way to raise the ceiling for himself and the Texans after his first six games.

It's been especially notable how Stroud has adapted over the past four games. He was sacked 11 times and lost two fumbles in the Texans first two games, both losses.

Since the start of Week 3, Stroud has only been sacked twice and his lone turnover was an interception in Sunday's 20-13 victory over the New Orleans Saints. His streak of 191 attempts without an interception to start his career was an NFL record, surpassing the previous mark of 176 set by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in 2016.

Stroud's accuracy in recent weeks has taken a dip. He had a career-low completion percentage of 48.2 against the Saints and hasn't hit the 60 percent mark in a game since Week 3.

But even with some erratic moments, Stroud has put the Texans in position to win games. He led an 11-play drive against the Atlanta Falcons to set up a Ka'imi Fairbairn field goal that put them up 19-18. The Falcons won the game on Younghoe Koe's game-winning field goal as time expired.

The Texans' three wins this season already matches their total from the 2022 season. They are one more victory away from matching their highest total in the previous four years.

Stroud ranks fourth in the NFL in passing yards (1,660) and tied for ninth in touchdown passes (nine). His interception rate of 0.5 percent is the best in the league after six weeks.

The Texans are on a bye in Week 7 before returning to face No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 29.