Dalton Schultz Defends C.J. Stroud: You Got to Bring Your S--t... My Guy Wants to Win

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud will be under the spotlight for Saturday's playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers after taking a statistical step back in his second season, but teammate Dalton Schultz isn't worried about his competitive fire.

"If you're competing against him, you got to bring your s---," the tight end said, per ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime. "Because it doesn't matter what it is -- f---ing cards, dominoes, football, jogging off the field -- my guy wants to win."

Stroud's presence was a major reason the Texans entered the 2024 campaign with Super Bowl expectations.

After all, the former Ohio State star was the catalyst for the Texans' tremendous turnaround in 2023. Houston went 3-13-1 in the year before Stroud's arrival but went 9-6 in his starts and 10-7 overall, good enough to win the AFC South.

He also won the Offensive Rookie of the Year while throwing for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions.

While Stroud's record as a starter was once again solid this year at 10-7, he saw his numbers decline as he threw for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Houston also went 4-5 in its final nine games after a quick 6-2 start.

"I'm still fighting for my peak competitive edge because I haven't really gotten to it as much as I would like," Stroud told Bien-Aime. "This year, I had it at the beginning of the season. I feel like I fight every day to get that edge back. ... It starts and stops with me. It's not always easy. It's heavy. I've been trying my best to keep that fire."

While it is notable Stroud said "it starts and stops with me," that has not always been the case this season.

Wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell were both lost to season-ending injuries. What's more, Nico Collins missed five games, and the top three receivers played just three full games together.

The offensive line also struggled with Bien-Aime noting Stroud was sacked 52 times (second most) and pressured on 38.9% of his dropbacks (third most).

That is a difficult formula for a quarterback, and Stroud will need some of that competitive fire that Schultz praised to overcome roster deficiencies and defeat a stout Chargers defense on Saturday.