The Houston Texans are now facing their biggest challenge of the season. After a brutal hit in a loss to the Denver Broncos on Nov. 2, quarterback C.J. Stroud entered concussion protocol, leaving the team’s playoff hopes in a precarious position. The most pressing question is straightforward: Can the roster, scheme, and coaching staff maintain the offense’s high level of performance if Stroud is sidelined for an extended period?
How Can the Texans Offense Survive Without C.J. Stroud?
C.J. Stroud’s absence is not just a future possibility; it’s a present reality. He was officially ruled out after sustaining a concussion during the Texans’ 18-15 loss to the Broncos, a game that threw Houston’s plans into disarray. That hit forced Stroud into the league’s concussion protocol, creating immediate uncertainty about his availability for the upcoming games.
Behind Stroud, the depth is concerning. Davis Mills is the primary backup, but his experience in the 2025 season is limited to just a handful of snaps with minimal yardage. So far, he has not shown the same downfield efficiency in games that made Stroud so effective. Relying on a more conservative game plan with Mills under center would limit the offense’s big-play potential and force the Texans to depend heavily on the run game and short passes.
To compensate, Head Coach DeMeco Ryans and the offensive coordinator will likely need to simplify the playbook. If Houston can manage more than 4.5 yards per carry and convert over 55% of its early downs, it would take significant pressure off the defense and keep the team competitive. Analytics suggest that offenses pairing a top-12 rushing success rate with a sack rate below 4% can sustain wins, even with a backup quarterback.
The loss of Stroud’s leadership and dynamic playmaking ability is a major blow. His poise and rushing threat, which has averaged about 6.5 yards per carry on designed runs, creates a dual threat that defenses must account for. Without him, the effectiveness of play-action passes diminishes, and the team will likely face more third-and-long situations, which negatively impacts their expected points added (EPA).
In his public comments, Coach Ryans struck a cautious but optimistic tone, emphasizing that the team’s priority is Stroud’s well-being. “We’ll see how the week goes and how he progresses throughout the week,” Ryans said, adding that Stroud was “feeling a little bit better” after the hit.
Ultimately, Houston can likely weather a short-term absence if the offensive line provides solid protection, the running game accounts for 40-45% of the offensive plays, and the coaching staff simplifies the passing reads for Mills. However, a prolonged absence could expose significant gaps in the team’s roster construction and jeopardize its postseason ambitions.
