Will C.J. Stroud Burn Todd Bowles Again?
September 13th, 2025
Houston QB C.J. Stroud.
This hasn’t happened with regularity. But still, it happens more to Todd Bowles and the Bucs defense more than it should.
Most Bucs fans still feel the stink of Kirk friggin’ Cousins tearing the Bucs apart with 500 yards passing last season in an overtime loss to the Dixie Chicks.
A similar game unfolded the prior season in Houston, this time against a rookie quarterback. In 2023, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud went wilding on the Bucs defense, throwing for 470 yards with five touchdowns.
Jenna Laine of ESPN types that game, and how badly Stroud gouged the defense in a 30-27 loss, has to be on Bowles’ mind this week. The Bucs play the Texans in Houston on Monday night.
Texans QB C.J. Stroud shredded the Bucs’ defense in Houston during his rookie season in 2023, throwing for 470 yards and five touchdowns. Coach Todd Bowles most certainly hasn’t forgotten that, and if he wants to make a statement on the improvements his defense has made since, it can be on limiting explosive plays. The Texans had the eighth-highest explosive-play rate at 14.4% in 2024, and the Falcons hit the Bucs with a big play early last week.
Joe doesn’t believe it’s fair to compare what the Texans did and what they may do on Monday night. The biggest reason is Houston is so beat up at receiver.
Tank Dell is likely out for the year, still trying to come back from a friendly-fire collision that fully wrecked his knee on a touchdown catch.
Also, Texans starting receiver Christian Kirk hasn’t practiced this week as he is hobbled with a hamstring.
Regardless, the Bucs defense is relatively healthy. They have an edge rusher this year, it appears, with Haason Reddick. And Bowles should not have Stroud on his radar just in case he didn’t have the rookie on his mind two years ago.
Nearly 500 yards passing again Monday night? That should not happen. It better not happen.