The Houston Texans started their 2023 NFL campaign with a 3-4 record, which was fitting given the situation. The team had a rookie quarterback in CJ Stroud, who had shown flashes within the offense but was still a first-year pro. DeMeco Ryans was also in his first season as the team's head coach. And building off a 3-13-1 season, a 3-4 start was still an improvement.
Things changed in Week 8, though, as Tom Brady alluded to on The Herd in an appearance. The team gave Stroud authority within the offense, putting their full trust in the rookie quarterback. Since that change was made, the team went 7-3 to cap off a 10-7 season, beginning with an incredible 39-37 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"The ability to develop that player to give him the tools, so that when he gets to the line of scrimmage and he sees blitz, 'Okay, if they're blitzing me, these are the two protections I can use when they blitz -- these are the two or three routes that I can signal to my receivers that can beat the blitz,'" Brady explained.
In addition to an elite offseason, the Texans are rolling into Week 1 with Stroud leading the team at the line of scrimmage, a change that improved the trajectory of the team's season in 2023.
"You're trying to get the quarterback to really be a field general," Brady continued. "Quarterback, you've got the last swipe at the pencil."
Brady compared the trust within the offense to his career, where he continually made intentional moves based on his read of the defense. The coaching staff doesn't see the field like a quarterback does under center, so Stroud's ability to make his decisions before snapping the ball allows the offense to be that much more efficient.
