As we get into late-November, the NFL playoff picture is starting to come more and more into focus. The AFC has many of the usual suspects in contention. The Kansas City Chiefs, the Miami Dolphins, and the Baltimore Ravens all lead their divisions and are fighting for the conference’s top spot.
However, another team in contention that nobody expected is the Houston Texans. Led by first-year head coach and former NFL All-Pro DeMeco Ryans, Houston heads into its Week 12 showdown with the Jacksonville Jaguars at 6-4. The Texans and specifically rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, have caught the attention of longtime NFL quarterback current afternoon host at Houston’s KMBE Sportstalk 790, Sean Salisbury. He joined Jessica Kleinschmidt on the Short and to the Point podcast to talk about Stroud.
Stroud, selected by Houston with the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has turned heads all season. He didn’t throw an interception through his first 192 pass attempts, an NFL record. Then, he set the record for passing yards in a game by a rookie quarterback with 470 in Houston’s 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Stroud has thrown 17 touchdown passes this season and just five interceptions.
Salisbury offered had glowing praise for Stroud, going as far as to say the rookie quarterback should be in the MVP conversation.
“I was fortunate to play against the Marinos and guys from that era, and watching these guys all the way through, Aikman and Manning, nobody this quickly has thrown the ball this aggressively with this kind of accuracy down the field and underneath,” Salisbury said. “When you maximize the building you’re a better player. He’s doing that and then some. Nobody expected this. You hoped you were going to get a good player, but he’s in the MVP talk. If they make the playoffs and this continues, I don’t see how he couldn’t be in the final three for MVP. If they get to ten wins he probably should be the MVP of the league.”
Salisbury makes an interesting point, there. In a season where no quarterback is putting up the eye-popping numbers we’ve all grown used to (Josh Allen leads the NFL with 22 touchdown passes this season), the MVP award will be wide open. Perhaps that will be beneficial for Stroud.
Short and to the Point with Jessica Kleinschmidt is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.
