Stroud led Texans through unprecedented divisional round run despite regression.

C.J. Stroud has been at the helm throughout the Texans' unprecedented run of back-to-back-to-back Divisional Round appearances. Despite his regression and playoff collapse, the source credits Stroud with leading the offense through a dramatic improvement from four seasons ago. The source argues that the offense, while not perfect, is light-years better than it was previously, and Stroud has been the quarterback driving this turnaround. This context suggests that Stroud's role as the team's franchise QB remains secure and central to the team's competitive window.