Texans 40, Cardinals 20
CJ STROUD: How ya'll doing?
Q. Can you just talk about the balanced attack you guys had today? Able to run the ball and then you got so many receivers involved. Also, just follow up about Nico getting his third season in a row 1000 yards.
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I think that was a goal of ours coming out the KC week, is just not leaving anything out there in the run game or pass game. I think in practice we communicated a bunch and then went to the game and it went over to the game and we executed at a high level.
So I think it goes back to our preparation. I thought we did a good job of that. Yeah, just super proud of Nico. That's my brother, man. I missed him on a couple out there. I owe him a couple more. Just really proud of him and the work he put in on his body, his game. I think he's one of the best in the league and it's proven every year.
Let's keep this streak going.
Q. How do you feel about how ya'll are playing overall? This long winning streak and now ya'll are in the thick of the playoff race.
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I think like we started off a little rough of course and then you want to be playing your best ball in December going into January. Since we're doing that, it's really good. There is always things to improve on. We left a little bit out there. But I feel like we got better than we did last week, and every week we just keep progressing. I think that's all we can do right now.
Q. What did you think about Jawhar and the game he had?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, man, Jawhar is my dog, somebody who I got to see come in and put in work and been making plays for a long time at practice, in camp, preseason games. He gets a shot and I thought he took full advantage.
He's a brother in Christ and I know he was relying on the Lord. I'm just super proud of him and his ability to make cuts and set up blocks. I thought he did a great job and he's super fast. I tried to get out there on one of them and block for him, but he's a little too fast for me.
But I thought he did amazing today. I'm super proud of him.
Q. How important do you think it is for you all to sustain the type of run game you had today for you to be as successful as ya'll want to be offensively?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I think it's super important. We got to always establish line of scrimmage. That makes the play-action game and the boot game a little easier; then drop-back pass as well.
That's always a key to victory for us is being able to run the ball and it was one today. Thought we did a good job of it.
Q. We asked you a moment ago about Nico. You were speaking after they showed a graphic of him through the three years and the 1000 yards. Curious if you can share a little bit of that moment. Saw you on the sideline celebrating. Also, how clean the operation was. DeMeco was talking about that. What did you think about how clean you guys operated today?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I think me and Nic, we been together for three years now. Somebody I seen work, like I said before, and just done a great job being a leader. He stepped up captain this year. To see his work pay off a little bit is amazing and it's dope. Super proud and just showing each other love like we always do.
Our operation is something that Coach challenged us on this week and that starts with me. I just got to be able to communicate in the huddle the right way and do the right things to get us in the right position. So I'm really happy with how we did it today. Of course got a couple penalties on it so we get to figure that out, but I thought overall we got better in that area.
Q. When you see him starting plays, rips off that 80-yard run, what's it like watching that in the moment and being a part of that, watching it up close?
CJ STROUD: It's surreal. For me I'm not really surprised because I know how good he is. For him, you know, like just to see it -- you can see it in his eyes pre-game. I'm here with you every play. I got your back. Whatever you need, you let me know. He didn't really ask me any questions. He knew all the plays and he was prepared and making the right cuts and reads and being good in pass protection.
I thought he stepped up big for us and super proud of him. He's been a baller. I think he's going to keep going.
Q. One of the things I asked DeMeco about was the offensive line. Can you just talk about the progression of the line that has really come together from when you started, how you feel about that?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I think from where we were in the beginning to now, you know, we got our guys who we are going to roll with pretty much the rest the season. I think they're doing a good job communicating. Starts with Jake is and Tytus, those guys being the leaders up there and then Trent and Ed and Tae and being really good in the run game and pass protection.
Everything starts with them. I think they've answered the bell the last couple games and done a really good job. We're never perfect, but I just asked for them to give effort and it's amazing the effort I see. Me extending plays and them being the first ones down there helping me up, I'll remember all those things. Really appreciative of all those guys.
Q. Wonder if you could describe Woody Mark's touchdown. Snap seemed to be somewhat between your legs.
CJ STROUD: None ya. Nah, I'm just kidding. Yeah, I think I probably said gun in the huddle or something and you know, I went under center. I should have been in the gun. Then the ball snapped and Jake still thought I was under center -- I mean in the gun, so I put that on me. I got to be able to communicate.
But at least we got in the zone. (Smiling.)
Q. When you throw like that to Nico early in the game, obviously already going into the game pretty confident, what does that do for the confidence and swag going forward to start the game like that, second play of the game?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, it's always big. That was a goal of ours was to start fast. Nic did a great job creating separation. Before the snap I'm like, hey, man, stay alive right here. A lot of situations in there we knew they were going man, so he beat his man, I beat the help, and turned good into great.
Q. What excites you most about how well you guys are playing right now and what you're able to do as a team?
CJ STROUD: I think just three phases of football. We're playing together. I think offensively we're getting better every week, getting hot. We're getting hot at the right time, starting to -- trending up towards December going into January. Just got to keep this going.
It's going to be a one-game-at-a-time mentality, one-play-at-a-time mentality, then we'll look up at the end of the year and see where we're at.
Q. You mentioned earlier you guys started a little bit slow but sine then you've been 9-2 since. From your perspective, what do you think is the biggest reason how you guys been able to become one of the highest teams in the league?
CJ STROUD: I think the finish. I think looking back at those games, we were in the games. There is always plays here and there you want back. At the end of the day when you got the ball or you need a stop, we want to be the guys on the field.
So I think the ability that we're finishing with now in these close games, in games like this, taking care of business when we need to, for me it's the finish I think. Us playing hard every play all the way to the end and pulling out the W.
Thank you guys.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports