Texans 38, Colts 30
Q. CJ, obviously you probably wouldn't play the whole game if Jacksonville got a big lead on Tennessee. How did feel when you found out okay you're done?
CJ STROUD: I wanted to keep playing. I felt like I was just getting in the groove. We had a rough first quarter, but I felt in the second quarter we were moving the ball; scored in the red zone twice.
You know, whenever I get the chance to play I want to play as much as I can. But I understand why I wasn't able to. You know, got to just move on.
Q. What are your thoughts about 12-5 and moving to the playoffs now and going to either Baltimore or Pittsburgh next week?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, for me I just got to give God the glory. If I look back at this year, look back at my life, look back at everything I've been through, I think he's -- I know he had His hand on me even in times where it doesn't feel like it.
Just a testament of you don't really learn on mountaintops. Most of the times you learn in valleys. I think the Lord has really had his hand on this team from our head coach all the way down to our players. I think I'm just really grateful that God has put us together on this 2025/26 Texans team. We got the world ahead of us.
But to go out and be 12-5 in the regular season, the best record I've had so far in the league with the start we had has just been a blessing. I am just really grateful to God that I have my brothers and teammates to do it with.
Q. Talking about that, do you not feel like the testimony that you and DeMeco and all the players are giving that -- I know everybody says, oh, God doesn't care about football, but that he is blessing you guys because of the testimony you're giving this season?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I mean -- I don't want it to ever be confused. I don't think God is like, the Texans are going to win. Win or lose he gets the glory and that's up to us. That's just worship.
Him giving us our talents, our abilities, and these jobs, you know, he's more than worthy of all the worship. That's just really why we do what we do. It's not because we want favor from the Lord even though that would be nice, but I think in my opinion you don't just get favor from the Lord because you just give Him glory, but He deserves it and He is worthy of it.
Back on my life, he's been faithful. Yeah, it's not because we all follow Jesus that we just win every game, but regardless -- I think it shows the world when you lose and you're not doing well how you profess your faith or you go about your life when things aren't going great is the testimony and really the testament of your faith and your journey, your witness to everybody else.
Q. CJ, you all were able to move the ball downfield there in the first half while ya'll were there. Did you feel like ya'll were able to accomplish what you set out to accomplish as an offense as you close out the season?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I think we moved the ball really well. Even the first quarter. I had intentional grounding and missed a couple reads, you know, and I think there was a couple of those, you know, in every aspect.
At the end of the day we overcame it and that's a good thing. We got to get those things fixed if we want to go win in the playoffs.
I'm aware of that and I think our coaches are and I know everybody is here. We're going to get those things fixed. At the end of the day it's all about finishing and getting wins, and I think the way we ended this game is a testament to how our season has gone, a lot of up and down.
If you just stay faithful. Like I told ya'll before it's easy to have faith when it's easy. When it gets a little hard who has the real faith? The work that we put in, we trust in one another to get the job done.
Q. The touchdown run at the goal line that you ran in, was that supposed to be a run for Tommy or was that an assignment for you?
CJ STROUD: No, it was for Tommy. I feel bad because it's always weird when you're under center. They got some big boys. 9-0, he's a big guy. He's breathing and I'm like, I got to get out. I don't want to get my foot stepped on.
So I like skipped out. (Indiscernible) was like, don't skip on this play because it's going to happen faster than you think. We only walked through. We didn't get a live rep I don't think, so I didn't skip.
Then I went back to like my human nature and I skipped out and I missed him. I felt so bad. I went over there and did five push-ups for him. I'm good though. We finished, he got his touchdown, nobody can be mad at me anymore I'm just happy for my guy. I love Tommy. That's one of my Buckeye brothers. I have known him since I was 18 years old.
He's a great player but also a great human. Just really happy to see him really prevail in to this league and have great seasons back to back.
Q. CJ, you kind of answered it before how this game almost like the season, right, the way it ended on a high note after kind of starting rocky. How do you feel about going into the playoffs as a team this year as opposed to your first two years? How much more experience do you feel?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I feel great. I think I was telling Evan Washburn out there, the experience that we do have from me having a little more experience to our defense, our offense, special teams, coaches, front office, everybody, we know what it takes to win these games. That's just a really, really solid execution plan and executing the little things. Because everybody thinks you go to the playoffs you got to do the extraordinary stuff. It's really -- the team that does the ordinary stuff better than the other team wins.
I think for me I got to take completions, take care of the ball. I think when we look at the end of the game, whoever, whenever we play, we'll see our result and see what happens there.
Q. CJ, what do you think about the way this team just kind of overall to be able to go on a nine-game winning streak and finish the way you all have been able to do, what does that really say about you guys overall as a team and what you all hope to be in the playoffs?
CJ STROUD: Yeah, I think you know, when we don't get in our own way, even though every game somehow some way that's going to happen on both sides of the ball. But I think when you look at how we're built roster to coaches to scheme, we're built tough.
I think you look in here, you got swarm and relentless. I think that's what we try to embody every game. I think we finally bought into it. I think as an offense, swarming looks different than defense swarming or special teams swarm. I think we found that groove.
I'm just excited, man. Really motivated to get going this next week. I'm going to enjoy this win and regular season and get back to work tonight and I'm excited to go into the playoffs and try to make some noise.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports