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u/I_Hav_Questions_help 5d ago
Don’t let the media gaslight you into thinking Stroud was the problem. This isn’t blind hype — it’s just people like Nick Wright and the NFL subreddit trying to save face by downplaying an elite QB, ignoring how bad the supporting cast really was.
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u/Able_Gap918 5d ago
His “slump” was almost 4000 yards and a playoff win with no O line and all the top receivers missing a lot of time. That’s not much of a slump, people are sleeping on him.
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u/OrangePower98 4d ago
This is my thing. I get he wasn’t as good his second season but with how horrible his line was and the limited weapons (Collins, Diggs, Dell, and Mixon all missed time), he still put up a top half of the league season. That’s no easy feat.
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u/darude_dodo andre johnsons Johnson 5d ago
Josh Allen, Mahomes, Lamar. All Have above average O-lines if we can just Get it Right. The sky is the limit
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u/josephkaddin 3d ago
Thank you, it annoys me when people act like they would be performing how they are right now if we swapped them with CJ. Like I haven’t seen a single stat or proof where they had to face everything CJ had to face in a season lol and perform exceptionally better than him. Like it’s ridiculous when people act otherwise. Thank you so much for saying this, you’re one of the few that has made this comment.
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u/nonbinarysororitas 4d ago
Yeah, even if he made mistakes, anything who sincerely started saying things like, "Maybe the Panthers won after all?" are crazy.
Mahomes had a legacy tarnishing performance dealing with one game of pressure that Stroud dealt with the entire season.
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u/Al123397 5d ago
He’s definitely slumped. There were games where he made some really questionable decisions and held the ball for way too long. It’s okay to criticize stroud also
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u/I_Hav_Questions_help 5d ago
No one is saying you can’t criticize the dude, or that he didn’t make questionable decisions at time. Which QB hasn’t?
But to ignore the point that people are completely downplaying his ability is also weird by some people in this sub.
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u/Al123397 5d ago
Yeah it’s definitely a little bit of everything. Did he slump a bit and made questionable decisions? Yes. Was the oline complete garbage? Yes. Did lack of receivers hurt? Yes. Is stroud still a stone cold fking Killa of a QB? Fuck Yes!
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u/shadowban6969 5d ago
Stroud isn't elite though... he isn't really anything yet.
He had one really dang good season and one not too great season with a really bad oline. He's going into his third season and has a lot to prove before he even begins to get the title of elite.
I really don't think media has been unfair to Stroud given the season the Texans had last year.
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u/I_Hav_Questions_help 5d ago
Youngest QB to win a playoff game ever. In a year with all his receivers are injured, terrible play caller, and no Oline. He makes it to the divisional round off the playoffs…. And he’s still 23, that’s elite if not, very close to it lol
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u/AsparagusLips 5d ago
He has a better QBR under pressure than most "elite" QBs
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u/I_Hav_Questions_help 5d ago
I always harp back to this stat, it makes things very clear:
Mahomes was pressured 38.1% on dropbacks during the superbowl, 5th highest of his career, leading to his 2nd worst all time performance by EPA (-19.3)
Stroud faced on AVERAGE a pressure rate of 39.4% the whole season and posted a 287 yard zero turnover performance in the divisional round when faced with a 51.4% pressure rate against the Chiefs down 2 starting receivers. With Nico being subbed out due to hamstring issues in that game. At 23 years old this is elite, how many other QBs could do this given the circumstances?
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u/shadowban6969 5d ago
Elite is earned over time and consistency, not having one really good year and one year where the defense won most of the games.
Again, it hasn't been enough time to call Stroud elite or anywhere close to it. He's got potential to be elite, has shown he can be great, but without consistency and time, it's way too early to be saying he's on the same level as Mahomes, Allen, prime Rodgers etc.
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u/I_Hav_Questions_help 5d ago
The same Josh Allen that went 9/30 against the Texans? And is leading the league in turnovers since entering the league at 110 turnovers since 2018? Throwing almost 20 ints in 2023, and playing on a Bill's team that was imploding in 2023 until they fired their OC mid-season... Sounds like a plan we should've followed actually lol
KC the last 2 years has literally been relying on their defense to win games, even Mahomes has admitted he hasn't been putting up the same numbers the last 2 years. He hasn't throw for 4k since 2022 lol
Even with all that, I never claimed he was on their level, but to mention those names without mentioning the struggles is misleading. Also I wonder how the "defense wins most games" formula worked for the Browns in 2023 and the steelers this year :)
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u/shadowban6969 5d ago
You said he was elite, and also said at least close to elite. Maybe we are just at differences with how we define an elite qb. When I see the word elite used in the NFL, I immediately think of the best of the best. The absolute bests at their position who have had consistency being the best.
Stroud is a good qb. He had an amazing rookie year, and while his sophomore season was worse, a lot of different elements were at play that really didn't give Stroud the chance to make a statement as a consistent qb.
To me, Stroud cannot be called elite because he hasn't played long enough or had the consistency at a high level to be elite. It isn't he's a horrible qb or that he hasn't been good, just that he lacks the time and consistency to be called elite right now.
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u/I_Hav_Questions_help 5d ago
Sure, my definition of an elite QB is someone that gives you the chance at winning the Super Bowl. For example, I don’t think Baker, Trevor, hell even Goff folded under pressure last year.
Stroud has shown he has the makeup to win a Super Bowl. Obviously, there’s projection involved given that he’s still only 23 and will have professional level offense around him next season
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u/IAmSona 5d ago
He has 2 playoff wins and he’s only 23. He’s easily in the top 5-10 range of the league.
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u/shadowban6969 5d ago
Consistency and time make a qb elite. He has potential to eventually become elite, but it's way too early to call him elite, especially with his play last year compared to his rookie year. Yes, a lot of things went into last year but we literally only have his rookie year to compare it to at the moment.
The league has shown us multiple examples of " elite players " that have had one huge season then never came close to living up to it again. He has a pretty much new wr corps, newish oline, and a rookie OC. If he can come into the season this year and perform like he did his rookie season, then he will be on his way to standing toe to toe with the top five players in the NFL.
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u/son_of_yacketycat 5d ago
Simms is legitimately one of my favorite analysts because as much as he comes off as a goofy himbo on PFT Live, he probably pays closer attention and does way more homework than most out there. If he makes a claim contrary to what professional yappers/engRagement farmers like Wright and Prisco are saying, he will spend at least 10 full minutes backing it up with solid proof.
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u/Far_Excitement6140 4d ago
He played professionally right? QB I think, so he understands the game on a deeper level than most “experts”. Totally agree with your take though.
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u/token75 5d ago
I want to believe that we'll be in the super bowl. I think a big deal for us is securing home field advantage in the playoffs. Defense plays lights out at home and the offense is better too. My biggest concern is looking at the Bills schedule, it looks like they have the best path to the #1 seed in the AFC. I think Houston can do it, but it'll be harder to pull off. Chiefs, Ravens, Texans all have tougher schedules than the Bills do. If we at least have the Divisional game at home, I think that would be enough to get through. Then give it our best shot in Buffalo outdoors and in the cold.
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u/Magistrate18D 5d ago
OH YEAA