C.J. Stroud, largely a consistent availability during his 2 1/2 seasons as the quarterback of the Houston Texans, transitions to spectator Sunday.
Stroud, who has started all 40 games in which he has played, will be inactive for a critical AFC South duel with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Stroud did not practice on Wednesday after leaving last week’s game against Denver with a concussion.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans said backup Davis Mills will start at quarterback for Houston (3-5).
Considering Stroud previously sustained a concussion during his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2023 and missed two games late in the season, Ryans said they’ll be diligent and not rush him back in this recovery.
The timing isn’t great for the Texans, who have lost two of their last three games after nearly crawling back to .500 from an 0-3 start.
It’s also not great timing for an offense that has struggled for consistency this season, tied for 24th in the league in scoring offense (21.0 points per game).
But Ryans deflected a question Wednesday about his confidence in first-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley’s game-planning and play-calling.
“We all got to do better. It’s all-encompassing,” Ryans said. “It’s not one person, it’s not one coach. It’s everybody collectively involved in this together, we’ve got to do a better job.”
Mills has been with Houston since it selected him in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft, throwing for 6,327 yards with 35 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. This will be his first start since Jan. 8, 2023.
“Week-in and week-out, I’ve always had the mindset that I could play at any given snap,” Mills said. “… That’s what I get paid to do. Always be prepared. It’s nice having a full week of practice going into this game.”
Jacksonville is coming off a chaotic 30-29 overtime road win over the Las Vegas Raiders to snap its two-game losing streak. The Jaguars (5-3) scored the final six times they touched the ball and won on a batted-down two-point-conversion pass attempt.
The offense bounced back thanks to a strong game on the ground with 151 rushing yards. Trevor Lawrence ran in two of Jacksonville’s three rushing scores while amassing 220 passing yards.
Jacksonville’s depleted receiver depth contributed to the team’s emphasis on the running game. Two-way rookie star Travis Hunter was placed on injured reserve with knee injury, Tim Patrick is nursing a groin injury, and Brian Thomas Jr. (ankle, shoulder) and Dyami Brown (shoulder) are dealing with injuries.
Parker Washington rose to the occasion with eight catches for 90 yards. However, the Jaguars’ front office added some depth by acquiring Jakobi Meyers from the Raiders for a fourth- and a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Meyers, 28, had a career-high 1,027 yards in 2024 for the Raiders, but has seen his production fall off this year with just 33 catches for 352 yards.
“The challenge is the balance of how much he can handle, how quickly can he get the formations down,” Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said of quickly acclimating Meyers. “… That’ll be a process throughout this week.”
The Texans were without 10 players at Wednesday’s practice. In addition to Stroud, running back Nick Chubb (foot), tight end Harrison Bryant (shoulder), offensive linemen Ed Ingram (knee) and Tytus Howard (concussion), defensive linemen Will Anderson Jr. (quad) and Denico Autry (knee), linebacker Christian Harris (shin), safety Jalen Pitre (concussion) and kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn (quad) were out. Receiver Braxton Berrios (chest) and tight end Dalton Schultz (knee/shoulder) were limited.
For Jacksonville, Patrick was a full participant, Brown was limited and Thomas did not practice on Wednesday. Cornerback Jourdan Lewis (neck), offensive lineman Ezra Cleveland (knee/ankle) and tight end Hunter Long (hip/knee) also did not practice while Hamilton (back) and linebackers Dennis Gardeck (chest) and Jack Kiser (quad) were limited.
