C.J. Stroud Shines in Preseason Debut as Texans Beat Steelers 20-12
PITTSBURGH – In his preseason debut, C.J. Stroud threw a touchdown pass to Tank Dell, helping the Houston Texans secure a 20-12 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday night.
Held out of the Hall of Fame game last week against Chicago, Stroud completed 2 of 4 passes for 41 yards.
Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in 2023, had an impressive performance with 4,108 yards passing and 23 touchdowns last season, leading the Texans (1-1) to the AFC South championship and a victory in the wild-card round.
Reflecting on his performance, Stroud said, “When you go out there, you have limited plays. You want to execute at a high level and make sure the ball is going where it’s supposed to and really play fast and use your instincts. That’s how it felt today.”
Leading the Texans to a touchdown on a three-play series after a three-and-out, Stroud showcased his skills by threading a pass to Dell for a 34-yard score. Dell, who had 708 receiving yards before a season-ending injury last year, impressed by dodging missed tackles.
Justin Fields played three series for Pittsburgh (0-1), finishing 5 of 6 for 67 yards. Despite showing promise, Fields was sacked twice and had two fumbled exchanges.
Pittsburgh acquired Fields – the No. 11 overall pick in 2021 – from Chicago for a conditional sixth-round choice in 2025. The Steelers traded Kenny Pickett, their first-round pick in 2022, after signing Russell Wilson in March.
The Steelers missed some opportunities, including quarterback Kyle Allen failing to connect with Calvin Austin III in the end zone. Allen finished with 17 of 23 passes for 193 yards, including a late interception and a touchdown pass to Connor Heyward.
Houston scored its second touchdown with a 4-yard run by Dare Ogunbowale after a muffed punt by Pittsburgh’s Quez Watkins.
Defensive end Danielle Hunter shined for Houston with two tackles, a sack, and two quarterback pressures. The Texans signed Hunter after a standout season with Minnesota.
The Steelers placed Markus Golden on the reserved/retired list and restored Cordarrelle Patterson to the active roster. Pittsburgh’s first-round pick Troy Fautanu and teammate Keeanu Benton left the game with injuries.
Next up, the Texans will host the New York Giants, while the Steelers will host Buffalo.
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