FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) 鈥� One interception after another, C.J. Stroud dug Houston into a deeper hole.
And this time the Texans’ defense couldn鈥檛 save them.
A week after Stroud committed three turnovers in a wild-card victory over the Steelers, the Houston quarterback threw four interceptions in the first half on Sunday to hand and a spot in the AFC championship game.
鈥淏all security is everything, especially the way our defense has played all year, and it鈥檚 something that I鈥檝e done a pretty good job of up to this point,鈥� Stroud said. 鈥淚 think my whole team trusts me. They believe in me. Today just wasn鈥檛 my day, and I鈥檓 appreciative of my teammates having my back once again.鈥�
Houston turned the ball over a fifth time when running back Woody Marks 鈥� a hero of the wild-card win 鈥� fumbled on the doorstep of a potential touchdown while trailing 21-13 in the third quarter.
鈥淲e鈥檝e done a great job all year protecting the football and running the ball well. That鈥檚 been our formula,鈥� Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. 鈥淭o come here when we needed it most, and we didn鈥檛 protect the ball 鈥� it鈥檚 tough to think that you鈥檙e going to win a game and you turn the ball over five times.鈥�
On a cold afternoon that mixed rain and wet snow, Houston’s top-ranked defense hassled Drake Maye all game, forcing four fumbles (recovering two) and sacking him five times. The MVP contender finished 16 for 27 for 179 yards, but he also threw for three touchdowns.
鈥淲hen the snowflakes stop, I think it鈥檚 a little easier to throw the football, got a little better grip,鈥� Maye said. 鈥淚 think C.J. probably would say the same thing. We both probably had some throws that were tough, it was tough to get a grip on it.鈥�
The Texans only had 12 giveaways during the regular season and had a plus-17 turnover differential that was second-best in the league. Stroud threw one interception and fumbled five times , losing two, but the defense also scored a pair of touchdowns in the 30-6 victory.
鈥淔or us to come out in these past two games and have the amount of turnovers we鈥檝e had, it鈥檚 not winning football,鈥� Ryans said. 鈥淪o we鈥檝e got to find a way to not have that, clean it up and get it fixed.鈥�
That will be a job for the offseason, with Houston reaching the playoffs for a franchise-record third straight year but losing in the divisional round each time.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to play better football when we get in this moment. For the past three years, we have not,鈥� Ryans said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a magical elixir that鈥檚 going to happen to get past the divisional round.鈥�
The Texans took a 10-7 lead in the second quarter despite an early interception that cost the them a potential field goal. After forcing New England to punt, Stroud鈥檚 next pass was and returned for a touchdown.
The 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year was also picked off on the next possession, just four plays later, and again coming out of the two-minute warning. In their last seven possessions of the first half, the Texans had four interceptions, two three-and-outs and one touchdown.
鈥淚 think I鈥檓 a pretty self-confident person,鈥� Stroud said. 鈥淚 think when (the mistakes) started to pile up, I tried my best just to stay locked and realizing I鈥檝e just got to be there for my teammates. … I鈥檓 just grateful my teammates were picking me up.鈥�
What might have been most damaging was Marks鈥� fumble at the Patriots 17 in a one-score game. After stripping the ball from Maye at the New England 33, Houston ran four plays before Marks 鈥� who ran for 112 yards and a touchdown last week 鈥� gave it right back.
Though the Patriots only scored seven points off the Texans’ turnovers, the giveaways also twice took Houston out of position for a field goal and possibly more.
Ryans said he never lost faith in his quarterback.
In a sideline interview at halftime with his team trailing 21-10, the Texans coach said: 鈥淐.J. needs to understand: This team has his back. The first half is over. As bad as it looked, we still have a second half to go finish.鈥�
Afterward, Ryans said, 鈥淐.J. is our guy. I believed that he could come back out in the second half and flip it. I believed that he could play better, and he did that in the second half. He did play better.鈥�
Only a little bit better, though.
After completing 10 of 24 passes for 124 yards and the four interceptions in the first half, Stroud finished 20 of 47 for 212 yards. More important, he led the Texans to 10 points in the first half and just a pair of field goals in the second.
鈥淲e鈥檙e in this thing together from day one. It doesn鈥檛 change for me,鈥� Ryans said. 鈥淲hen things don鈥檛 go your way, you have bad performances, it鈥檚 not a time to point fingers or say it鈥檚 on one person. … We stick together.鈥�
___
AP NFL:
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
