CJ Stroud takes the blame after the Texans’ collapse against the Lions

HOUSTON – A frustrated CJ Stroud took responsibility Sunday night after the Houston Texans blew a 16-point halftime lead against the Detroit Lions, saying, “This game is on me.”

The second-year quarterback blamed himself and the offense for the second-half woes that wrecked the Texans in their 26-23 loss to Detroit. Houston’s defense forced Lions quarterback Jared Goff into five interceptions, the most in a prime-time game since former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees had the same total against the Atlanta Falcons in 2012.

The Texans (6-4) became the second team since 1933 to lose a game in which they caught five interceptions and led by at least 15. Previously, teams were 373-1-1 when leading by at least 15 and grabbing five interceptions. The other time a team lost this way, according to ELIAS, was in Week 11 of 1970, when the Chicago Bears lost to the Baltimore Colts 21-20 despite Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas throwing five interceptions.

“Definitely should have won that game,” Stroud said. “My job is to lead the offense to score points, and I didn’t do that today. … We really should have put them away after the first half. It’s really up to the offense.”

The problems in the second half were the issue for the Texans. This season they have surpassed 59 points, which puts them 31st in the league. They scored zero points against Detroit and fueled the Lions’ comeback.

In the first half, Stroud led the Texans to 23 points by throwing for 164 yards and a touchdown. But in the second half he threw for 68 yards, completing 39% of his throws and had two interceptions in the third quarter, one of which came in the end zone, as the Texans led 23-13.

“It’s not good enough. Turning the football over there, especially in the red zone, or coming out,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We talked about starting in the second half and we talked about getting better in the second half. But to come out and turn the ball over on the first play of the second half and get into the red zone where we have points and turn the ball over, that’s not a football win.”

Ryans said it was “frustrating” to lose a game in which the Texans took the ball away from such a potent offense. He lamented the inability to score points through turnovers, adding that “we didn’t play complementary football”.

“I’m proud of the defense for causing five turnovers. I think it’s a big day for any defense,” Ryans said. “We stalled a lot of attacks. We didn’t score any points in the second half either. To beat such a good football team we have to be able to sustain attacks. We have to be able to score points. And we went back way too much.

Entering Week 10, the Texans averaged 9.1 second-half points and have not scored a second-half touchdown since their 41-21 win over the New England Patriots in Week 6. Running back Joe Mixon had 46 rushing yards and a touchdown on Sunday, saying this loss was “painful” but adding that the Texans “won’t back down.”

“We’re not going anywhere,” Mixon said. “We know what kind of team we are, we know what we are capable of. We just have to finish.”

As the season progresses, frustration grows over second-half woes and the Texans’ offensive linemen desperately search for an answer.

“We are not an efficient offense in the second half. What we did in the first half was we had our foot on the pedal and we were firing on all cylinders,” left tackle Laremy Tunsil told ESPN. “Then we come into the second half, take our foot off the pedal and that’s something we can’t do if we want to be a championship team in football. We struggle with this all year round. That’s up to all of us.” That’s me, I have to play better too. We all have to do it.