C.J. Stroud hits Nico Collins for first TD in playoffs

January 12, 2025

in NFL

Reading Time: 2 mins read

DJ Bien-Aime, ESPNJan 11, 2025, 06:20 PM ET

CloseDJ Bien-Aime covers the Houston Texans for ESPN. He joined ESPN in July of 2022 after protecting the New York Jets. He is a former athlete who completed his faculty profession at Louisville. You may catch DJ on ESPN Radio on his present, “Talkin’ Texans.”

HOUSTON — The Texans’ offense lastly awoke as quarterback C.J. Stroud hit wideout Nico Collins for a landing to place the staff up 7-6 over the Los Angeles Chargers within the second quarter Saturday within the wild-card opener of the playoffs.

YEAHHHHH 1️⃣2️⃣ 🙌

📺: @Nickelodeon and @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/xC0kXz1OKi

— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 11, 2025

The Texans’ offense was dormant by way of the vast majority of the primary half with Stroud throwing an interception and wideout John Metchie III dropping a fumble. However with 6:15 remaining within the half, Stroud capped a 99-yard drive with the 13-yard landing.

It was the primary landing of the afternoon by both staff.

Stroud had two large performs on the drive, with one coming when he recovered a fumbled snap earlier than rolling proper and airing a dart to wideout Xavier Hutchinson for a 34-yard reception. Stroud additionally had a 34-yard move to Collins that helped get the offense within the purple zone earlier than it completed in the long run zone.

Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn was in a position to prolong the result in 10-6 with a 41-yard discipline aim earlier than the half ended.

Fairbairn tacked on one other discipline aim within the third quarter earlier than the Texans’ protection determined to get in on the enjoyable when security Eric Murray intercepted Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert and returned it 38 yards to place the Texans up 20-6. That was the fourth defensive landing for Houston of this season together with playoffs, tying the Seattle Seahawks for the second most within the NFL.