Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is doubtful for Sunday's game against the Titans.
Stroud has been working to get out of concussion protocol this week. However, head coach DeMeco Ryans said Stroud is "feeling better, but still in the concussion protocol" and hasn't practiced with the team all week.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapaport has reported that the Texans plan to start Davis Mills this week.
The #Texans are listing QB CJ Stroud (concussion) as doubtful. It'll be Davis Mills on Sunday.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 15, 2023
Stroud has been on a crash course to win Rookie of the Year. He is second in the NFL in passing yards with 3,631 and is 743 yards short of Andrew Luck's rookie passing yards record.
The Texans are 7-6 and in the hunt for a wild-card spot.
The Texans opened as 3-point underdogs against the Titans as the oddsmakers expected Stroud to miss this game. Once that was confirmed, the line moved to Texans +3.5 at most sportsbooks.
"Stroud has already become one of the better quarterbacks in the game and it’s about a five-point drop off from him to backup Davis Mills," Action Network NFL expert Sean Koerner said. "With Tank Dell done for season, Nico Collins’ injury is also massive. If Stroud and Collins are both out, it might be worth closer to 5.5-6 points."
If Stroud was ruled eligible to play, the Texans would have likely been 1- or 2-point favorites in this game.
