(05-10-2024, 11:54 AM)cland Wrote: Hehe, I guess I'm becoming a little touchy over the "Stroud is 'due' for a slump next year" postings.  I get it from the fans of the opposing team, in terms of wishful thinking, but when they try to back it up with nonsense reasoning it's irritating.  ie. "He had all day to throw the ball." (He played against the Steelers with 1 starter, 3 2nd stringers, and a 3rd stringer against TJ Watt and blew them out 30-6.)  "He just chucks the ball deep and the receivers bail him out."  (Noah "who's that" Brown had 172 yard against the Bengals and 153 yards against the Bucs.) And finally "The Ravens figured him out." (Well they did, in that they sent a dominant 4 man pass rush that beat the pants off of a banged up IOL with both of their Gs out and a new to the position rookie C.)  As Peyton Manning once stated "I don't want to be a bad teammate..."

Looking at his overall game, it's hard to see where he'll decline short of season-ending injuries to the Oline.  He has great field vision quickly progressing from his 1st to his 4th read, throws an extremely accurate and anticipated ball, manipulates the secondary with eyes, and throws to the open man no matter whose name is on the back of the jersey.  To me, this is very different when compared to running QBs like Vince Young/Cam Newton where an ankle/knee sprain throws their entire game off.  Or an inaccurate QB like Jameis Winston who couldn't help but throw unforced interceptions.  Or a QB that who forces the ball to a dominant #1 receiver that goes and fetches it, where a double-team or injury could take away their safety option.

Here's the scary part, the NFL record-setting rookie QB may just come back better in his 2nd year.  Now maybe I've drank to much Kool Aid and I'm giving into homerism as well, but we'll have to wait for the season before we know.

PS. ^The Texans actually beat the Bengals on the road with a healthy Burrow last year.  Stroud marched them down the field for a game winning FG with 1:30 left in the game.