At some point this postseason, the Kansas City Chiefs are going to have to prepare for and contend with a quarterback who can change the game with his legs. And while most of Chiefs Kingdom will expect such concerns to creep up in the AFC Championship—assuming the team advances that far—it could be an issue as soon as this Saturday.
Houston Texans' quarterback C.J. Stroud is primarily recognized for his passing acumen rather than his rushing ability. After all, during the 2024 regular season, he put up 233 rushing yards on 52 attempts with no rushing touchdowns—not exactly reminiscent of Michael Vick here. However, Stroud showcased a scrambling ability in the Wild Card round to raise eyebrows in Chiefs Kingdom.
C.J. Stroud's ability to move the chains with his legs was a surprise against L.A.
In the Texans' victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, Stroud showcased his mobility by rushing for 42 yards, including a 27-yard scramble that set up a crucial field goal before halftime.
Stroud's mobility could present a unique challenge for the Chiefs defense—at least until Steve Spagnuolo is forced to adjust. Typically a Stroud-on-the-move is not a concern but with the loss of Tank Dell for the season and injuries potentially affecting or limiting the likes of Joe Mixon and Dalton Schultz, the Texans might apply pressure on the defense by giving Stroud more of a leash to scramble.
Given that Stroud's career-high in rushing yards in a game is only 59 yards, set earlier this year against the New York Jets, no one should expect the Texans QB to look like Lamar Jackson on Saturday. That said, the Chargers were likely surprised to see such positive gains from Stroud as they were booted from the postseason. The Chiefs might want to keep an eye on him as well.