To close out the AFC Wild Card Round, C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans are set to take on Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Given that Stroud’s ability to improvise and move outside the pocket is his standout trait, he was asked about his tendency to use his legs in big games and whether that approach becomes more important in playoff games.

“I don’t know,” he said while speaking with Texans beat reporter Landry Locker. “I just try to play as fast as I can, I think every game I try to use my legs if I need to, but sometimes it doesn’t present.”

He seemed to play down that crucial ability. That said, it will be interesting to see how CJ Stroud uses his legs in the postseason, as also pointed out by the analyst.

Not to forget, his rushing production hasn’t looked the same since the concussion in Week 9.

CJ Stroud has rushed for a total of 20 yards since returning from the injury. And before the concussion, he ran for 20+ yards in six of eight games. As for his last two playoff games, he rushed for 42 yards in each game.

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His ability to move was the only good thing about the Texans’ offense when they were knocked out by the Chiefs. And it’s been there since his college days. One of the clearest examples came in a miserable weather game at Northwestern Wildcats, when the Ohio State Buckeyes battled rain and winds topping 30 miles per hour.

He’s not going to be compared to Josh Allen when it comes to raw power or volume as a runner. But he’s still effective, and there’s certainly room for even more growth there.

This past season, despite missing time with a concussion, he ranked third on the Texans in rushing yards. He’s totaled 209 yards so far. That matters, but it may not be the deciding factor this week.

The Steelers defense finished the regular season ranked 17th in scoring defense and 26th overall. They’re much tougher against the run, where they ranked 13th, than they are against the pass, where they came in 29th.

That could limit CJ Stroud’s opportunities to take off, which is exactly why he’s tried to temper expectations about his running ability. He knows it’s situational. Yet, he made it clear that he isn’t afraid. He just does what the situation demands. It also might be because he’s been spied on after all this time.

CJ Stroud makes feelings known about being spied on

Quarterbacks keep getting faster and a lot harder to pin down. You look around the league and see it everywhere. Dual-threat QBs like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson might cross your mind. How do you stay aggressive up front without letting the quarterback turn a broken play into a first down? That’s where the spy comes in.

It’s basically assigning one defender, usually a linebacker or safety, to do one job and one job only: track the quarterback. The idea is to take away escape lanes and make the quarterback think twice about taking off. And now, teams are starting to use that approach against CJ Stroud.

“I’ve been getting spied on lately. So, that’s kind of cool. I haven’t gotten spied on in my career, probably in a long time. But whatever the play presents. Whatever way you’ve got to get the job done, get it done.”

That narrative will be put to the test against the Steelers this week. It’ll possibly be the biggest test of Stroud’s career. When Stroud has been pressured this season, without the defense bringing extra rushers, he’s been vulnerable. On those snaps, he’s completed 69 of 139 passes for 828 yards, with five touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 65.3.

You can be sure Mike Tomlin is well aware of it. His team will likely attack all his weaknesses.