After week 18’s victory, CJ Stroud became the fifth rookie in NFL history to achieve the feat of reaching a 4,000-yard milestone.

CJ Stroud and DeMeco Ryans (Via Yebscore/Texans Wire)

Having a spectacular season as a rookie isn’t quite easy, yet by also ending the team’s four-year postseason drought, CJ Stroud has made the impossible happen.

Not only did the young quarterback prove he was worth being the second overall pick, but he also turned the season around as he became the starter for the Houston Texans.

After three embarrassing and dreadful seasons, it seems like a repeat pattern for the Texans since they decided to move forward with a rookie as the starter.

But Stroud stood up to the expectations and to his promise in July at the Houston camp when he claimed his team would shock the world. And they sure did, as they clinched a spot in the playoffs that many hadn’t expected.

On top of that, by logging 4,108 passing yards and 23 touchdowns, Stroud became the fifth rookie in NFL history to achieve the feat of reaching a 4,000-yard milestone.

However, when asked by head coach DeMeco Ryans about Stroud’s stellar performance, he didn’t seem that surprised, as he always believed in the rookie’s ability to step up when the team needed him the most.

C.J. doesn't surprise me. We talked about it earlier in the week with C.J. being special in these big-time moments when you need it most, to step up and make plays. He's done it time after time throughout the entire year. It's not surprising. That's who he is. He's one of the best passers in this league. And he shows it consistently, game in and game out.

Said the Texans’ proud head coach via ESPN.

Despite being without leading receivers such as Tank Dell, Robert Woods, and Noah Browns, Houston’s offense pulled off the victory, all because of Stroud’s connection with receiver Nico Collins. HC Ryans also praised the dynamic duo and said they are “the reason why we won this game.“

How did the Houston Texans go from being the worst franchise to the playoffs?

The credit for Houston clinching the playoff spot doesn’t entirely go to the rookie superstar. In fact, the turnover began even before he was drafted, and that’s because of the head coach, DeMeco Ryans.

At the beginning of last year, the franchise took the big step of hiring the legendary former Texans linebacker as head coach.

Texans solid offensive line (Via Battle Red Blog)

After that, the Texans decided to draft Stroud, after the Carolina Panthers passed on him, and traded the third overall draft pick to bring edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. into the team.

And with Collins as receiver and Derek Stingley Jr. as cornerback, the whole offensive line as well as defense improved significantly. In no time, the Texans went from being the worst franchise to straight into the playoffs.

Moreover, the Texans also have a solid chance of winning the divisional title. They will officially gain the title at 10-7 if their divisional rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars, lose to the Tennessee Titans in Week 18.