At 3-5 and sitting outside of the AFC playoffs halfway through the season, the Texans could be without quarterback C.J. Stroud, compounding their offensive woes.

Houston’s C.J. Stroud is out with a concussion after hitting his head hard on the ground at the end of a run in the second quarter Sunday against Denver.

Dec 3, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) attempts to escape the grasp of Denver Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton (49) during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos captains for the game were Bo Nix, Talanoa Hufanga, and Alex Singleton. They would win the opening coin toss and defer possession to the second half to bring C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans offense out to start the game.

The Texans have won three of their last four games heading into Week 9. How does the season align with the expectations at this point?

It's also worth noting that the Broncos’ All-Pro linebacker Dre Greenlaw will return to the fold after missing one game through suspension, so it will be no mean feat for Stroud and Co. to gain positive traction irrespective of Surtain being sidelined.

Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos will face C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans in Week 9 of the NFL season on Sunday.

The Texans lost C.J. Stroud to a concussion and the game on the final play to the Denver Broncos. Here's how we graded their performance.