Who Should I Start? Justin Herbert or C.J. Stroud

Monday, October 6, 5:40 PM

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert had his worst game of the season, completing 22 of 29 passes for 166 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the team's 27-10 loss to the Washington Commanders. The offense looked disorganized, burdened by costly penalties and sloppy play for most of the afternoon. Herbert also led the team in rushing with four carries for 60 yards, showing how often he was pressured behind a depleted offensive line. Herbert has been hit 35 times in the last three games, as a wave of injuries on the offensive line continues to mount. As the team prepares for Week 6 against a struggling Miami Dolphins defense, the Chargers might need to rely more on the passing game since they just placed rookie running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) on IR. Herbert should have a chance to bounce back if his offensive line can give him some protection.

Sunday, October 5, 5:35 PM

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud completed 23 of 27 pass attempts for 244 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Week 5 win over the Baltimore Ravens. He also broke off a 30-yard rush and took two sacks. The former No. 2 pick showed flashes of his rookie self as the Texans took advantage of an injury-riddled Ravens defense. Stroud set his season high in completion rate, passing yards, and passing touchdowns along the way. This was a very soft matchup for the young quarterback, so Sunday's result doesn't necessarily mean he's back to being a high-end QB1 every week. However, at the very least, the big game should give him some confidence going forward and give the Texans something to build off of and learn from. Houston has a Week 6 bye, which means they'll have an extra week to figure out what went right as they develop their game plan for Week 7 against Seattle.