🏈 Stroud Has Quickly Changed Texans' Fortunes

The Texans picked C.J. Stroud second, and four games in, their future is much brighter. [View in browser]( In today’s FOX Sports Insider with Martin Rogers: C.J. Stroud has given the Texans an extremely bright future … Which team is on top of the latest NFL power rankings? … and more! The football world truly works in weird ways. Going into the final game of last season, the Houston Texans, not-so-proud owners of a 2-13-1 record, were primed for the No. 1 selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. With less than a minute left in the finale, they trailed the Indianapolis Colts by seven points and appeared fully on course for the dubious emotional mix of having a first overall pick in your pocket, combined with the gnawing reality that you were bad enough to earn it. Then, suddenly, a miraculous comeback, a late drive, a touchdown that then-QB Davis Mills described as "lucky", a two-point conversion, a drop to No. 2 in the draft order, and eventually … C.J. Stroud. Of course, it is possible that Houston would have taken Stroud even if they hadn't surrendered the No. 1 spot to the Bears, who then traded it to the Panthers, who then took Bryce Young. But we will never know. What we do know is that four games into the new campaign, the Texans could not be more delighted with how things played out. They are walking tall, feeling light and have the sense that a fresh dawn has arrived. Stroud has brought the vibes, putting together an initial body of work that simply cannot be faulted and, more importantly, sticking some smiles back on faces after a long, long stretch of the grumps. Coming out of last weekend's 30-6 demolition of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and going into Sunday's visit to the Atlanta Falcons (1:00 ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app), the positive vibes are rolling emphatically through the Texans organization and the lift that comes with believing they have found the right guy is palpable. For the rest of the story, [click here.]( [STORY IMAGE 1] [IN OTHER WORDS] - Who are the league's best teams, who moved up and who fell? David Helman breaks down his [updated power rankings]( with the Bills moving up after a big win. - Players, coaches, front-office staff, team attendants and security guards alike all agree: [Kyle Schwarber is the glue of the Phillies clubhouse](. Jake Mintz has the story of a clubhouse leader and great guy. - The Twins won their first postseason game in 19 tries — and 19 years. Jordan Shusterman [shares his takeaways]( from Minnesota's Game 1 wild-card victory over Toronto. - Rowan Kavner examines how an untimely injury to All-Star Adolis García opened the door for rookie Evan Carter — and [helped both players maximize the Rangers' offense]( ahead of the postseason. For the latest news and updates, [click here.]( [VIEWER'S GUIDE] Arizona Diamondbacks at Milwaukee Brewers (ESPN2, 7:08 p.m. ET) Zac Gallen takes the mound for the Diamondbacks as they look to win the series with a win against the Christian Yelich and the Brewers. Miami Marlins at Philadelphia Phillies (ESPN, 8:08 p.m. ET) Aaron Nola and the Phillies aim to finish off the Marlins in the second game of the series when they clash in Philadelphia. LAFC at Minnesota United (FS1, 10:30 p.m. ET) LAFC and Minnesota collide with each looking to pick up key points with seeding and playoff berths are up for grabs as the MLS season winds down. For all of today's games and scores, [click here](. [BET OF THE DAY] Minnesota Twins to win the 2023 World Series (+2000) From FOX Sports Betting Analyst: Will Hill The Central has gotten a (well-deserved) reputation for flopping in the playoffs, but that is part of why the Twins are being overlooked and undervalued. The path is not easy, and anyone can lose a two-out-of-three series to anyone else, but if they can survive the Blue Jays, the American League is as wide open as it has been in recent memory. There is no reason the Twins can't make a run. For the latest betting odds, [click here](. [FOLLOW FOX SPORTS] [Twitter]( [Facebook]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Download FOX Sports App: [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [Google Play]( [App Store]( [Fire TV]( [Roku]( [App Store]( [Google Play]( Also available on these devices: [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV | Vizio | LG Smart TV] [fireTV | AppleTV | ROKU | Google Chromecast | XBOX ONE | SAMSUNG Smart TV | Vizio | LG Smart TV] Trademark & Copyright Notice: ™ and © 2023 Fox Media LLC and FOX Sports Interactive Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Please do not reply to this message. If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, please [unsubscribe](. FOX Sports respects your privacy. Click [here]( to view our Privacy Policy. Fox.com Business & Legal Affairs - Manager Digital Media P.O. Box 900 Beverly Hills, California 90213-0900