Houston Texans legend Andre Johnson criticizes quarterback C.J. Stroud's body language

However, it's going to take time for the Texans quarterback to win back everyone's confidence. For proof of that, look no further than an appearance franchise legend Andre Johnson made on the "LGND TLK" podcast hosted by former NBA player Kendrick Perkins and Houston rapper Lil Keke.

Perkins has long been a Stroud critic , and although the quarterback completed 26-of-38 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns against the Bills, the Beaumont native and ESPN NBA analyst focused more on Stroud's two fumbles, saying Stroud is not a Super Bowl-winning quarterback.

Johnson put more of the blame for Sunday's loss on the Texans' defense, which gave up 36 points, saying, "any time you're giving up that many points, it's going to be hard to win."

However, the Pro Football Hall of Famer didn't totally exonerate Stroud, who didn't come to an agreement on a new contract during the offseason, willing to play another year under his rookie deal in hopes of playing his way into an ever bigger contract after the season.

After the Texans' defense surrendered a late touchdown to the Bills, the Texans got the ball back at their own 29 with 1:27 remaining. Stroud took his team all the way to the Buffalo 9, but took a sack and then fumbled on another sack on back-to-back plays that ended Houston's final possession.

"When you're betting on yourself and it's time for that contract year and you got that ball in your hands at the end of the game, you've got to go down and score and win the game," Johnson said on the episode that was released Tuesday . "I think when you are in a contract situation and you're in those moments, like you're going against Josh Allen , he's a top quarterback in the NFL. When you're trying to get to that level where you say you want to be (one of) the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. I'm just going to be honest: Who was the best quarterback on the field yesterday? So, when you play and you're in those moments, you've got to live up to what you want. You've got to go out there and show that the money that you want, that you're worth it."

Johnson was more critical of the emotions Stroud shows on the field when things don't go his way, which was especially evident in last season's 28-16 playoff loss to New England when he threw four interceptions in the first half.

"I dislike his body language. His body language is bad," Johnson said. "Any time something happens, it's like… He has bad body language. Me being a former player, your quarterback having that kind of body language is bad because other guys look at you as the quarterback, so when they see you feeling a certain way or your body language is a certain way, it kind of trickles down to the team. I'd say that's the biggest thing that bothers me when I watch the team play."

Despite that, Johnson, who almost always is in attendance for Texans home games, still sounds like a believer in Stroud, who showed better body language Sunday, especially when he scrambled for a big first down and jumped to his feet fired up, which got the crowd even more into the game.

"At the end of the day, talent and all that s- is there," Johnson said. "I'm not going to lie, for me to see him take off running with the ball and jump up and beat his chest, I'm like s- , that's what we need. I thought him doing that was positive. You saw, he got up, hit his chest and the crowd went crazy because you're seeing a different side of C.J. that you've never seen because you've never really seen that from him except maybe since his rookie year. I think for him, the talent and all that s- is right there. It's sitting right there in front of us and we all see it. It's up to him to go out there and make those plays."

In the 68-minute podcast that covers topics throughout the NFL, including former Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson , Johnson didn't reserve his criticisms just for Stroud. When Perkins said the Texans would have gone farther in the playoffs last year if they had Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott , instead of Stroud, Johnson just laughed, adding, "What has Dak won?"