C.J. Stroud, Texans dominate Browns in wild-card rout

HOUSTON — Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans had a coming-out occasion of their 45-14 AFC wild-card win over the Cleveland Browns on Saturday at NRG Stadium, with Stroud throwing three first-half landing passes and the Texans’ protection returning two second-half Joe Flacco interceptions for scores.

Stroud related on scoring strikes with huge receiver Nico Collins and tight ends Brevin Jordan and Dalton Schultz, whereas cornerback Steven Nelson and linebacker Christian Harris tallied pick-sixes to place the sport out of attain and advance Houston to the divisional spherical of the playoffs for the primary time since 2019.

Working again Kareem Hunt scored two TDs for the Browns.

Houston Texans

The Texans put collectively as spectacular of a efficiency as they’ve had in years. Stroud — who missed the Week 16 loss to the Browns resulting from a concussion — was the catalyst, going 16-for-21 passing for 274 yards and three touchdowns. However he wasn’t the one star for Houston. The Texans’ protection compelled Flacco into two interceptions that had been returned for TDs, turning a aggressive sport right into a rout after holding Cleveland’s offense to 14 factors.

This outing demonstrated what the Texans can do once they’re hitting on all cylinders. The throttling of the Browns, who had overwhelmed such playoff groups because the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers, exhibits the Texans can compete with anybody within the NFL when enjoying at their finest.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Full domination. When the Texans confronted Cleveland in Week 16, their protection allowed 36 factors, and their offense did not rating a landing till the fourth quarter. This time, the Texans registered 45 factors earlier than there have been two minutes gone within the fourth quarter, beating the Browns by way of the air and on the bottom and posting two defensive scores.

Underneath the radar stat that issues: Flacco had a passer ranking of 31.7 when pressured, going 6-for-10 and throwing a fateful 82-yard pick-six to Nelson. That put the Texans up 31-14 with 6:05 left within the third quarter.

Purchase a breakout efficiency: Harris had the very best sport of his two-year profession. The linebacker completed with eight tackles, a sack and an interception that he returned for a 36-yard landing to place the Browns away.

Eye-popping NextGen stat: Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. was matched up with Browns wideout Amari Cooper for 80% of Flacco’s dropbacks, and Cooper did not have a single catch whereas being guarded by Stingley. — DJ Bien-Aime

Subsequent sport: Divisional spherical vs. TBD (both on the Ravens, Buffalo Payments or Kansas Metropolis Chiefs or at residence towards the Miami Dolphins) on Jan. 20 or Jan. 21.

Cleveland Browns

Joe Flacco’s magical run with the Browns got here to a crashing finish.

The 38-year-old quarterback, who revived Cleveland’s playoff hopes after signing with workforce in November, threw a pair of pick-sixes within the third quarter to ignite the Texans’ rout.

No NFL quarterback had thrown a number of pick-sixes in a playoff sport since Washington’s Todd Collins did so in a 2007 wild-card sport on the Seattle Seahawks. And Flacco turned the primary signal-caller to have interceptions returned for touchdowns on consecutive drives within the playoffs because the Raiders’ Wealthy Gannon in Tremendous Bowl XXXVII (2002 season).

Pivotal play: The Browns had taken a 14-10 lead early within the second quarter and appeared to be asserting management. However on the primary play of the following possession, Houston tight finish Jordan launched from the road of scrimmage off play-action unguarded. Defensive finish Ogbo Okoronkwo and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah chased after Stroud as a substitute, leaving Jordan huge open. Stroud dumped the ball off to Jordan, who broke by way of cornerback Martin Emerson Jr.’s arm deal with and raced in for a 76-yard landing. The Texans by no means appeared again.

Largest gap within the sport plan: The Browns and their vaunted move rush couldn’t get any stress on Stroud, who carved them up in return. Within the first half alone, Stroud threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns and wasn’t sacked as soon as. Cleveland’s No. 1-ranked protection inexplicably did not present up.

Describe the sport in two phrases: Intestine punch. With a harmful downfield passing assault and a dominant protection, the Browns appeared to have the substances to lastly make a deep playoff run. As an alternative, they had been uncovered throughout the board, which figures to overshadow all of the accidents this workforce overcame to get into the postseason. — Jake Trotter

Subsequent sport: Season over.