In the Wild Card Weekend opener and the first game of the 2023 NFL playoffs, the Houston Texans took down the Cleveland Browns in dominating fashion, winning 45-14.
The Browns’ loss came amidst a tragic collapse with multiple turnovers and their worst defensive showing of the season. What else happened?
Browns Collapse, Lose to Texans in Wild Card Round
The game started in exciting fashion, with both teams playing promising football. The Texans scored first and left the first quarter with a 10-7 lead. The Browns responded quickly, though, with Joe Flacco passing to Kareem Hunt for a touchdown, giving the Browns a 14-10 lead.
The Texans, however, never stopped on offense. A 76-yard touchdown to Brevin Jordan and 37-yard touchdown to Dalton Schultz gave the Texans a 24-14 lead heading into halftime. Flacco left the first quarter passing 9/10 for 129 yards and the first half 15-19 for 172 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions.
However, Flacco’s second half was a nightmare. The Browns scored no points in the second half and handed the Texans two defensive touchdowns, both pick-sixes in the third quarter. Cornerback Steven Nelson took one 82 yards, while linebacker Christian Harris took one from 37 yards out.
STEVEN NELSON 82-YARD PICK-6 ‼️
The @HoustonTexans are ROLLING.
📺: #CLEvsHOU on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/jM781VisSx pic.twitter.com/ATLFAhrPJI— NFL (@NFL) January 13, 2024
The Texans finished the score out with a Devin Singletary 19-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving them the final score. The 45 points by the Texans were the most scored against the Browns all season. “We certainly did not play well enough to win,” said Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Despite the Browns’ defensive struggles, their offensive struggles were likely what doomed them. On top of the back-to-back pick-sixes, the Browns’ final three offensive drives all ended in turnovers on downs. Flacco finished the game 34-46 for 307 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
Despite Flacco’s struggles, Stefanski would not place all the blame on him. “I’m not going to boil this game down to one or two plays,” said Stefanski. “We all share the blame in this one.”
Flacco was signed to the Browns midseason and took the team on a magical run. Prior to joining the Browns, he had gone unsigned. Nearing 39 years old and being an impending free agent, it could have been his last ride on Saturday. If it was his last rodeo, Flacco will finish 18th all-time in passing yards and 28th in passing touchdowns.
“I was so fortunate to become a part of this team,” said Flacco. “I love being a part of this team; that’s where my head is right now. Trying to digest it and soak it in.”
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On the flip side, Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud was nearly perfect. Before leaving the game early in the fourth quarter, Stroud was 16 of 21 for 274 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. “He operated really well today; he made plays all throughout the game,” said Stefanski about Stroud.
One shocking stat in the game was in reference to the Browns’ defense. Despite having Defensive Player of the Year candidate Myles Garrett, the Browns; defense did not record a single sack during the entire game. That had happened just once this year, when they lost to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13.
“Yeah, we played poor,” said Garrett. “We just didn’t execute. We were out of position in different levels of the defense; it’s a shame.”
Now, the Browns will turn their focus toward the offseason. The Texans will advance to the Divisional Round, where they will learn their opponent by Tuesday morning.
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