The Cleveland Browns went 26 years between their two most recent playoff wins. It won't be nearly as long before the Browns get their next victory in the postseason.
If Cleveland beats the Houston Texans on Saturday, it'll be three years since the Browns defeated rival Pittsburgh on Super Wild Card Weekend back in January of 2021. If the Browns can duplicate what they did in Houston back in Week 16, Kevin Stefanski will become the first Cleveland coach to win multiple playoff games since Marty Schottenheimer did so during the 1980s.
Houston won't be a pushover. C.J. Stroud, who didn't play when the Browns defeated the Texans three weeks ago, enjoyed one of the best regular seasons by a rookie quarterback in NFL history. Houston's defense, led by pass rusher Jonathan Greenard, finished the regular season with the fewest touchdown passes allowed (17) and the second-fewest yards-per-carry average (3.5) allowed.
Even with their strengths, the Browns should be able to win while advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs. Here are three reasons why.
1. Joe Flacco
You're not the only one who would have been shocked to read this six weeks ago. But here with are, with Flacco set to make his playoff debut with Cleveland. Flacco enters the playoffs as one of the NFL's hottest quarterbacks. His 4-1 record during the regular season included his 368-yard, three-touchdown performance in Cleveland's 36-22 win over Houston back in Week 16.
The former Super Bowl MVP has thrown for over 300 yards in each of his last four starts. And while he's thrown at least one pick in each of his starts, Flacco has more than made up for those mistakes with big plays. He's had completions of 57, 75 and 50 yards in his last three starts while adding a big-play element to Cleveland's offense.
2. Depth at the skill positions
Flacco has been elite, but he hasn't had to do it all by himself. In fact, a lot of Flacco's success can be attributed to his ability to maximize the talent around him.
He's developed a strong rapport with Amari Cooper, who torched Houston's defense three weeks ago to the tune of 265 yards and two touchdowns on 11 receptions. Flacco has also looked early and often to David Njoku, who, like Cooper, was recently tabbed as a Pro Bowler. Former New York Jet Elijah Moore has blossomed into a dependable No. 2 receiver.
Nick Chubb's season-ending injury way back in Week 2 could have sank Cleveland's season. But Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt picked up the slack by rushing for a combined 1,224 yards and 13 touchdowns. Ford has also made an impact in the passing game with 44 receptions and five touchdowns.
Cleveland's skill players have benefitted from the Browns' talented offensive line, led by Pro Bowl guard Joel Bitonio. While other units may get more credit, Cleveland's offense would likely settle for postseason success over individual accolades.
3. Third-down defense
Cleveland enters the playoffs with the NFL's top-ranked third down defense. The unit allowed opponents to convert on just 29.1 percent of their third-down attempts during the regular season. This is a bad sign for a Texans offense that was a pedestrian 19th in the NFL on third down this season.
Making matters worse for Houston is the fact that they were just 29th in the NFL in average yards per carry, which could to lead to a lot of obvious passing situations for Stroud on third down. That is surely music to Myles Garrett's ears.
When Stroud does throw, he'll be doing so against what was the NFL's top-ranked pass defense during the regular season. Simply put, this could be a long day for Stroud, unless he gets a lot of help from his friends on the defensive side of the ball.
