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Texans vs. Browns score, takeaways: C.J. Stroud makes history, Joe Flacco throws 2 pick-sixes in playoff rout

It was a tale of two entirely different games for the two QBs

In the blink of an eye, Saturday's Super Wild Card Weekend Showdown between the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns changed on a dime. Just seconds after falling behind in the second quarter, the Texans re-gained the lead and proceeded to score 35 unanswered points in their eventual 45-14 win. 

Fittingly, the go-ahead touchdown was thrown by C.J. Stroud, whose 236 passing yards in the first half is a new rookie playoff record. Stroud, whose three first-half touchdown passes tied a playoff rookie single-game record, gave Houston the lead for good on his 76-yard touchdown pass to Brevin Jordan with 12 minutes left until halftime. His 37-yard touchdown pass to Dalton Schultz late in the half gave Houston a 24-14 lead at intermission. 

The game officially got away from the Browns midway through the third quarter, when Joe Flacco threw the first of his two pick-sixes in a two-minute span. Steven Nelson authored the first pick-six on an 82-yard return. Christian Harris followed suit moments later on his 36-yard catch-and-carry. 

Kareem Hunt scored two first-half touchdowns, but the Browns were unable to keep pace with the Texans, whose 31-point win is the largest margin of victory in franchise postseason history. 

Here's a closer look at Houston's fifth postseason win. 

Why the Texans won 

Houston made it a track meet in the first half while forcing Cleveland to try to keep pace. It did so by getting Stroud in rhythm and taking away a Browns running game that gained just 56 yards on 20 carries. Stroud was aided by an offensive line that not allow a single sack. 

In retrospect, Stroud's touchdown pass to Schultz was a big moment in the game. It further stretched Houston's lead while putting more pressure on Flacco and the Browns' offense. That surely contributed to the pick-sixes that ended the game in the third quarter. 

Really, though, this game mostly came down to the play of the two quarterbacks, whose 17-year age gap is the most by opposing playoff QBs. Stroud had a near perfect passer rating, while Flacco continued his trend of turning the ball over. 

Why the Browns lost 

Sure, they had some comebacks this season, including a Week 14 win over the Jaguars that was Flacco's breakout game with the Browns. But largely, the Browns are a front-running team that thrives off of dictating things to their opponents. That wasn't the case Sunday. 

Trailing for most of the game forced the Browns to rely more on Flacco, who did complete 15 of his first 19 passes for 172 yards and a touchdown. But Flacco's early success wasn't sustainable, as the Texans increased their pressure (sacking Flacco four times) while forcing arrant passes. 

The offense struggled, but Cleveland's defense also played a huge role in the loss. The unit applied no pressure on Stroud, were unable to keep him in the pocket and put on a clinic for how not to tackle. It was a humbling ending for a defense that had was a major reason why the Browns won 11 games this season despite starting five different quarterbacks. 

Turning point 

Everyone who watched this game knows when the turning point happened. It occurred on Nelson's pick-six that gave Houston a 31-14 lead with 6:05 left in the third quarter. Derek Barnett's pressure of Flacco contributed to Nelson's game-changing play. 

Play of the game 

Nelson's play changed the game, but Harris' pick-six moments later sealed the win for Houston. On the play, Harris perfectly read Flacco's eyes before stepping in front of Harrison Bryant, catching the ball and heading for pay dirt. 

Harris made history by becoming the first player since Texans legend JJ Watt to record a pick-six and a sack in a playoff game. 

We also need to give props to the Texans' offense on their go-ahead score that saw Jordan receive a huge block by wideout Xavier Hutchinson. 

Quotable I 

"It instills a lot of confidence in us. He's a God fearing individual. To see a young guy go there and keep his composure. It kind of instills faith in everybody else as well." Harris on Stroud during his postgame interview with NBC Sports 

Quotable II 

What's next 

The Texans will await their opponent in the AFC divisional round. Houston will host another playoff game if both Kansas City and Buffalo lose over the next two days. The Texans are one win away from advancing to their first-ever AFC title game. 

Cleveland heads into the offseason after going 11-6 during the 2023 season. The Browns made the playoffs despite losing Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson to season-ending injuries. 

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Despite being 38 years old, Flacco has also thrived on designed rollout passes this season, completing 13 of his 17 attempts for 322 passing yards and four touchdowns in 2023. On the flip side, Houston has a problem there, too. They allowed the most passing yards per attempt (11.2) on designed rollouts this season. Flacco shredded them on rollouts back in Week 16, completing all three of his passes on them for 92 yards and touchdown.

Cooper (485 receiving yards from Weeks 13-17, third most in the NFL) and tight end David Njoku's (led all tight ends with 390 receiving yards and 230 yards after catch from Weeks 13-17) connections with Flacco have taken the Browns offense to another level. 

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Kevin Stefanski's answers against Houston's defense are simple play-action passing and wide receiver Amari Cooper. Quarterback Joe Flacco led the NFL in passing yards (1,616) while ranking ninth in yards per pass attempt (7.9) in his five starts for the Browns after coming off the couch from Weeks 13-17. 

When zooming in on those numbers, Flacco racked up over half of that production on his NFL-best 857 passing yards and passing yards per attempt (12.6) off of play-action in that span. That's a problem area for the Texans who allowed the most passing yards (1,495) and the second-most passing yards per attempt (10.2) on play-action. 

 

C.J. Stroud's absence in Week 16 was obviously critical as the rookie is already the third player in the last 50 seasons to lead the NFL outright in passing yards per game (273.9) and touchdown-to-interception ratio (23-5, minimum 10 starts) along with Hall of Famer Joe Montana (1989) and future Hall of Famer Tom Brady (2007).  

 

This game is a rematch of a Week 16 showdown in the exact same venue down in Houston, one the Browns triumphed in 36-22. It's worth nothing a couple things about that game: NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year favorite and Houston Texans starting quarterback C.J. Stroud didn't play because of a concussion, and Browns Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper went nuclear with 265 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns on 11 catches. Those 265 yards set the Browns' single-game record and stood as the most in a game in the 2023 season. 

 

The Texans can certainly thank the Browns for helping them become their Super Wild Card Weekend opponent since Houston's deal that sent former quarterback Deshaun Watson to Cleveland landed it the best rookie edge rusher: 2023 third overall pick Will Anderson Jr. His 59 quarterback pressures are the third most by a rookie in the last five seasons, trailing 2021 Micah Parsons (67) and 2019 Nick Bosa (80). 

Here's a look at the Texans' haul from the Watson trade (players and eventual results of picks acquired:

*The Browns traded three first-round picks -- a third, and two fourth-round picks for Deshaun Watson.

 

Browns kicker Dustin Hopkins, who missed the last two games of the regular season with a left hamstring injury, is ruled out. Cleveland will have Riley Patterson at kicker in his place. Patterson began the season with the Detroit Lions, but he was replaced by Michael Badgley after he went 15-17 on field goals and 35-37 on extra points. Patterson has been the Browns kicker since the last two games of the regular season. He connected on his only field goal attempt with the Browns from 33 yards out. Patterson is 6-7 on extra points with Cleveland this season. 
 

Great news for Houston as they get defensive end Jonathan Greenard, their team sacks leader (12.5), back after he missed the final two games of the regular season with an ankle injury. He didn't practice on Tuesday or Wednesday, but he did suit up in a limited fashion Thursday. 
 

The Browns' presence in this game after finishing last in the AFC North may be even more impressive than a Texans team that won seven more games than they did in 2022, the biggest wins improvement of the 2023 season. Cleveland is the first team since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger to play in a playoff game without their Week 1 starting quarterback (Deshaun Watson), running back (Nick Chubb), left tackle (Jack Conklin) and right tackle (Jedrick Wills). A whopping 27% of the Browns salary cap is on injured reserve, the highest among playoff teams.

The most notable Browns players on injured reserve include QB Deshaun Watson, RB Nick Chubb, OT Jack Conklin, OT Jedrick Wills Jr., OT Dawand Jones and S Grant Delpit. They're the first playoff team since 1970 NFL/AFL merger without its Week 1 starting QB, RB, LT and RT.

 

Today's showdown between the fifth-seeded Cleveland Browns and the fourth-seeded Houston Texans will be the first playoff game between two teams without a Super Bowl appearance since 1999 when the Tennessee Titans and Jacksonville Jaguars faced off in the AFC Championship Game. 

 

For the first time in 23 years, the NFL playoff field features three teams that have never played in a Super Bowl: Cleveland, Detroit and Houston. The last time an NFL postseason included as many franchises without a Super Bowl berth was 2000:Baltimore, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay. The Ravens won the Super Bowl that year.

 

Both the Cleveland Browns (11-6) and Houston Texans (10-7) climbed out of last-place division finishes in 2022 to reach double-digit wins and a postseason appearance in 2023. The Texans even completed the climb out of the basement to the penthouse, going from worst to first in the AFC South in the span of a year, which is why this matchup will be played in Houston, Texas on Saturday.  

-In 25 of the past 28 seasons (1996-2023), at least one team has made the playoffs the year after finishing last or tied for last. This year, both Cleveland and Houston qualified for the postseason after finishing last in their respective divisions in 2022.

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