Execution Will Be Everything Against Houston
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
At this point, the hay is in the barn for the Cleveland Browns as they prepare to travel to Houston to take on the AFC South champion Texans in a Wild Card playoff game. The Browns have the superior record and a head-to-head matchup win this season, but with the Baltimore Ravens winning the AFC North, the Browns are forced to hit the road.
While there is no doubt that the Browns drew the best possible division-winner opponent, going to face C.J. Stroud in Houston won’t be an easy task. The No. 2-overall pick of the 2023 draft is not only the clear rookie of the year, but I would also argue that he is already a top-five quarterback in this league.
I know the Browns beat the Texans in Houston just three weeks ago, but that was a Houston team that was a shell of themselves. Stroud, Will Anderson, and Blake Cashman all missed that game and will be back on the field for the rematch.
The Browns players are all professionals and will be ready for this game, but you can bet that this young Texans team and rookie coach (former player DeMeco Ryans) will have this team fired up and remembering the beating the Browns put on them.
Had Dustin Hopkins not gotten hurt and allowed the Browns to kick field goals in that game, it would have likely been over by halftime. Vegas still likes the Browns in this matchup; they have fluctuated between 2.5- to 3-point favorites, but the Browns must execute well to win.
Can’t Back Down on Defense
The Cleveland defense has remained elite throughout this season with only a few minor rough spots, mostly due to injury. The unit gave up a lot of points and yards last Sunday against the Bengals, but only one or two starters even saw the field.
Jim Schwartz needs to have this unit fired up from the beginning. The one weak spot for the defense has been their ineffectiveness on the opponent’s first drive of the game. The Browns need to get a lead and put pressure on Stroud early.
The good news for the Browns is they match up extremely well against the Texans. Houston wants to throw the ball and has struggled to establish a running game, while the Browns have one of the best secondaries in the league and are elite at getting pressure on the quarterback.
Stroud has had a ton of success this year against zone coverage, which is what he saw last week in Indianapolis, but things will be much tougher this week with Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome, and Martin Emerson in tight man-to-man coverage.
If Myles Garrett can get pressure, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah can stop the screen game, and Ward can take Nico Collins out of the game, it will be very tough sledding for this Texans offense on Saturday afternoon.
Clean Game On Offense
Houston has overachieved on the defensive side of the ball. They only have one great pass rusher in Anderson, and they are very average at both linebacker and in the secondary. However, they have one of the best defensive-minded head coaches in the game who puts them in the right place to succeed.
I have full confidence that the Browns will be able to move the ball on Saturday, but I want to see a mistake-free game from this offense. As good as Joe Flacco and cast have been, this team has turned the ball over too much, which will end up costing them a game at this point in the season.
The Browns should have success running the football against the Texans. That will allow the play-action passing game to really take shape with Flacco, who still has one of the best handoff fakes in the game. Handing the ball off and moving Flacco in the pocket will help slow down the pass rush and protect the battered offensive line.
The Browns will finally be healthy on the interior of the offensive line, but Geron Christian and James Hudson will still be the starting tackles, which is a bit scary. I can believe I’m saying that I wish Jedrick Wills were healthy, but here we are. Christian has played well sporadically, but Hudson has completely whiffed multiple times in pass protection and given up instant pressure.
This is a game where Kareem Hunt and Jerome Ford should each have over 50 yards rushing, and Amari Cooper could once again shine. Remember, in the last showdown with Houston he had over 250 receiving yards and looked unstoppable.
Overall, this Texans team was a great draw for the Browns. Their pass-heavy offense should struggle against the Browns’ secondary, and the Cleveland offense should be able to score. No game is easy in the NFL, but once you hit the playoffs every single matchup is a dogfight. If the Browns should get through this one, the next team waiting is likely the Baltimore Ravens.
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