CLEVELAND, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – The road to Las Vegas for the Browns begins Saturday in Houston.
Cleveland is the top Wild Card team in the AFC and fifth seed following an 11-6 regular season that saw the team use five different starting quarterbacks with four of them winning at least one game.
The Texans won the AFC South to become the first team in the Super Bowl era to win a division title with a rookie head coach and rookie quarterback.
Here’s what, and who we are watching for against Houston.
Browns quarterback Joe Flacco is the first player in NFL history to throw for 250 yards and two touchdowns in his first five games with a team and the second player ever with over 300 yards in four of his first five games with a team. Since taking over as the starter on December 3, the Browns rank second in passing yards with 1,616 and 13 touchdowns. Flacco, who has thrown at least two touchdowns in his last eight playoff starts, is 10-5 in 15 career playoff starts and he is tied with Tom Brady for the most road playoff victories in NFL history with seven.
Amari Cooper, who has caught a touchdown in his last two playoff games, lit the Texans up on Christmas Eve and set a new Browns record for receiving yards in a game with 265 on 11 catches. His 1,250 yards this past season ranks third-most in team history. Cooper also became the ninth player in NFL history to catch at least five touchdowns in each of his first nine seasons.
Running backs Jerome Ford and Kareem Hunt have both scored nine touchdowns with all of Hunts coming on the ground – a career high while Ford has caught five of his. Hunt can become the first player with a rushing touchdown in his first four playoff games. Ford tallied a total of 1,132 scrimmage yards.
Tight end David Njoku put together his first Pro Bowl season with career highs in catches with 81, yards with 882 and touchdowns with six. Njoku caught a TD in three of his past four games to end the season.
Cleveland’s defense finished ranked No. 1 overall in total defense allowing the fewest yards per game since the 2014 Seahawks. The Browns also were tops this season defending the pass, getting off the field on third down as well as first downs allowed. This is the fifth time the Browns led the NFl in total defense joining the 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955 teams. The Browns won NFL championships in 1950, 1954 and 1955.
Defensive end Myles Garrett was named to his fifth AP All-Pro team and third first team in addition to making his fifth Pro Bowl this past season. Although Garrett’s 14.0 sacks did not rank in the top five this past season, he remains among the most dominant pass rushers in the game. He is the only player in the NFL to tally 14 or more sacks in each of the last three seasons and at least 10 in each of the last six. Garrett has a tackle for loss in five of six games against the Texans.
Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah led the Browns with a career-high 98 tackles and he ranked fourth in the NFL with 20 tackles for loss in 2023. JOK batted a pair of passes down and had an interception in Week 16.
Cornerback Denzel Ward is questionable after suffering a minor knee injury during Thursday’s practice but he appears good to go. Ward, a three-time Pro Bowler, broke up 11 passes and is one of two players to break up 10 or more passes in each of the last six seasons.
With Pro Bowl alternate kicker Dustin Hopkins unavailable due to a left hamstring injury suffered against the Texans while trying to defend a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, Riley Patterson will be counted on Saturday. Patterson has made six of seven PATs and his only field goal try which was inside 40 yards.
Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud is the odds on favorite to win offensive rookie of the year honors after throwing for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Stroud missed the Christmas Eve matchup due to a concussion. He is just the fourth qualifying rookie quarterback with a passer rating of over 100.0.
Nico Collins is the third Texan with over 1,200 yards receiving yards in a season. Seven of his eight touchdown catches, including one against the Browns, came at home. Collins had nine catches for a career-high 195 yards and a score last week against the Colts.
The Browns offensive line will have to contend with Houston’s top edge rushers – Will Anderson Jr. and Jonathan Greenard. Greenard leads the Texans with 12.5 sacks to go with 22 QB hits and 15 tackles for loss while Anderson has 7.0 sacks, 22 QB hits and 10 tackles for loss this season.
Season – Browns finished 11-6 and clinched the top Wild Card and No. 5 seed; Texans finished 10-7 and won the AFC South
The last time – December 24, 2023: Browns 36, Texans 22; this is the first playoff meeting between the teams
Series – Regular season tied 7-7
By the numbers – A look at how the two teams match up statistically.
Browns offense vs. Texans defense:
Scoring: Browns 23.3, Texans 20.8
Total yards: Browns 335.9, Texans 330.7
Passing: Browns 217.2, Texans 234.1
Rushing: Browns 118.7, Texans 96.7
Browns defense vs. Bengals offense:
Scoring: Browns 21.3, Texans 22.2
Total yards: Browns 270.2, Texans 342.4
Passing: Browns 164.7, Texans 245.5
Rushing: Browns 105.5, Texans 96.9
Defensive stats
Sacks: Browns 49, Texans 46
Takeaways: Browns 28, Texans 24
Turnover differential: Browns -9, Texans +10
Projected Browns starters – Offense: WR Amari Cooper, LT Geron Christian, LG Joel Bitonio, C Ethan Pocic, RG Wyatt Teller, RT James Hudson II, TE David Njoku, WR David Bell, WR Elijah Moore, QB Joe Flacco, RB Jerome Ford
Defense: DE Myles Garrett, DT Dalvin Tomlinson, DT Shelby Harris, DE Za’Darius Smith, LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB Sione Takitaki, LB Tony Fields, CB Denzel Ward, CB Martin Emerson Jr., SS D’Anthony Bell, FS Juan Thornhill
Injury report – OUT: S Grant Delpit (groin), K Dustin Hopkins (left hamstring), WR Cedric Tillman (concussion); QUESTIONABLE: CB Denzel Ward (knee), CB Mike Ford Jr. (calf), S Juan Thornhill (calf) RB Pierre Strong (back)
Uniforms – Orange helmet, white jersey, orange pants
Broadcast info – Radio: 92.3 The Fan, 98.5 WNCX; TV: WKYC TV-3 (NBC); Streaming: Peacock
Kickoff – 4:30 p.m. NRG Stadium; Houston, Texas
Prediction – Browns 31, Texans 27
Our prediction record – 11-6