The wait is finally over, as the Browns are set to kick off Wildcard Weekend against the Texans on Saturday. The teams have already met during the regular season, which concluded in a dominant win for Cleveland. However, with C.J. Stroud healthy and back in the lineup, this will be a whole different ball game. This matchup features two of the league’s most productive passing offenses and the best defense in football right now. Let’s take a look at some of the most important factors of this game and how the Browns can advance to the divisional round!
Forcing Houston to be One Dimensional
The offensive strategies of both teams lean heavily on their passing production. Under quarterback C.J. Stroud, the Texans have exceeded 100 total rushing yards in only six games, holding a 5-1 record in those matchups. However, in games with less rushing productivity, Houston won just 4 of 9 contests with Stroud this season. Since the Browns’ run defense hasn’t been as dominant as their pass defense, finding a way to disrupt Houston’s run game early on would be benefitiary. Cleveland, traditionally a run-heavy team, shifted gears with Joe Flacco at quarterback. Since Flacco is their starter, he’s been averaging a league-high 323.2 passing yards per game. Getting Cooper back is also crucial, as the Browns number one receiver recorded 265 yards in their regular season contest. Scoring points early could allow Cleveland to dictate the pace and limit the Texans’ run game.
Rely on the Defense
As great as C.J. Stroud’s rookie season has been, he still showed some of the usual rookie struggles against the league’s top defensive units. Facing the Ravens, Panthers, and Jets, Stroud has yet to secure a win against a top 10 pass defense unit. In these three games, the Texans’ offense scored only 28 points in total. The Browns currently rank as the number one pass defense and have already demonstrated their capability to dominate the Texans’ offense, albeit without Stroud. However, Stroud excels at protecting the ball, with an impressive touchdown-interception ratio of 23-5. While the Texans only turned the ball over a league-best 14 times, the Browns are at the opposite end of the spectrum with 37. Cleveland’s offense has been successful due to its aggressive approach. However, avoiding turnovers will be crucial, as giving the opponent’s offense favorable field position has cost the Browns in past games.
Pass Rush on Both Sides
Both teams will emphasize their pass rush in this game. In their regular season matchup, Myles Garrett and Za’Darius Smith completely destroyed Houston’s right tackle Charlie Heck, significantly contributing to the Browns’ dominance. Nevertheless, Stroud has demonstrated his ability to create under pressure throughout the season. Expect him to do a better job than Mills and Keenum, though he won’t have a lot of clean pockets to operate from throughout the game. The Texans have an elite left tackle in Laremy Tunsil, but the rest of their offensive line could be a liability on Saturday. On the other side, Cleveland’s offensive tackles have struggled since being decimated by injuries. The Texans’ starting pass rushers, Anderson and Greenard, are dealing with injuries themselves and remain questionable for the game. Although they are expected to play, their effectiveness may be compromised by not being at full strength.
While this will be a very different team than the one Cleveland faced in week 16, I believe the Browns can very well beat them again. The Browns haven’t played in a wildcard weekend since 2020, but this team proved to have the right pieces and especially the right mindset to compete in the playoffs. It’s just 1-0 every week…
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