The Cleveland Browns fell 45-14 to the Houston Texans in the opening game of the NFL Super Wild Card Weekend.
Texans rookie quarterback CJ Stroud had a brilliant performance in his postseason debut against the Browns' defense. He completed 16 of 21 passes for 274 yards with 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. The Browns also failed to record a sack against Stroud.
After the game, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett talked about the difficulties that Cleveland had applying pressure on Stroud, according to Jake Trotter of ESPN:
Myles Garrett on why the Browns couldn’t muster much of a pass rush vs CJ Stroud: pic.twitter.com/SjI4HasSpm
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) January 14, 2024
Said Garrett, “He got the ball out on time…mostly just quicks and being given enough time to get it out. He wasn't too flustered getting to his spots, being able to slip through and find the gap for him to throw.”
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans continues to be impressed by his star rookie quarterback's performance. “C.J. is the reason we're in this position,” Ryans said. “He has the shoulders to carry this weight.”
While the quarterback was in charge and had a remarkable performance, Stroud got a major assist from the Texans defense. That unit intercepted passes from Browns quarterback Joe Flacco and returned them for touchdowns on back-to-back possessions in the third quarter.
Those pick-sixes allowed the Texans to stretch a 10-point halftime lead into a 24-point margin. Flacco and the Browns were unable to cut into that margin.
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