This year’s NFL postseason opener features an interesting quarterback matchup.
The Cleveland Browns, desperate for a quarterback late in the season, signed 38-year-old Joe Flacco. He will take on the Houston Texans, led by rookie prodigy C.J. Stroud.
After an incredible rookie campaign, Stroud is returning. When Flacco made his NFL debut with the Baltimore Ravens, he was six years old.
This sets up an entertaining battle between two teams that came as surprises to each other.
The Browns, who have only won one postseason game since January 1, 1995, have plenty amazing storylines, but Stroud is the main attraction here. He had a number of incredible games, comeback victories, and the most passes to begin a career without an interception (470 yards) of any rookie. The draft’s second-round selection is already a star.
Stroud was exceptional in a year when quarterbacks struggled. For a rookie, he has uncommon calmness in the pocket. He is physically capable of making every throw. His leadership skills and game knowledge are equally amazing. For many years to come, one of the NFL’s faces will be Stroud. This is his big postseason debut.
The Texans on Saturday afternoon, again? Houston has never been a big enough draw to get a prime-time or Sunday game.
This is the Texans’ seventh time in the NFL playoffs. All seven times they have hosted the opening game of the postseason on Saturday afternoon. That’s monotonous, and a bummer for Houston fans, but the good news for the Texans is they are 4-2 in that Saturday afternoon playoff slot.
Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil has a tough job. He will be primarily in charge of blocking Myles Garrett, one of the favorites for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. When the Texans and Browns met in Week 16, Garrett didn’t have a sack but had a team-high eight pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. Not all of those came against Tunsil; Houston right tackle Charlie Heck gave up 11 pressures in that game.
Tunsil has been battling ailments, most notably one to his groin that restricted him during practice the previous week. PFF claims that’s why he gave up five sacks, tying a career high, and 20 pressures for the first time since 2019. The Browns will rotate Garrett around, but Tunsil must prevent the team’s star player from causing trouble when he draws his assignment.
The last time the Browns played the Texans, Amari Cooper went nuclear. He had 11 catches for 265 yards, a franchise record. Nobody on the Texans’ defense could cover him. The Texans will be more aware of Cooper this time around and won’t let him beat them singlehandedly again. He remains the most dynamic playmaker Cleveland has and he’ll be crucial to the Browns trying to get a road win
Bobby Slowik, the offensive coordinator for the Texans, rose to prominence during the season as the team gained momentum. There isn’t much to learn from the Week 16 meeting because he didn’t have Stroud. However, it’s possible that Stroud won’t have much of an impact. The Browns have a great defense, and their pressure is difficult to handle. Even if the Texans lose, Slowik will still be a top candidate for head coach in the upcoming cycle, but a difficult day against Jim Schwartz’s defense would cast doubt on him.
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