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Printed Jan 13, 2024 • 4 minute learn
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HOUSTON — Because the video games get larger, C.J. Stroud simply retains getting higher.
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The rookie turned the youngest quarterback to win a playoff sport after throwing for 274 yards and three touchdowns, and the Houston Texans returned two interceptions by Joe Flacco for scores in a 45-14 rout of the Cleveland Browns in a wild-card matchup Saturday.
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“C.J. is the rationale why we’re on this place,” coach DeMeco Ryans mentioned. “He’s particular, a particular younger man. Particular participant. Continues to shine irrespective of how massive the second is.
“Our entire workforce is leaning on him and he has the shoulders to hold that weight.”
Stroud, the second total decide within the draft final April, can be the highest-drafted rookie QB to win within the postseason. He picked aside Cleveland’s vaunted defence, throwing landing passes of 15 yards to Nico Collins, 76 to Brevin Jordan and 37 to Dalton Schultz.
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“It’s been a heck of a yr and I thank God, I can simply go one other week with my teammates,” Stroud mentioned. “This is sort of a dream come true.”
At 22 years and 102 days previous, Stroud handed Michael Vick, who was 22 years, 192 days previous in 2002 when his Falcons beat the Packers.
“I’m tremendous blessed to be thought-about with an ideal identify like Michael Vick, who was my favorite quarterback rising up,” he mentioned. “And hopefully I could make it two (wins).”
Stroud threw for 236 yards and three touchdowns earlier than halftime because the Texans constructed a 24-14 lead. The defence took over after that, with Steven Nelson and Christian Harris returning interceptions for touchdowns on consecutive drives within the third quarter to increase the result in 38-14.
“It was actually, actually massive to place up 14 factors on prime of what C.J. was already doing,” Nelson mentioned. “That simply put the icing on the cake for us.”
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With the Texans up 45-14 with 9 minutes to go, Stroud’s work was accomplished, and he was changed by Davis Mills.
It’s the Browns’ worst postseason loss since a 34-0 thumping by the Baltimore Colts on Dec. 29, 1968.
Houston is again within the playoffs for the primary time since 2019, and Stroud’s stellar play and the management of Ryans, who’s in his first yr, reworked the Texans (11-7) from NFL laughingstock to AFC South champions.
Flacco, who turns 39 on Tuesday, got here off the sofa to go 4-1 as a starter to finish the common season. He led the Browns (11-7) to simply their third playoff look since their 1999 enlargement rebirth, however second in 4 seasons underneath coach Kevin Stefanski.
“We picked a foul day to have a foul day,” Stefanksi mentioned. “That’s all of us. That’s gamers, coaches, offence, defence, particular groups. Not adequate.”
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Taking part in in his seventeenth postseason sport however first in 9 years, Flacco couldn’t proceed his magical run underneath the intense lights of the playoffs.
“It’s undoubtedly a disgrace the best way it went down and exhausting to take care of in the meanwhile,” Flacco mentioned.
He completed with 307 yards and had a landing go within the first half, however his errors underneath stress within the third quarter had been an excessive amount of for the Browns to beat on a day when Stroud simply outshined him in his playoff debut.
The earlier highest-drafted rookie QB to win a postseason sport was the New York Jets’ Mark Sanchez, who was the fifth total decide in 2009.
Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson was underneath centre for the Texans throughout their final playoff run however performed simply six video games for the Browns this season earlier than having season-ending shoulder surgical procedure. He was on the sideline Saturday for simply the second time since his surgical procedure, watching the approaching out social gathering for the person who changed him as Houston’s franchise quarterback.
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The sellout crowd was rowdy and prepared for Houston’s return to the postseason after three terrible seasons the place the workforce mixed for simply 11 wins. They chanted “MVP! MVP!” all through the sport when Stroud dropped again to go.
Collins had six receptions for 96 yards and a landing, and Devin Singletary ran for 66 yards and a late rating for Houston.
Kareem Hunt ran for a landing and had a TD reception within the first half, however had simply 26 yards speeding.
The Browns took a 7-3 lead on Hunt’s 1-yard run with about two minutes left within the first quarter.
Collins’ 15-yard TD catch put the Texans again on prime 10-7.
The Browns regained the lead on their subsequent drive when Hunt grabbed a shovel go from Flacco and ran 11 yards for a landing.
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However the benefit would final solely 10 seconds as Jordan grabbed a brief go and outran a number of defenders for a 76-yard landing to make it 17-14. It was Houston’s longest play this season and the longest in franchise playoff historical past.
“I used to be a working again my entire life,” Jordan mentioned. “So I really feel like that’s a kind of issues that I actually carry with me as a good finish.”
Stroud’s 37-yard TD go to Schultz pushed the result in 24-14 with a few minute left within the second quarter.
Flacco was hit by Derek Barnett as he threw and his go was picked off by Nelson and returned 82 yards for a landing to make it 31-14 with about six minutes left within the third quarter.
The Browns went for it on fourth-and-2 on their subsequent drive and Flacco was picked off once more. This time, Harris returned it 36 yards for the rating.
The Texans are the primary workforce to return two interceptions for touchdowns in a sport since Seattle did it in opposition to Washington on Jan. 5, 2008.
INJURIES
Browns: LG Joel Bitonio injured an ankle within the second quarter.
Texans: WR Noah Brown damage a shoulder within the first quarter. … LB Denzel Perryman injured his ribs within the third quarter.
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