The NFL’s plague of injured starting quarterbacks has already left its fingerprints on the playoff picture, putting harsh ceilings on otherwise talented teams and exposing the masses to some ugly football. On Sunday, that trend will likely continue when the Houston Texans (8-6) host the Cleveland Browns (9-5). It may not live up to the storylines schedule makers hoped for when penciling the two in for a Week 16 clash, but playoff implications are running rampant to keep this one meaningful.
Houston will once again attempt to save their season with veteran quarterback Case Keenum under center. He played well enough to win against the Tennessee Titans, but it took the entirety of overtime and some superhero performances from tight end Dalton Schultz, running back Devin Singletary, and a cast of smaller characters. The Texans will need to be better on Sunday. The Browns, starting backup Joe Flacco, are more formidable than the Titans. Their defense ranks first in expected points added per play and success rate, dominating opposing offenses with superstar edge rusher Myles Garrett and one of the strong back-sevens in the league.
If Houston can’t challenge Cleveland downfield to open up opportunities for Singletary, things could get messy, quickly. On the other side of the ball, it’s clear the Browns aren’t as dynamic as they can be. Deshaun Watson wasn’t great when he was on the field, and three quarterbacks later, it’s on Flacco to work some playoff-adjacent magic. Expect plenty of play-action passes when the Texans are in their base 4-3 personnel, where they have been their most vulnerable.
A couple of chunk plays could be the difference in a game that feels destined to come down to the wire. Nobody wants to see Houston’s playoff chances fall by the wayside with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud on the sideline. It’ll be a full-team effort to ensure he has another week to keep rendering the Texans viable playoff contenders. WHAT: Houston Texans (8-6) vs. Cleveland Browns (9-5) WHERE: NRG Stadium, Houston, TX (72,220) WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 24, 12 p.m. (CT) TELEVISION: CBS RADIO: SportRadio 610 AM, 100.3 FM The Bull ODDS: Texans +2.5 (+100), +125 Moneyline, Total: 40.5 (o -110/u -118)
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