CJ Stroud TD passes defensive pick sixes get Texans rolling

CJ Stroud TD passes, defensive pick-sixes get Texans rolling – ESPN

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    DJ Bien-Aime, ESPN January 13, 2024, 6:48 p.m. ET

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      DJ Bien-Aime covers the Houston Texans for ESPN. He joined ESPN in July 2022 after covering the New York Jets. He is a former athlete who finished his college career at Louisville. You can catch DJ on ESPN Radio on his show “Talkin' Texans.”

HOUSTON – The Houston Texans offense looks a lot different with quarterback CJ Stroud under center against the Cleveland Browns than it did when Houston fell to the Browns on Christmas Eve. Stroud showed that when he threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to receiver Nico Collins early in the second quarter of their AFC wild-card playoff game at NRG Stadium to give the Texans a 10-7 lead.

In the last meeting between the two teams, Stroud was sidelined with a concussion and the Browns won 36-22.

But Stroud made an early impression on Saturday. Late in the first quarter, Stroud brought the Texans' offense within scoring distance with a 27-yard throw to receiver John Metchie III.

Stroud then capped the drive by executing a fancy game plan from offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who made an errant throw to the right that turned into a tunnel screen on the left side of the field for Collins.

Collins strolled into the end zone to give the Texans the lead.

Then, after the Browns completed a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, Stroud & Co. responded quickly.

Stroud ran a play-action and threw a short pass to tight end Brevin Jordan. Jordan did the rest on a 76-yard touchdown reception and scored 72 yards after the catch, giving the Texans a 17-14 lead.

Stroud continued to light up the Browns defense just before halftime. On 2nd-and-20, Slowik called a play-action call with Collins on a cross route that caught the attention of three Cleveland defenders. That left tight end Dalton Schultz face-to-face with safety Ronnie Hickman. Schultz ran a post and Stroud found him in the end zone for a 37-yard touchdown pass.

This result extended Houston's lead to 24-14.

The Texans opened the game in the third quarter led by their defense. Browns quarterback Joe Flacco was forced into consecutive pick-sixes, with the first 82-yard return by cornerback Steven Nelson giving Houston a 31-14 lead.

Linebacker Christian Harris joined in the fun on the next drive, intercepting a fourth-down pass and returning it 36 ​​yards to extend the lead to 38-14.