The Cleveland Browns, led by quarterback Joe Flacco and defensive end Myles Garrett, are back in the NFL Playoffs in one of the wildest seasons this fanbase has ever seen as they get set for a rematch against the Houston Texans. This team has so much fight in them and truly embodies the next-man-up
mantra and the “Go 1-0 each week” that Kevin Stefanski has been preaching. Now they head to Houston, who won the AFC South in a thriller last weekend. The Texans will have rookie CJ Stroud back who did not play against the Browns a couple of weeks ago due to injury.
Cleveland will have wide receiver Amari Cooper back after missing the final two regular season games with an injury after setting a Browns single-game receiving yardage record with 265 yards against these Texans. The Browns are the more talented team but it’s the postseason and you have got to play your best game if you want to advance, here are my bold predictions for Saturday.
David Njoku will lead the Browns in receiving with over 100 yards
What a season it has been for David Njoku who has put it all together this year as one of the most well-rounded tight ends in the NFL. His ability to go up and make contested catches in the red zone has created mismatches all year long but especially since Joe Flacco took over at quarterback.
The most impressive part of Njoku’s season has been his ability to create after the catch running people over and creating elite amounts of separation to set up the YAC opportunities. After Amari Cooper destroyed the Texans’ secondary earlier this year I expect him to gather extra attention giving Njoku a chance to dominate.
Myles Garrett will take over the game with 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble
This has all the makings of a game the Browns star can make his presence felt early in often after the best regular season of his career. Even when the sacks aren’t there Myles Garrett’s impact on each game pops of the film and results in his teammates capitalizing on the opportunities he gives them.
Jim Schwartz has moved Garrett around and going against a rookie in CJ Stroud and an offensive line that isn’t one of the league’s best he will have chances to make big plays. His leadership on and off the field has been on another level this year and it’s his chance to show why he is deserving of winning Defensive Player of the Year with the whole country watching.
Flacco mania continues with 300 yards and 3 touchdowns
Joe Flacco is playing arguably the best football of his entire career after sitting on his couch until the middle of November. The confidence he is playing with right now is dangerous for opposing defenses and he tore up this Texans defense just a few weeks back. The chemistry he has built with Njoku and Cooper as well as former teammate Elijah Moore has grown and grown.
His teammates talk about how they gravitate to him because of his leadership and experience and he has them believing they can do something special. The Texans secondary struggled against Flacco and Cleveland will likely attack them deep right from the start again until they prove they can stop it.
