Christmas Eve brought no joy for the Houston Texans as they faced a formidable challenge against Joe Flacco and Amari Cooper at NRG Stadium, resulting in a discouraging 36-22 defeat in Week 16.
Now, nearly three weeks later, the Texans find themselves with a shot at redemption in a Wild Card match to kick off the 2023 postseason against the Browns, the team that marred their Christmas season.
Reflecting on their initial encounter, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans attributes the setbacks to “self-inflicted” wounds rather than solely the health of the team. One glaring issue highlighted by Ryans was the 10 penalties against the Texans, accumulating 76 yards.
Amid the rematch, Ryans emphasizes the need to cover Amari Cooper more effectively, recognizing his outstanding performance with 11 catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns.
In the Texans’ first defensive drive, Flacco’s connection with Cooper for a 53-yard completion set the tone for the Browns’ dominance, leading to the first of five touchdowns and marking the beginning of eight explosive plays conceded by the Texans. Despite Cooper’s impressive performance, Ryans acknowledges Flacco’s impact, noting the trust placed in him and his ability to make plays, especially in the play-action passing game.
The Texans’ defense faced arguably their worst game of the season, but the blame does not rest solely on them. The offense struggled to find rhythm without rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who missed his second consecutive game due to a concussion.
The Texans generated a mere 250 total yards with Case Keenum starting in Stroud’s place. Despite a kick return touchdown by Dameon Pierce, the offense did not score their first touchdown until the fourth quarter when Davis Mills connected with Nico Collins.
Looking ahead to the rematch, Stroud expresses excitement about facing the Browns again, acknowledging their formidable defense. The Texans aim to rectify the issues that plagued them in their previous encounter, emphasizing the need for improvement across the board.
As the Texans gear up for the playoff game, their objective extends beyond just the desire for redemption; it’s about addressing and rectifying the shortcomings that led to their Christmas nightmare.
Ryans underscores the urgency to play at a significantly higher level, recognizing that their previous outing against the Browns fell short in various aspects.
The Texans believe they possess the intangibles to secure a spot in the Divisional Round and possibly set the stage for a trip to Las Vegas in early February.
The focus remains on learning from past mistakes and delivering a vastly improved performance as they step into the postseason arena.
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