Amari Cooper leads the Browns to a 36–22 victory over the Texans with a franchise-record 265 yards receiving.
Amari Cooper of the Cleveland Browns believed he would have a huge day after he caught a 53-yard pass on the opening play of the game on Sunday.
It proved to be the most successful day in team history for a receiver.
With 265 receiving yards, two touchdowns, and a two-point conversion, Cooper set a franchise record. The Browns defeated the Houston Texans 36–22 to advance to the postseason.
He remarked, “Not to disparage their defensive backs, but it seemed a little easy and everything was flowing well.”
Cooper’s performance put him above Josh Gordon, who on December 1, 2013, against Jacksonville, had 261 receiving yards, in the Browns record book. This season, it was also the most receiving yards in an NFL game. With 1,250 yards, Cooper becomes the first receiver in team history to record multiple seasons with 1,000 yards or more.
He now stands with Terrell Owens as the only players to have three 200-yard receiving games in a row. Cooper scored 210 yards for the Raiders and 226 yards for the Cowboys in his respective games.
Even though the Browns aren’t able to lock up a postseason berth this week, their 10-5 record virtually ensures that they will make it to the postseason for the first time since 2002. They have won by ten points three times since 1999—the other two times being in 2007 and 2020.
They can guarantee their spot in the playoffs with a victory over the New York Jets on Thursday.
“I’m eager. Coach Kevin Stefanski stated, “We can earn it on Thursday.”
In his fourth start, Joe Flacco passed for 368 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions as the Browns easily won their third straight after building a 22-7 lead at the half.
Cooper gave Flacco credit for his success, despite having touchdown catches of 75 and 7 yards.
“To tell the truth, I think Joe is mostly to blame,” he remarked. “He plays the game with such a great feel. He has an amazing arm. We work well together, is the best way to put it.
On a day when Case Keenum, starting in place of star rookie C.J. Stroud, who is recovering from a concussion, threw for just 62 yards with two interceptions in his second start, the Texans fell to 8-7, severely hurting their chances of making the playoffs. Davis Mills took Keenum’s spot late in the third quarter.
“Today, we just didn’t do enough,” said Keenum, 35. We were kicked in the butts, which is never enjoyable. It had not been like that for a long time.
Houston struggled right away on Sunday and failed to score any points offensively, following up their thrilling overtime victory over Tennessee last week with a score of 19–16. until the fourth quarter.
While Houston’s coach DeMeco Ryans is aware that his offense needs to improve, he was more dissatisfied with his defense.
No matter who is out there, if you don’t get pressure on the quarterback, it’s going to be a long day, he stated. “Flacco outperformed us on the day.” We did not put any pressure on him. He retreated inside the pocket. We weren’t in our proper coverage position, and he had the entire day to toss the ball.
On the first play of the game, Jerome Ford took a direct snap and ran four yards for a touchdown, giving the Browns an early lead. Early in the second quarter, Cooper’s 75-yard touchdown reception put the score at 14-0.
“He’s unique,” Flacco remarked. “Not only did we manage to get him open down the field, but he demonstrated strength during the catch and other skills by going up for some balls.”
When Dameon Pierce returned the subsequent kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, he reduced the lead to seven points. In his first action as a returner, Pierce outran the rest of the defense and scored Houston’s second kick return touchdown of the year after getting a few early blocks.
The Browns failed to attempt a field goal or extra point the remainder of the game after kicker Dustin Hopkins, who tried to pursue down Pierce during the run, left with a hamstring injury. After the game, Stefanski only provided the information that Hopkins will get an MRI.
With roughly four minutes remaining in the first half, David Njoku scored a touchdown with a 21-yard reception, giving the Browns a larger lead. Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the backup quarterback, scored a 2-point conversion to make the score 22–7.
Approximately two and a half minutes remained in the third quarter, when Flacco once more found Cooper for a 7-yard touchdown, but the 2-point attempt was unsuccessful.
Keenum was taken out shortly after Cooper’s second touchdown by Duron Harmon. In an attempt to celebrate the turnover, Cleveland’s defense ran to the end zone and pretended to make snow angels.
On the subsequent drive, Kareem Hunt scored on a 1-yard run to put the offense in the end zone once more. The Browns went ahead 36-7 after Cooper caught the 2-point conversion pass.
The majority of the previous two seasons’ starter, Mills, finally got the Texans into the end zone with a touchdown pass and two-point conversion to Nico Collins, cutting the lead to 36-15.
Houston added another garbage-time touchdown after recovering an onside kick.
PERSONAL HARM
Browns linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. had knee surgery on Thursday, so he was unable to play. In the third quarter, Browns wide receiver Martin Emerson Jr. suffered a shin injury. Both Houston DE Jonathan Greenard (ankle) and S Jimmie Ward (quadriceps) sustained injuries in the first half and did not return.
