HOUSTON — The Browns entered Christmas Eve controlling their own destiny in the AFC playoff race.
Boy, did they ever make use of that control Sunday, and now find themselves on the cusp of clinching their second postseason berth in four years.
A game with major implications for both teams looked like anything but on Sunday, as Cleveland thoroughly dismantled the Houston Texans 36-22 in a matchup not nearly as close as the final score would indicate. This means if the Browns beat the New York Jets next week in a "Thursday Night Football" home showdown, they will indeed be in the playoffs.
The unquestioned star of this day was Amari Cooper, who needed just 15 yards to become the first player in Browns history with back-to-back 1,000-receiving-yard seasons. The 29-year-old eclipsed the mark on the first play from scrimmage, a mere harbinger of things to come as he finished the afternoon with a new team record of 265 yards along with two touchdowns and even a 2-point conversion, for good measure.
Cooper initially appeared like he would fall just short of Josh Gordon's mark of 261 set back in 2013, but after Cleveland's backups allowed Houston to inch a little closer, Kevin Stefanski sent his starting offense back out on the field to secure the W. It was then that Cooper caught his 11th and final pass, a 13-yarder on fourth-and-7.
Somewhat complicating matters was Cleveland's growing injury list, as kicker Dustin Hopkins hurt his hamstring on a 98-yard kickoff return TD by Houston's Dameon Pierce that made the game 14-7 in the second quarter. The Browns would not attempt a field goal or extra point for the rest of the day, instead being forced to settle for 2-point tries and fourth-down play calls.
Those limitations could've very well burned Cleveland, especially when Kevin Stefanski's squad had to bypass a field goal opportunity at the end of the first half that kept the score at 22-7. The same situation reared its ugly head in the third quarter, but on fourth-and-8 from the Houston 30, Cooper made an incredible tip-toeing grab along the sideline that helped set up his second scoring catch of the day.
The nine-plus-minute drive appeared to put the Texans out of their misery, as their offense struggled to gain any momentum with star rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud out with a concussion. Former Browns backup Case Keenum got the start, but finished with only 62 yards on 11 of 17 throwing along with two interceptions. Davis Mills relieved him in garbage time to pass for 119 yards and a pair of touchdowns, which forced the starters back on the field to mop up.
The Browns' sterling defense was licking its chops most of the contest, including Za'Darius Smith with two sacks. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah also had six tackles and a pick, his second in as many weeks.
On offense, veteran QB Joe Flacco once again did what he had to do, throwing for 368 yards and three scores along with two interceptions that proved to be inconsequential. Besides Cooper, he also found David Njoku in the end zone.
The Browns are now 10-5 on the season, just their fourth campaign with double-digit wins since 1989. The Texans fall to 8-7, but remain alive in the playoff chase, including for the AFC South Division title.
While the "win and your in" scenario against the 6-9 Jets will be the easiest for Cleveland, there will likely be other paths for the club clinch a playoff bid as early as Week 17. We'll have more on that in the coming days.