Browns: 3 things Cleveland has to do to defeat the Texans
By Chad Porto
These are the three things the Browns have to do to defeat The Texans.
The Browns square off with the Texans in Cleveland’s first game of the year. The Browns lost a nail-biter to the Chiefs the week prior, while the Texans rolled against the Jaguars. With Cleveland 0-1 and Houston 1-0, the Browns are not in a place where they can afford to lose a gimmie game like this.
No NFL team, maybe besides the Jaguars, is an actual gimmie team, and the Browns can’t expect the Texans to just roll over. They can hurt the team on both sides of the ball if Cleveland doesn’t execute.
That’s why it’s imperative the Browns not just win here but win decisively. These are the three biggest things that Cleveland has to do to get the win.
Fluster Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor is a fine quarterback, he really is. He’s not Deshaun Watson but you can win 10 games with him at quarterback with a well-built team around him. He has some weapons around him to boot, that’s no doubt. They’re not world-beaters and their best guys wouldn’t be on the Browns’ roster but that’s because the Browns are stacked.
Consider the Texans the Expendables, they’re older, slower, and maybe not long for the league but they are still effective to a point. Taylor is the point-man of that team. He threw 33 times last week and was able to get away on some runs for a total of 331 yards of total offense.
While he’s hardened and not easily flustered, it can be done. He’s not as nimble as Patrick Mahomes, nor does he have his accuracy so if the Browns’ front four (and hopefully some blitzing) can generate pressure like last week, the team defense will have a far different result with Taylor.
For some even more good news, the Texans’ offense doesn’t have any player anywhere close to Travis Kelce or Tyreek Hill, which will dramatically change how the Browns play against the Texans.