C.J. Stroud's three touchdowns have Texans up 24-14 over Browns at halftime
Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud has been electric so far in his postseason debut, tossing three touchdowns in the first two quarters to give Houston a 24-14 halftime lead over Cleveland.
The Browns and Texans traded blows late in the first quarter and early in the second. But the Texans have scored 14 straight to gain a 10-point advantage at the break.
Stroud threw a 15-yard touchdown to Nico Collins and Brevin Jordan turned a short pass into 76-yard score. But the rookie QB’s best scoring strike was a 37-yard pass to tight end Dalton Schultz with 1:11 left in the second quarter.
The No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 draft, Stroud finished the first half 11-of-16 for 236 yards with three touchdowns — good for a 151.0 passer rating. Stroud has already tied the rookie postseason record with three TDs.
The Texans have 286 total yards and are averaging 10.6 yards per play against the vaunted Browns defense.
Collins leads with four catches for 86 yards with a TD. Devin Singletary has rushed for 37 yards on seven carries.
On the other side, Joe Flacco is 15-of-19 for 172 yards with a touchdown. Running back Kareem Hunt has scored both of Cleveland’s touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. David Njoku leads with four catches for 64 yards while Amari Cooper has two catches for 33 yards.
Texans left tackle Laremy Tunsil (knee) and Browns guard Joel Bitonio (ankle) were both able to return after missing some time during the first half with their respective injuries.
