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The last time the Houston Texans hosted the Cleveland Browns, things did not go the way of the home team.
Houston fell to Cleveland 36-22 in the NFL's Week 16, and while part of that can rest on the fact that quarterback C.J. Stroud was in concussion protocol at the time, it doesn't help that a Browns receiver had a massive day in the process.
Cleveland receiver Amari Cooper hauled in 11 receptions for 265 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard scoring pass from quarterback Joe Flacco in the win. If Houston wants to extend its season past Saturday's wild card rematch, stopping Cooper is priority No. 1.
"I think everyone is pretty aware of how it went down," Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said on Wednesday. "Taking away explosives is always a starting point for us when we game planning, and obviously we didn't do a good job of that, specifically with him, in the first game. So, that's not something that even had to be brought up.
"Everyone knew coming in, 'Hey, we can't play like that again.' If he's breaking records on Saturday again, it's going to be a long day for us."
Fortunately for the Texans, they will have more offensive firepower at their disposal to counter Cooper, Flacco & Co. on Saturday since Stroud has returned to the lineup, and they have a red-hot receiver in their own right in the form of Nico Collins who put up 195 yards on nine receptions last week against the Indianapolis Colts.
Kickoff on Saturday between the Texans and Browns is set for 3:30 p.m. CT at NRG Stadium, and the game will be televised on NBC.
More must-reads:
- Winners and losers from Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft
- Eagles move up in draft to select another DB
- The '100 catches in an NFL season' quiz
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