The Browns are back in Cleveland on Sunday, and they’re bringing a lot with them: a two-game skid, a quarterback change back to Deshaun Watson, and a chance to head into the bye week with some momentum.
Houston comes in trying to keep its own turnaround alive. The Texans have won three of their last four after opening 0-4, but two of those victories came against the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers, who are a combined 1-15. So the picture in Houston is a little murkier than the recent record suggests.
Cleveland, meanwhile, is 5-4 and trying to steady itself after slipping from first place in the AFC North to third. The Browns were last at home a month ago, when they beat the Baltimore Ravens and looked like a team building something real after a 5-2 start. Since then, the momentum has cooled.
This matchup also brings a few numbers that tell the story of how these teams are built. The Browns have leaned on Cover 1 more than anyone else in the league, using it on 39.8 percent of passing plays, according to ESPN.
That sets up an interesting test against Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who is averaging 8.3 yards per attempt against Cover 1, good for No. 8 in the league.
The Browns’ offense has its own issue to solve in the red zone. Cleveland has scored a touchdown on just 39 percent of its trips there, which ranks last in the league, and it went 0-for-2 in the red zone during last week’s one-point loss to the New Orleans Saints.
On the other side, Houston’s defense has been getting after quarterbacks. The Texans are tied for first in the league with 29 sacks. That matters because Cleveland quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders have been sacked a league-high 38 times combined, with Watson taking 33 of those hits and Sanders five.
There’s also a clear split between what Cleveland has done at home and what it has done overall. The Browns are 3-0 at Huntington Bank Field, one of just six teams without a home loss this season. It’s just the third time since 1999 that Cleveland has started a year 3-0 at home.
Houston has been dangerous away from home, too. The Texans have won three straight road games and scored 104 points in that stretch, which is the most over a three-game road trip in franchise history. They’re averaging 30.3 points per game on the road, one of only four teams at 30 or better.
The Browns’ defense has been one of the league’s most disruptive units. Cleveland leads the NFL with 60 tackles for loss, is tied for fourth with 26 sacks, and is tied for second with 11 forced fumbles.
The injury list is worth watching as well. Cleveland ruled out fullback Michael Burton with a calf injury and safety Ronnie Hickman with a concussion. Wide receiver Denzel Boston is questionable with a toe issue.
Houston’s list is longer. The Texans ruled out linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, tight end Brevin Jordan, wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., defensive end Danielle Hunter, and offensive lineman Keylan Rutledge. They also have cornerback Jaylin Smith, running back David Montgomery, linebacker Jake Hummel, defensive end Will Anderson Jr., guard Wyatt Teller, and offensive lineman Trent Brown listed as questionable.
The Browns and Texans have met 15 times, with Houston holding the overall edge at 8-7. Cleveland has won the last two meetings in Cleveland and four straight regular-season matchups.
The Browns also won the last regular-season meeting, 36-22, in Week 16 of the 2023 season. Their first meeting came on October 20, 2002, when Cleveland won 34-17.
The game kicks off at 1 p.m. at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland and will air on FOX. The radio call will be available on 850 ESPN Cleveland, 92.3 The Fan WKRK, 98.5 WNCX, and 1300 AM La Mega in Spanish.
Browns head coach Todd Monken said the team’s home start has mattered, especially after a stretch that forced Cleveland to grow up early.
“Oh, it’s been great. You know, as I said, I think that the initial schedule is going to harden us, you know, when you have six of the first nine on the road, the first two are in Florida, right?
I mean, so there was a lot there, and our guys handled it in a first-class manner. We’ve had a couple of games where we didn’t play our best, but other than that, collectively, in seven of the nine games, we’ve given ourselves a chance to win.
And that’s all you can ask for, is give yourself a chance in the fourth quarter to win. And we’re 5-2 in those games, and that’s the way we’re going to have to play, you know, in terms of not turning it over, continuing to fight and battle for each other, obviously with being at home, right?
And I’m excited again to be back home and play in front of the greatest fans in all sports.”
In Other News...
Browns Defense Suddenly Has A Problem Cleveland Can't Ignore
A defense that looked like a strength early in the season has started to wobble, and the Browns cant really brush it off anymore. Over the last three games, Cleveland has been giving up an average of 24.7 points and 167 rushing yards per game, a stretch that has helped turn recent losses into a much bigger concern for a team that expected its defense to set the tone.
Defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg has stressed the need to address the issues directly, with the Browns trying to stay disciplined and physical against the run. The bigger question now is whether that message turns into a quick correction, because the early-season edge this unit carried has been harder to find lately, and the margin for error is shrinking fast. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Could Finally Punish A Texans Weakness Fans Need To See
The Texans defense has become a useful talking point for anyone trying to size up this matchup, and a recent question-and-answer exchange with Scott Barzilla of Battle Red Blog put a spotlight on exactly where Houston has been vulnerable. The conversation centered on the Texans secondary, their uneven play in close games and the way key pieces like Kamari Lassiter fit into a unit that has not always looked steady from week to week.
For Cleveland, that creates a clear opening in a game where the Browns are again entering as underdogs. If Houstons defensive back end continues to show cracks, it could give Cleveland a chance to lean into a weakness fans have been waiting to see exploited. The bigger question is whether the Browns can take advantage before the Texans defense settles in and changes the tone of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Deshaun Watson Faces A Browns Moment That Feels Bigger Than One Game
Deshaun Watson is set to step back into the lineup against the Houston Texans, the franchise where he spent his first five NFL seasons, and the timing gives this one a little extra weight for Cleveland. He returns with the Browns still trying to steady their season, while Watson comes in having played eight games and carrying the sort of uneven production that has defined much of his time in Cleveland so far.
The backdrop makes this more than just another midseason matchup. Watson is in the final year of his contract, the Browns need a win to improve their record, and the Texans have their own push to get closer to .500. For all the familiar faces and old storyline threads in this game, the larger question is what it means when Watson gets back on the field in a moment that feels bigger than one Sunday. [Read more 🡒]