HOUSTON – In case there was any sliver of doubt that the Texans took a past embarrassing performance to heart, the defense erased that notion Saturday against Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco and wide receiver Amari Cooper.
In a flash, in a span of two minutes, 119 seconds, the Texans exacted some payback in a dominant 45-14 AFC wild-card playoff victory over the Browns. Three weeks after being blown out by the Browns at NRG Stadium as Flacco passed for three touchdowns and Cooper set a franchise single-game record with 265 receiving yards, both veteran players were shut down in blistering fashion by the Texans’ resurgent defense.
On consecutive drives in the second half, the Texans intercepted Flacco and returned them for touchdowns for their second and third defensive scores of the season. This marks the first time a defense has returned two interceptions for a touchdown in a single playoff game since the Seattle Seahawks’ Legion of Boom defense did so on Jan. 5, 2008 against the Washington franchise.
“It was a big motivation, man,” said rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who had a sack Saturday after missing the first game due to a high ankle sprain he’s still battling. “We came into this game, saying, ‘Bro, we got to get some get-back.’ We’re at home. Everybody is healthy, let’s go put on for the city and show everybody who we are. I always tell them when we’re on the same page, nobody can mess with us.”
First, veteran cornerback Steven Nelson picked off Flacco after he was hit by defensive end Derek Barnett and raced 82 yards for a touchdown behind multiple blockers, including cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.
Then, second-year linebacker Christian Harris read Flacco’s eyes on fourth down and broke on the football intended for tight end Harrison Bryant and returned it 36 yards for another touchdown.
“That was super crucial, man,” Nelson said. “You know how hard it is to get takeaways, not only just takeaways but two touchdowns back-to-back. I guess that kind of stunts the offense. That was two big plays for our team.”
And Stingley effectively shut down Cooper by shadowing him.
The Texans are the first team to return two interceptions for touchdowns in one playoff game since the Seattle Seahawks against Washington on Jan. 5, 2008. In that first game, a 36-22 loss, Nelson injured his foot and was in and out of the game. The Texans lost defensive end Jonathan Greenard to an ankle injury in the first meeting and played without Anderson Jr., linebacker Blake Cashman with a strained hamstring and quarterback C.J. Stroud because of a concussion.
“We took it pretty personally,” Nelson said. “That wasn’t our brand of football. We had to step up to the challenge. Happy we got all our guys back. That’s a big difference. It is what it is. I’m happy we had everybody contributing this time. It’s a different turnout.”
In that first game against Cleveland on Christmas Eve, Texans safety Jalen Pitre was benched. Since then, he has regained his starting job and communication has improved throughout the defense.
“Every game, I’m trying to keep everything in front of me,” Pitre said. “We take that personal as a safety group. When they don’t have those big plays, it’s harder on offenses. I’m thankful, man.”
The Texans definitely made it difficult on Flacco and the Browns on Saturday.
Flacco completed just 34 of 46 passes for 307 yards and one touchdown, going 0 for 4 on fourth downs.
Cooper was limited to four receptions for 59 yards after resting a heel injury the past two weeks.
“Never seen back-to-back pick-sixes like that,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We needed our defense to step up. Joe had a big day against us a couple weeks ago, and we knew it was a challenge in the passing game. For Nelly to make the pick that he made and also C. Harris, those are big time plays.
“So, one of our focuses coming into the game was to attack the football. But to attack it and to go score, that changes the game for us. When we needed it most, our defense had their best performance of the year. In the biggest game of the year, they stepped up and had an outstanding performance and were the reason we won this game.”
On the Nelson interception, Flacco made a poor decision to throw the football instead of taking the sack or throwing it away.
Nelson reached a top speed of 19.64 miles per hour while following blocks from Harris (20.95 miles per hour), Pitre (20.84 miles per hour) and Stingley (20.21 miles per hour) as he boosted the Texans’ lead to a commanding 31-14 advantage midway through the third quarter.
“Just reading my keys, technique, saw the ball, made a play on it and my guys did some great blocking out there and got in the end zone,” Nelson said. “This is football, any given Saturday.”
Ryans broke from his usual tendency to not have a cornerback shadow a wide receiver.
This time, he made an exception for Cooper in part because of his talent and also because of Stingley’s cover skills and athleticism.
On 35 of Cooper’s 42 routes, Stingley allowed one catch for minus-six yards on three targets, according to Next Gen Stats.
“Stingley, he did an unbelievable job on Cooper,” Ryans said. “He was up for the challenge, up for the matchup. That’s what playoff football is about. It’s about your playmakers stepping up and making plays, and that’s what Stingley did all day today.”
Stingley intercepted five passes during the regular season and was named a Pro Bowl alternate. He and Stroud were arguably the Texans’ biggest Pro Bowl snubs.
“I was just playing my game,” Stingley said. “I know if I have my technique right, my eyes right, I can get the job done. Last game, it was just explosives everywhere. We were communicating, but we were off.”
Cooper had a long reception of 19 yards, but it wasn’t when he was matched against Stingley.
“He’s in the NFL, just like I am,” Stingley said. “I believe in my abilities. He’s a great receiver. I had some help from the D-line. They were doing their thing up front. When everything matches up like that, it makes things kind of easy. You don’t have to cover too long.”
Harris recorded the second interception of his NFL career, putting an exclamation point on his second season. He had a career-high 101 tackles during the regular season. Against the Browns on Saturday, Harris finished with eight tackles, two for losses, one pass defenses and one quarterback hit.
His touchdown, the first of his NFL career, provided a 38-14 lead in the fourth quarter. The game was effectively over as the Texans advanced to the AFC divisional round.
“Christian has been locked in all week,” Ryans said. “It’s a special moment for me because just seeing Christian and seeing his growth week after week after week and to see him make that play.
“I talked about that this week actually. We talked about that play where he missed it a couple games ago. He just broke it up on fourth down. He had an opportunity to step in front and pick this time, and he did it.”
The Texans had four sacks on Flacco and seven quarterback hits, including sacks by Anderson, Harris, Barnett and defensive tackle Kurt Hinish. They had zero sacks on Flacco, who was way too comfortable in the first game as he dismantled the Texans’ defense.
“So much energy,” Anderson said. “It was fun. That’s what playoff football is about right there. That’s what football is about to me. Having fun with your brothers, going out there and making plays.
“Everybody celebrating, no matter if it is in the end zone, on the field, on the sidelines, just keeping the energy up. It’s that bond that we built. I’m going to play for my brother.”
Aaron Wilson is a contributor to Sports Talk 790.
Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images Sport / Getty Images