Disappointing loss: Browns season ends with fall to Texans 45-14

HOUSTON (AP/WJW) — The Cleveland Browns made it to the playoffs this season, but it didn’t end the way they wanted Saturday against the Houston Texans, with a score of 45-14.

Despite the ending score, the game started off as a back and forth event. Here’s how it all went down:

The Browns got the chance to move down the field first, unfortunately, they quickly had to give the ball away.

The Browns’ defense were able to keep the Texans to just a field goal about halfway through the first quarter and the score moved to 3-0. At that point in the game, the Browns’ offense had 11 total yards on two possessions.

Thankfully, the Browns were able to score a touchdown on their next possession.

Of course, the Browns were not able to keep the Texans from heading to the end zone on the very next possession and the score moved to 10-7 with Houston leading.

Starting early into the second quarter the fireworks continued in Houston, this time with the Browns (and Kareem Hunt) once again heading to the end zone. The score moved 14-10.

Right before the touchdown and good field goal, guard Joel Bitonio was taken to the sidelines due to an apparent ankle injury and was questionable to come back in, according to FOX 8 sports reporter P.J. Ziegler.

The Texans took the ball and then answered in incredible fashion, showing off their longest play of the season. The back and forth of the game moved to 17-14, with the Texans on top.

Right after the 2-minute warning, the Texans continued to make things look easy and they scored yet another touchdown and field goal. The game moved to 24-14 and that’s how the score landed going into the half in Texas.

The third quarter didn’t get much better for fans of the Browns, with the Texans widening their lead after an 82-yard Joe Flacco interception.

There was then another pick-6. The score became 38-14.

Adding insult to injury, the Cleveland Browns’ woes continued. Quickly in the fourth quarter, the Texans once more scored, prompting some Browns fans to probably leave the room or turn their televisions off. The score became 45-14.

As the fourth quarter continued to dwindle down, the Browns were unable to score.

The score of 45-14 was how the Browns’ season came to an end.

See photos from the game below:

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Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is the only rookie starting quarterback to make the playoffs this season, and the 22-year-old will face off against the oldest QB in the postseason in Cleveland’s Joe Flacco, who turns 39 three days after the game.

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Stroud will face the Browns for the first time. He missed Houston’s 36-22 loss to them on Dec. 24 while recovering from a concussion. The Texans were also missing rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr., the No. 3 pick in the draft, and linebacker Blake Cashman in that game.

Cleveland knows it will be a challenge to contain Stroud, who has thrown for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns.

“He’s awesome,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said prior to the game. “I remember watching him early because we had some crossover tape and getting ready to play Baltimore. I know … that was his first game, and I think even in that game, you saw some plays and some throws where you knew right away that kid was really, really talented.”

Flacco went 4-1 as a starter to help the Browns to just their third playoff appearance since their 1999 expansion rebirth.

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