Nothing like a piece of coal in your Texans Christmas stocking, my goodness. That Browns' team was as good a team as the Texans have faced all season long and Browns QB Joe Flacco was absolutely outstanding. Regardless, the Texans generated a handful of Big Plays, so let's dive into those right here.
2nd Quarter - Kickoff
12:04 remaining
Browns ahead 14-0
The Browns had just hit a bomb to Amari Cooper for a long touchdown to give the Browns a 14-0 lead. It looked as if it was going to be a LONG day for the good guys unless someone did something and did something fast.
Enter Dameon Pierce.
On Friday at practice, I was standing by Marc Vandermeer when I saw Dameon catching kickoffs and thought it was a BRILLIANT idea. A kickoff return would allow him to run downhill and do so in a hurry. So, the Browns kicked him the ball at the two yard line. He sprinted forward to the first wave of Browns defenders. He slid through a small hole at about the 23-yard line. As he did, he saw green out to his right and was now well ahead of about eight or nine Browns defenders. Once he squirted fully out to the right side, he now left everyone in a white jersey behind him. Browns K Dustin Hopkins tried to catch him but hurt himself in the process. He fell along the wayside and left only LB Charlie Thomas II chasing to make the tackle. He shoved Pierce at the two yard line but Pierce had enough momentum to dive in with the Texans 2nd kickoff return TD of the season. That TD run gave the Texans fans a ton of hope and cut the lead to 14-7.
4th Quarter - Texans Ball
4:15 remaining
2nd and goal
+1 yard line
Browns ahead 36-15
Texans QB Davis Mills had come up just short on a scramble for the end zone on the previous play, so on the next play, the Texans came out in 21 personnel. They put Andrew Beck in a winged position to the right and Brevin Jordan in a winged slot to the left. Beck went in motion to the left side, then slid into position just next to Mills' left (Devin Singletary to Mills' right). Mills faked Singletary into the line on an outside zone run to the left side as Beck slid into the right flat. It was a great fake that sold the defense on the run. Beck outran the CB to that side to the flat in the end zone. Mills put the ball on the money for Beck's first TD catch of the season and third TD of the year - all three in different ways - KO return TD (Jax), TD run (Carolina) and TD catch (Cleveland).
The Texans could get no closer on this difficult afternoon so we'll cut it there. Thanks for reading and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!
