The Houston Texans entered the game with a record of 8-6 and the Browns at a mark of 9-5. The Texans won the opening coin toss and deferred to the second half, meaning the Browns would take the opening kickoff.

The Browns started at their own 41 and after a 36-yard return by Pierre Strong Jr., Kaimi Fairbairn made the tackle. Joe Flacco opened the game with a 53-yard pass to Amari Cooper to set up 1st-and-Goal at the Texans six-yard-line. Kareem Hunt took a direct snap and gained two yards to the four followed by an incomplete pass set up a 3rd-and-Goal. From the four, a direct snap to Jerome Ford did the job as he broke to the outside and strode into the endzone for the score. With 13:18 left in the first quarter, the Browns took a 7-0 lead. The scoring drive went 59 yards in four plays, spanning 1:42.

The Texans started the ensuing drive at their own 27 after Dameon Pierce returned it 19 yards. Case Keenum started for Houston at quarterback for a second-straight week. Keenum hit Devin Singletary for a seven-yard gain up to the 34. Holding was called against the Browns, which was tacked on to a five-yard run by Singletary. After another defensive holding call against the Browns, the Texans were set up at their own 49. Davis Mills came in at quarterback for one play and scrambled for no gain, followed by a run for one yard by Singletary, to set up a 3rd-and-9 from the 50. Following a false start, the Texans on 3rd-and-14 from their own 45, Keenum connected with Nico Collins at the 47 yard line for a two-yard gain, which forced a punt. The Browns called for a fair catch at their own 11.

Cleveland started with a pass from Flacco to Harrison Bryant for a gain of six up the 17. After an incomplete pass, it set up a 3rd-and-4, which Flacco hit Cedric Tillman, who reached the ball out to the 23. On the first play, Christian Harris wrapped up Ford for no gain. After another run for no gain after a big tackle by Kurt Hinish, on 3rd-and-10 a pass by Flacco fell incomplete and the Texans defense forced a punt. Robert Woods returned it fro, the 22 to the 34 for a 12-yard return.

The Texans started their second drive of the game at the 34. On the first play Keenum hit Singletary for a 27-yard gain but then a holding call at the Texans 38 brought the ball back to the 28. After a two-yard run by Singletary, on 2nd-and-14, Mills hit Andrew Beck for a five-yard gain. An incomplete pass by Keenum ended the drive and forced another punt. The Browns returned it from the nine to the 21 for a 12-yard return.

The Browns started from their own 21 and a pass from Flacco to Cooper moved Cleveland up to the 43 for a 22-yard gain on the first play of the drive. From the 43, a run for no gain by Strong set up a 2nd-and-10. Back-to-back passes by Flacco to Njoku for four yards and then Hunt for a loss of three forced the Browns to punt. On the first punt, the Browns were called for a hold, the second was taken by Woods up to the 20 of the Texans.

Houston started their drive at the 20. On the first play, the Browns were called for a hold and moved the ball to the 25 and reset the downs. Singletary busted up the middle for a 17-yard gain to get the ball to the 42 on the very next play. After a run for no gain by Singletary, the Texans were called for offsides, moving the ball back to the 37. This was the end of the first quarter.

*End of 1st Quarter: Browns 7, Texans 0

The Texans started the second quarter on their own 37 facing a 2nd-and-15. Keenum hit Dalton Schultz for the first time, which he reached the 41 to set up a 3rd-and-11. On the next play, Keenum hit Collins, who was able to get the ball up to the 48 but short of the first down, forcing another punt. The Browns called for a fair catch at their own 10.

The Browns started with a run by Ford on their next drive, getting up to the 15. After a 10-yard run by Ford, the Browns were set up with a new set of downs at the 25. Flacco aired it out on the next play and hit Cooper in stride for a 75-yard touchdown. The Browns extended their lead to 14-0 with the extra point with 12:04 remaining in the second quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, Pierce took the ball from the one-yard line and broke loose for the 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. The score cut the score in half, with 11:51 remaining in the first half, the Texans trailed 14-7.

The Browns took over on their own 25. After a pair of incomplete passes from Flacco and an offensive holding call, the Browns faced a 3rd-and-20. A pass to Njoku gained just six yards up to the 21, which is where the Browns ended up punting from. The Texans took it at their own 33 via a fair catch.

A run for a loss of one by Singletary and an incomplete pass from Keenum quickly got the Texans into a 3rd-and-11 from their own 32. On the next play, Keenum was sacked but the Browns were called for illegal contact, which set up a new set of downs for the Texans. Following a defensive offside, the Texans were set up with 1st-and-5 from their own 42. An offensive holding moved the Texans back to the 36 after a seven-yard run by Pierce. After an incomplete pass and three-yard run by Pierce, the Texans faced a 3rd-and-8, on which Keenum was sacked for a 13-yard loss. Houston was forced to punt.

The Browns started at the 50 on their ensuing drive. After a run by Ford for no gain and an incomplete pass by Flacco, on 3rd-and-10 the Browns converted for a first down as Flacco hit Elijah Moore, who got up to the 32 for an 18-yard pickup. On the next play, Flacco found a wide open Jordan Akins, who picked up 13 yards up to the 19 and into the redzone. Ford tried to run to the right on the next play but he was ripped and flipped down to the turf by Myjai Sanders for a loss of two back to the 21. On 2nd-and-12, Flacco hit Njoku in the endzone on an over-the-shoulder pass for the touchdown. With their kicker injured, the Browns went for two and Dorian Thomas-Robinson took the direct snap and ran into the endzone for the two-point conversion. With 4:16 remaining in the first half, the Browns took a 22-7 lead over the Texans.

The Texans started their next drive from their own 32. On the first play, Woods took the ball on an end-around and picked up seven to the 39. On the very next play, Keenum was sacked for a loss of 10 yards back to the 29, setting up a 3rd-and-13. A handoff and six-yard run by Dare Ogunbuwale would be the final play of this drive as he reached the 35, where the Texans punted from. After the punt and a penalty for unnecessary roughness against Houston, the Browns took over at their own 34. This brought us to the two minute warning.

After a short run by Ford for two yards, Flacco was picked off on the next play as he tried to air it deep for Marquise Goodwin but was intercepted by DeAndre Houston-Carson. This was the first turnover of the game. The Texans took over on their own 16 with 1:39 remaining in the half.

The Texans started with a short pass to Singletary, which he got eight yards before being shoved out of bounds. A one-yard run by Singletary and a four-yard pass to Collins got the Texans a first down at the 29. Cleveland took a timeout. Out of the timeout, Keenum hit Schultz over the middle for a six-yard pick-up to the 35 and the Texans took a timeout. With 37 seconds remaining, Keenum made a throw on the run, which Schultz reeled in a one-handed grab and reached the first-down marker at the 40. On the next play, Keenum's pass was tipped at the line by Shelby Harris into the air, which Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah intercepted and returned to the 41 of Houston.

The Browns took over in Texans territory with 29 seconds remaining. On the first play, Flacco hit Cooper for a gain of 23 yards down to the 18 and in the redzone. After a timeout, an incomplete pass to the endzone stopped the clock with 11 seconds left in the second quarter. Another incomplete pass by Flacco set up a 3rd-and-10 with five seconds left on the clock. The Texans took a timeout before the play. On the final play of the half, Flacco aired the ball into the endzone and it was intercepted by Derek Stingley Jr. to end the half.

HALFTIME: Browns 22, Texans 7

The third quarter got underway with the Texans receiving the opening kickoff, trailing 22-7.

The Texans started at their own 33. The first play, Singletary busted loose up the middle for a gain of 17 to get up to the 50-yard-line. After a sack of Keenum which pushed them back to the 40, a short pass from Keenum to Schultz picked up eight yards to set up a 3rd-and-12. On the next play, Keenum hit Schultz again just for six yards, which forced the Texans to punt. The Browns caught it at their own six.

The Browns started their first drive of the second half from their own six-yard-line. A short pass to Njoku and then an eight-yard completion to Cooper quickly got the Browns off their own endzone. From the 23, Strong cut to the left for an eight-yard pickup before Flacco hit Njoku for another four yards and a first down. On 1st-and-10 from their 35, Flacco hit Akins for a five-yard gain up to the 40, where Hunt had a two-yard run to set up a 3rd-and-3. Flacco connected with Hunt for six yards to convert another third down and get the ball to the 48. After a one-yard run by Ford, Flacco hit Cooper for a 19-yard gain up to the 32 of Houston. Back-to-back runs by Ford set up a 3rd-and-8 from the 30. An incomplete pass set up a fourth down, which the Browns went for due to an injury to their kicker. Flacco looked as if he had been sacked but still managed to get a throw off and hit Cooper to a gain of 13 yards to the Texans 17. After a a penalty for too many men on the field by the defense and a pass breakup by Stingley in the endzone, the Browns faced a 2nd-and-5 at the 12. Hunt carried the ball on the next play down to the nine, which set up a 3rd-and-2 at the nine. Flacco kept the ball and dove forward for the first down at the seven. On 1st-and-Goal from the seven, Flacco hit Cooper for the score, his second touchdown of the game. The Browns went for a two-point conversion, which failed. With 2:35 left in the third quarter, the Browns extended their lead to 28-7.

The Texans took over on the ensuing drive from their own 21. Singletary started with a run to the right up to the 23. After an incomplete pass, Keenum was hit while he threw and the ball was intercepted by Duron Harmon of the Browns. There was no return on the pick and the Browns took over on their own 49.

The Browns started with a pass to Cooper for a gain of 21 yards down to the 30-yard-line. After an incomplete pass, a run by Strong up the middle moved the ball up to the 26 for a four-yard gain and set up a 3rd-and-5, which the Browns failed to convert with a one-yard run by Hunt up to the 25. This brought the quarter to an end.

End of 3rd Quarter:Browns 28, Texans 7

The Browns started the fourth quarter with the ball and facing a 4th-and-5 at the 25. Cleveland converted it with a pass from Flacco to Tillman for a seven-yard gain to the 18. After a four-yard run by Hunt and then incomplete pass, the Browns faced a 3rd-and-6 at the 14. A one-yard gain on a pass from Flacco to Moore on the next play, brought up a 4th-and-5 again. Flacco hit Cooper, who was shoved out of bounds at the two-yard-line for a gain of 12. After an unnecessary roughness call the ball was placed at the one. After a defensive pass interference, the Browns gave the ball to Hunt who dove in from a yard out for the score. A two-point conversion was completed as Flacco hit Cooper to extend the lead to 36-7 with 12:31 left in the game.

The Texans started their ensuing drive at their own 32. Mills came in at quarterback. On the first play, he hit Schultz for a seven-yard gain, then hit Woods for another two yards. On 3rd-and-1, Pierce lost a yard on a run, which set up 4th-and-2. On the next play, Mills rolled out and his pass fell incomplete, which was intended for Woods. The turnover on downs set up the Browns at the Texans 40.

The Browns started with a run by Strong from their own 40. He picked up six. Thompson-Robinson was at quarterback replacing Flacco. His first pass of the drive hit David Bell for six yards up to the 27. A sack of Thompson-Robinson  dropped him back five yards. The sack was by Derek Barnnett, the first of the game by Houston. On 2nd-and-15m Strong went up the middle for four yards and then an incomplete pass brought up 4th-and-11 from the 29. On the next play, Thompson-Robinson was dropped for another sack, this time by Jerry Hughes, which forced a turnover on downs. The Texans took over at their own 39 with 8:06 remaining in the game.

The Texans from their own 39 started with an incomplete pass from Mills intended for Noah Brown. After another incomplete pass, Mills connected with Brown for a 10-yard gain to the 49 and a first down. Mills and Brown connected again for a gain of 16 yards and pushed into the Browns territory to the 35. Quickly, the Texans snapped the ball and Mills hit Xavier Hutchinson for a gain of 18 yards down to the 17 of the Browns. After an incomplete pass, Mills hit Woods for a gain of 12 yards down to the five yard line, setting up 1st-and-Goal. After a pair of incomplete passes, on 3rd-and-Goal, Mills hit Collins for a five-yard touchdown. The Texans went for two and Mills hit Collins for the two-point conversion. With 6:08 left in the game, the Texans pulled the score to 36-15. The scoring drive went 61 yards in 10 plays spanning 1:58.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Texans attempted an on-side kick, which was successfully recovered by Jalen Pitre.

The Texans offense came back on the field and started at their own 47. After a trio of incomplete passes, the Texans faced a 4th-and-10, which they converted as Mills hit Schultz over the middle for a gain of 13 yards to the Browns 40-yard-line. After an incomplete pass, Mills hit Pierce for a gain of 11 yards down to the 29. Mills then hit Brevin Jordan on the very next throw for a gain of 19 to get it down to the 10. On the 1st-and-Goal, Mills rolled to his left and took off for the pylon. Mills dove for the endzone and was ruled down at the one yard line after review. On the next play, Mills rolled out to his right and hit a wide open Beck for the one-yard touchdown. After the extra point, the Texans trailed the Browns 36-22 with 4:12 left in the game. The scoring drive went 53 yards on nine plays in 1:56.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Texans attempted another onside kick but this time James Proche III recovered it. With the Browns lead down to 14, Cleveland elected to reenter Joe Flacco into the game starting at the Texans 44. The first play was waved off after a facemask penalty was called against Houston, which moved the ball up to the 29. Ford took the ball on the first play and ran up to the 34 for a three-yard gain. Houston took a timeout. After an incomplete pass, the Browns faced 3rd-and-7, on which Ford ran for no gain. Houston took another timeout to stop the clock at 3:49. Facing a 4th-and-7, the Browns converted it as Flacco hit Cooper for a 13-yard gain to the 13-yard-line of Houston. Hunt took the first handoff and was dropped back at the 15 for a loss of two. Ford got the toss from Flacco on the next play and rumbled up to the 12 to bring up 3rd-and-9, on which Ford was hit in the backfield and dropped for a loss of three. On 4th down, the Browns went for it and Flacco hit Ford, who was then tackled by Desmond King II at the 17 for a loss and forced a turnover on downs.

The Texans took over on their own 17 with 2:06 left in the game and trailing by 14. After a pair of incomplete passes, that brought the game to the two minute warning. Coming out of the timeout, Mills hit Brown for a 12-yard pickup to the 29, then hit Jordan, who got up to the 37 for an eight-yard gain. After an incomplete pass, Mills hit Schultz who dove up to the 47 for a 10-yard gain. After a trio of incomplete passes, the Texans were forced to go for it on 4th-and-10 from their own 46. After an offsides penalty, which moved the ball to the Browns 49 and set up a 4th-and-5, Mills had his pass tipped into the air. This was a turnover on downs.

The Browns took over on their own 49. They came out and Flacco took a knee, which ended the game, making the final 36-22.

The Texans fall to 8-7 overall and the Browns move to 10-5. Houston will be back at NRG Stadium on Sunday, December 31, to take on the Tennessee Titans. Kickoff is set for Noon.