Official Texans vs. Browns Game Thread, 12/4/2022

[Keith]

Ensuing Texans drive stalls around midfield. Cam Johnston's punt is a beaut, downed at the 1-yard line.

Hairston questionable to return with rib injury, so I guess Pep can rule out any more 4th down FB passes.

Watson gets the Browns unburied from their own goalline with a couple high percentage completions, including one to former Texan Pharoah Brown. Holding call on Peoples-Jones negates what would've been a first down run by Watson. Chubb stuffed on a 3rd-and-short, Browns punt from their 35.

56-yard punt, no return. Yuck. Texans will start next drive from their own 8.

Texans 5-0
5:20 left in half

[Keith]

Allen has a second down pass go through both of Brevin Jordan's hands. Seeing this half maybe why Jordan has spent most gamedays on the inactive list. Checkdown throw on third caught by Ogunbowale but is short.

Johnston booms a punt long, 60 yards, but Peoples-Jones returns it to the house, 76 yards. Extra point is good.

Texans 5, Browns 7
3:41 remaining in the half

[Keith]

Wow, Pierce caught a ball from Allen in the flat and just murdered a Browns defender (Tony Fields), running helmet-first at him for 14 yards and a first down. Another angry run from the rookie. The reception puts him over 1,000 yards from scrimmage this season.

Allen complete to Jordan from midfield for 5 yards sets up a 3rd-and-2 from the Browns' 46. Two minute warning. Allen fumbles the handoff to Pierce. This time Johnston punts to the corner inside the 10 for no return.

Browns offsense takes over from their 9 with 1:22 to play. Defensive holding on Collins gives them an extra 10 yards from the spot.

On 3rd down, Watson is stripped attempting a pass. Jerry Hughes picks it up and goes into the endzone. Officials later say it is incomplete... it was, arm was moving forward. Browns punt a whopper, 66 yards. King has a decent 19-yd return to the 26, 0:32 left on the clock.

Allen incomplete on 1st down, nearly picked on 2nd down. 3rd down pass to Ogunbowale is short, so the Browns call timeout to see the Texans punt again before halftime. Browns go for a block over a return, so Peoples-Jones decides to fair catch it, weird.

With 0:11, Browns choose to handoff then call a timeout with 0:02. Then another handoff.

Whatever.

5-7, Browns
Halftime

[Keith]

Browns start the half going 8 plays for 41 yards. Illegal block penalty by Desmond King on the punt retun puts the Texans at their own 2 to start their drive.

Allen just tries to run a QB sneak to get a little room, but fumbles before he can get his knee on the ground. Tony Field knocks it out, Denzel Ward 4-yd return for the touchdown. Extra point is good.

5-14 Browns
10:10 left in the 3rd quarter

[Keith]

Roughing the passer by the Browns to start the drive. Brevin Jordan then makes a 2-handed snag for 14 up to the Browns' 37. Texans then run a bit of a trick play that costs them 3 yards, but flags fly as the Browns commit unnecessary roughness for the auto 1st to the to their 22-yd line.

Pierce gets a 6-yd run to move the offense into the redzone. Drive stalls though, and Fairbairn kicks the 35-yd field goal.

8-14 Browns
5:08 left in the 3rd

[Keith]

Big run by Chubb for 21 yards gets the Browns to midfield. Watson is sacked on third down though by Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, his first of the season. 40-yd punt will set up the Texans offense from their own 11-yd line with 1:31 left in the quarter.

In other division action, A.J. Brown having a revenge game for his new team, the Eagles, against his former one, the Titans. Has 7 catches for 113 yards and two touchdowns early in the 2nd half there, Eagles up 28-10.

Back in Houston, Allen overthrows Collins on 3rd-and-9. Johnston's punt is 52 yards, returned short by Peoples-Jones to their own 33.

Watson misfires low and short on 1st down, obviously still rusty. Kareem Hunt runs for 15 to the 48 to end the quarter.

8-14 Texans
End 3rd quarter.

[Keith]

Browns seem to be realizing the best way to beat the Texans is on the ground. Peoples-Jones though called for another penalty, this time an illegal block in the back, pushing the Brown back to the edge of field goal range. Watson scrambles on 2nd down for 11 yards. Deep pass on 3rd down is into the endzone, and no one is within 15 yards of it.

Cade York's field goal attempt is converted from 43 yards.

8-17 Browns
9:36 remaining in the game