The #Texans got their first win of the season on the road against the #Jaguars
The Houston Texans fought hard against the Jacksonville Jaguars and were barely able to score enough points to close out their opponent in the fourth quarter. The game was deadlocked at a six-point tie for the majority of regulation, and both defenses showed great proficiency in their classic “bend-don’t-break” strategies.
In such a tightly contested matchup, the Texans managed to play competently in all four quarters for one of the first times this season. Their anemic offense still needs work, but with defensive rookies Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre coming into their own on the other side of the ball, Houston could soon find themselves in a position to eke out a few more victories against opponents that underestimate the team’s potential.
Here are our key takeaways from the Houstons’ win in Jacksonville:
Chubb has been the Browns’ best player on offense, and has a chance to make history if he can keep up his breakneck pace.
Another 100-yard performance in Week 3 has Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb atop the NFL’s rushing leaderboard. Though Browns fans are well acquainted with his unique skillset, the league has only recently come to recognize just how game-changing his abilities are.
For perspective, Chubb notched his 49th game with 50 or more rushing yards, which is second only to Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott for the most in a player’s first 61 games. Additionally that mark tied him with Tennessee Titans stalwart Derrick Henry for second-most by an active player in their first five years in the league at the end of Thursday’s matchup.
Along with those impressive marks, Chubb is steadily climbing Cleveland’s franchise records lists. His 100-yard showing against the Pittsburgh Steelers was the 24th of his career, which leads the NFL since his rookie season in 2018. The Browns are an impressive 17-7 when he reaches that benchmark, and are particularly reliant on his production to drive their offense downfield.
With a touchdown scored in the matchup, Chubb achieved an even 40 scores in his career, which puts him in fifth place in franchise history in the rushing category. He will need four more rushing touchdowns to tie Browns legend Otto Graham for fourth most on the franchise leaderboard, and a fifth to exceed Graham’s total for sole ownership of fourth place. If he can find pay dirt on the ground eight more times in 2022, he could move into third place, passing Kevin Mack and Mike Pruitt at 46 and 47 respectively.
The work being put in by Chubb on a week-to-week basis is reaching legendary status, and the team certainly wouldn’t be the top team in the AFC North if it weren’t for his exceptional play to start the season. With 14 games remaining on Cleveland’s schedule, he will have ample opportunity to build on his already prolific performances, and cement himself as the NFL’s premier ball carrier.
These plays helped turn the tide in the #Browns’ Week 3 win over the #Steelers
A terrific Week 3 win has the Cleveland Browns riding high ahead of their matchup against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Their success against the Pittsburgh Steelers was fun to watch in all four quarters, and gave the team a lead in the AFC North, at least for the time being.
The Browns’ offense was clicking in the matchup and kept the team in the driver’s seat throughout the primetime tilt. Check out Cleveland’s highlight reel here, and notice how juiced up the team was against their division rivals in Week 3:
These plays helped turn the tide against the Steelers and served to build momentum heading into Week 4. On both sides of the ball, the Browns proved to have superior talent and preparation over Pittsburgh, and if this win was any indication, they should have no problem sweeping the season series against the Steelers later this year.
When quarterback Jacoby Brissett plays as well as he did, the team is nearly impossible to stop. Nick Chubb, too, played a big role in the team’s success, rushing for over 100 yards and a touchdown in the matchup, which set the tone for the rest of the offense.
On defense, Cleveland tightened up to play a complete game against Pittsburgh, holding the Steelers to just 17 points. They managed to score a defensive touchdown on the final play of regulation when Pittsburgh fumbled on a failed hook-and-ladder play, which put a cap on their excellent day.
Moving forward, the Browns will look to maintain the pace and urgency they showed against their division rivals, and should be able to build on the Week 3 win. Now 2-1, the team is in a prime position to sneak up on opponents that have matchups against more established teams circled on their schedule, and will happily play the underdog, even if their record might indicate contender status.
Garrett was enthusiastic about the #Browns’ ability to close out close games in the second half.
The Cleveland Browns were looking for a defensive renaissance and seemed to get on the right track to finding one in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After the total disaster of their previous matchup, the defense looked absolutely dominant against their talented opponent, allowing just 17 points.
Superstar pass rusher Myles Garrett told reporters after the game that the team’s success was a product of the way the defense seems to tighten up in the last two quarters, and an emphasis on fundamentals.
“We have seen that a lot where we really come out of the second half or halftime and really shut guys down,” Garrett explained. “It was just about doing it in the fourth quarter for that second half. I think that is where we took the next step tonight where we really were on our P’s and Q’s and made sure that we did not give any leaky gains or big plays. Everybody was communicating, and there were no mistakes on the front or on the back end. We were really able to hang with the guys and get the ball back to the offense so they can put points on the board.”
Each week will present a new challenge for this young Browns defense, but few will prove as daunting as the one they put behind them on Thursday. The embarrassment suffered after their loss to the New York Jets is comfortably behind them after taking their first lead in the AFC North, and momentum is building ahead of the middle stretch of their schedule.
Garrett’s comments to the media are a far cry from the obvious frustration players expressed after the Week 2 defeat, and surely he isn’t alone in feeling like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders. More performances like the one they turned in against Pittsburgh might punch Cleveland’s ticket to the playoffs in January, so Garrett and his teammates are likely to take notes about what worked this week, and apply it to every matchup they face moving forward.
A simple solution to a serious problem was all the #Browns needed to get their mojo back on defense.
A defensive meltdown in Week 3 was enough to have the Cleveland Browns’ coaching staff re-evaluate their gameday strategies ahead of their matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers last night. Communication was becoming an issue, and the team was ready to try anything that might help them avoid another collapse.
As it would turn out a simple adjustment to how play calls are sent in from defensive coordinator Joe Woods to the unit on the field was all they needed to get on the same page. Starting safety John Johnson III told reporters after the game about the new approach and was emphatic in his assertion that it helped with a very specific matchup choice.
“Usually, it is like seven or eight guys, but all 11 were in the huddle,” He explained. “It was a little different because (CB) Denzel (Ward) was traveling with No. 18 (Steelers WR Diontae Johnson) so everyone definitely had to stay in the middle, and it helped out with the play.”
With everybody working in concert, the Browns’ defense was able to limit Pittsburgh to just 17 points, and they even managed to score a touchdown on the final play of the game. Johnson continued his comments by saying he was hopeful the change would stick around, and seemed to imply that the results of the subtle change speak for themselves.
“I think it has to [help],” Johnson said. “I think you have to get the call and communicate. It was sending and receiving. It was a lot better than last week so I think we have to [stick with it.].”
Cleveland will need to build on this win if they want their success to continue through the rest of their rigorous schedule. As they continue to improve, the Browns will continue making waves on both sides of the ball.
Third-year linebacker Jacob Phillips was ready to see his first meaningful snaps of the season in the #Browns’ win over Pittsburgh.
Wins against divisional rivals go a long way for NFL teams with the hopes of making the playoffs, and the Cleveland Browns will surely be helped by their victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. Their resounding victory felt like a change of the guard in the AFC North but was made bittersweet by the loss of linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. midway through the matchup.
Walker was hit hard in an effort to make a tackle and had to be carted off the field, leaving third-year linebacker Jacob Phillips to fill his role. Phillips spoke to reporters after the game about getting his first real action of the season and expressed gratitude for his ability to make an impact.
“I like when I feel the pressure,” Phillips said. “I feel like that is when I thrive the most when I am out there and I am able to adjust and get a feel of the game. Obviously, I am blessed to walk out of this game healthy and for the plays that I was able to make.”
Asked if he felt prepared to substitute in when Walker went down, Phillips gave an emphatic response that may be a sign of more involvement in the defense in the coming weeks.
“Definitely,” he told reporters. “Even going into this game, my role increased, and I was excited for that. Whatever increase the team has me do I am thankful for.”
Phillips may be needed more as the season wears on, as Walker’s timetable for recovery is, to this point, unclear. With more reps likely in his future, he will need to try to duplicate his performance against Pittsburgh to keep the Browns’ defense running smoothly.
If he can do that, Phillips may find himself in a more permanent role moving forward as Cleveland looks to establish themselves as the AFC North’s top dogs.
Brissett is coming into his own with the help of the #Browns’ star wide receiver.
The Cleveland Browns are back on top of the AFC North for the time being due in no small part to the connection between quarterback Jacoby Brissett and receiver Amari Cooper. Both are in their first season with the team, and after just three weeks in the regular season are already hitting their stride and proving their worth in big moments as they seek to bring the Browns closer to Super Bowl contention.
Brissett talked about the pass-catcher’s impact in Thursday’s win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in a press conference after the game and went into detail about what he has seen from him to this point in the season. A glowing review was expected, but what stood out in his comments was the way he seemed to admire Cooper’s presence in the locker room, even in his first season in Cleveland.
“He played really well,” Brissett explained. “Even in the first game – he was just getting PI-ed (defensive pass interference) the whole time. That is just who he is. He is a great player, a great teammate, a guy who is going to give you his all. You see the things that he is doing obviously in the pass game, but in the run game, he is holding his own.
“You don’t see that a lot from a lot of No. 1 receivers. I am sure he is going to want to continue to get better and better. Even on the long pass on that big third down, he was like, ‘Man, I need to find a way to stay up and go score.’ That is just the type of player he is. It is obviously a treat to have him on this team. I am looking forward to just continuing to grow with him.”
Their monumental win over their divisional rival won’t soon be forgotten, and with 14 games left to secure a playoff berth, the tandem of Brissett and Cooper is likely to play a large factor in the team’s success moving forward. The elephant in the room is Cleveland’s suspended franchise quarterback, who threatens to break up the connection that has made such an impact for the Browns in their last two tilts.
For now, though, their partnership will be an integral part of Cleveland’s gameplans, and the team will lean on Brissett and Cooper for more explosive plays and clutch touchdowns until the permanent starter takes over.
After scoring on the final play of the game, the #Browns are officially the top team in the AFC North.
The Cleveland Browns emerged from their Week 3 tilt against the Pittsburgh Steelers with their second win of the season, and the game ended with an eventful hook-and-ladder play that ended in a touchdown as time expired. Pittsburgh got the ball on the four-yard line with less than 10 seconds remaining in the matchup and elected to try their chances at the rarest of comeback attempts.
When receiver Chase Claypool lateraled the ball to star running back Najee Harris near the goal line, it was fumbled to the ground and was eventually recovered in the end zone by Denzel Ward for a Browns touchdown as time expired. By rule, there was no extra point attempt.
Check out the spectacular ending to the team’s second win of the season, which has Cleveland in the top position in the AFC North:
The final score reflected how dominant the Browns were in the second half, and this play was the cherry on top of Cleveland’s primetime win on Thursday night. The team will now have a long week to prepare to play the Falcons in Week 4.
A Week 1 win was just what the Browns needed to build momentum heading into the meat of their 2022 schedule.
The Cleveland Browns are out for blood in 2022 and got their season started with a bang in Week 1. Their triumphant 26-24 win over the Carolina Panthers felt like a statement of absolute dominance, even if the margin of victory was relatively slim.
The victory was made possible by several key players. Rookie kicker Cade York hit a game-winning field goal to put the Browns over the top, but it was the play of veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett that kept Cleveland within striking range of the lead throughout the contest.
In the team’s Wednesday morning press conference, linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. expounded on the feeling that he got when the Browns emerged winners after the hard-fought game. He explained that he had talked to Brissett about the experience and what it meant to him to start the season with a win for the first time in his career.
“I’m just happy that he’s able to, you know, find a way to put one in the win column,” Walker said. “I told him, I think this is my first time, and probably his first time outside of his first year in New England, where we’ve started the season 1-0. That’s huge. I’ve always been 0-1 since I’ve been in the NFL, so to get that first win is pretty crucial, and I think that’s another emotional aspect of it for him, getting that first win of the year, no matter how you do it, just [to] get it done.”
While the season is far from over, Cleveland is certainly in a more advantageous position heading into Week 2 than they have been in previous years at this point. The culture of change within the Browns’ organization is palpable to all observers when compared to years past, and their Week 1 performance will serve as an important milestone in the franchise’s hopes of winning a Lombardi Trophy in the not-so-distant future.
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