The Cleveland Browns may have an entire team’s worth of injured players, more than a quarter of their payroll on injured reserve, and a bad road record. That didn’t stop Amari Cooper from leading them to a huge 36-22 win over the playoff-hopeful Houston Texans, 36-22, on Christmas Eve.
The Browns are now 10-5 and continue their hold on the No. 5 seed in the AFC for the playoffs. With the Bengals losing to the Steelers on Saturday, the Browns now hold a two-game lead over their division-mates.
Cleveland Browns Amari Cooper Has This 2023 High Water Mark
Joe Flacco may be the fourth quarterback to register a win for the Cleveland Browns in 2023. But that hasn’t stopped him from developing instant chemistry with the team’s top targets.
This week, it was Amari Cooper. The tone was set on the game’s opening play when Flacco unleashed a 53-yard pass to Cooper, taking the Cleveland Browns down to Houston’s six-yard line. Just two drives later, Flacco and Cooper hooked up again on a 75-yard bomb, this time for a touchdown.
Cooper played sparingly in the fourth quarter, with Cleveland nursing a big lead. Despite this, Cooper racked up 11 catches for an astounding 265 yards and two scores. The 252 yards is the best single-game tally in 2023. This bests Chicago’s DJ Moore’s 230 yards against the Commanders in October. It’s also a single-game record for the Cleveland Browns.
Even with Cooper’s big day, Flacco’s bromance with tight end David Njoku continued. In the last three games, Flacco has found Njoku for 22 receptions and four scores.
Joe Flacco Taking Over the Cleveland Browns
Sunday’s win is Joe Flacco’s third straight win as a starter for the Cleveland Browns. It’s also his third straight game passing for over 300 yards, and he has six scores on the season. In the last five quarters, Flacco has passed for 581 yards, with the lion’s share going to Amari Cooper.
Those numbers are stunning, considering that he’s only been with the team for five weeks and is the fourth quarterback to start for the team. Only eight teams in the NFL have had four quarterbacks notch wins since 1950. Only one of those has made the playoffs. At 10-5, the Browns hope to be the second.
The Hits Just Keep on Coming
Despite the big win in Houston, the Cleveland Browns can’t seem to shake the injury bug. Most notably, kicker Dustin Hopkins hurt his hamstring early in the second quarter and could not return. The team has no other player who could kick in an emergency situation. That forced the Browns to go for two on most of their touchdowns. This also caused them to pass on a sure-fire field goal towards the end of the first half. Look for the Browns to add another kicker with just four days until their next game.
The Cleveland Browns also saw their punter, Corey Bojorquez, shaken up. Cornerback Martin Emerson was lost for most of the second half with a shin injury. Edge rusher Za’Darius Smith also left the game late in clear pain.
Will Amari Cooper and the Browns Punch Their Playoff Ticket?
The Cleveland Browns have a short turnaround, playing the New York Jets at home on Thursday. The Jets are just playing out the string, having long been eliminated from the playoffs. The Browns, on the other hand, will likely clinch a playoff spot with a win. If Amari Cooper and the Cleveland Browns can pull out a victory, it will be their first win in 2023, playing at a time that isn’t 1 pm ET.
Main Photo: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
