4 bold predictions in Browns Wild Card game against Texans

This Saturday, the Cleveland Browns take the field in NRG Stadium as they face the Houston Texans in the first round of the NFL playoffs. Since returning to the league back in 1999, the Browns have only made it to the postseason three times but they’re suddenly looking more consistent since two of those have happened in the past four years.

2023 was especially impressive since they overcame injuries to star players such as Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson. They even started five different quarterbacks with four of them earning victories.

That’s why they enter this weekend full of confidence despite being the road team. They know they can beat any team and that includes the Texans — who they defeated in Week 16. Securing that win would be even more likely if these bold predictions come true.

4. Ronnie Hickman continues to shine with playoff INT

Undrafted out of Ohio State, Ronnie Hickman not only made the roster in Cleveland but he ended up playing in 10 games with four starts. Pressed into action when Rodney McLeod and Grant Delpit were sent to the IR, the rookie safety stepped in and was exceptional.

He finished with 25 tackles and three pass defenses while also recording a pick-six against the New York Jets. Hickman is known for his ability as an ‘in the box’ safety but surprised with his coverage skills. Against Houston, they’ll be leaning on him once again even with Delpit returning from the IR.

In this first bold prediction, he continues to shine and records an interception against C.J. Stroud — his former collegiate teammate. Stroud doesn’t throw many picks but this defense can bring the heat and force the rookie into making a crucial mistake.

3. Amari Cooper goes for 150 yards, two TDs

The last time we saw Amari Cooper suit up was against the Texans in Week 16. He had a career day that afternoon, catching 11 passes for 265 yards with two touchdowns. That was an elite performance that will go down in the record books.

Cooper set the record for the most yards in franchise history that day while also becoming the first player in team history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Unfortunately, it also wound up being his final regular-season appearance.

A heel injury kept him out in Week 17 against the New York Jets. The following week, he sat out with the rest of the starters with nothing to play for against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was sidelined early in the week as the team began to practice but considering he attempted to go in Week 17, it's a safe bet Cooper will be out there against Houston — which is what he's saying leading up to the game.

While he's not likely to repeat his insane performance in the playoffs, he should be able to continue to find openings in their secondary. And Joe Flacco has shown he will throw the ball to No. 2 early and often. That will be a recipe for another huge performance as Cooper racks up 150 yards and a touchdown in this bold prediction.

2. Myles Garrett strip-sack leads to TD

Former No. 1 overall pick Myles Garrett put together yet another impressive season in Cleveland. In 16 games (he was one of many to sit out in Week 18), Garrett had 42 tackles and 14 sacks. He was on pace for even more but a shoulder injury slowed him down and he went five games in a row without a sack. He finally notched one against the Jets, which should help him catch fire once again -- plus, he should feel much better thanks to the time off.

The Texans were one of the teams Garrett was unable to record a sack against as Case Keenum and Davis Mills were able to avoid him. Now, he will be trying to get after C.J. Stroud, who is the favorite for the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Stroud was sacked 38 times in 15 games and only had three games all year where he wasn't taken down behind the line of scrimmage at least once. All three of those were early in the year against Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta.

Garrett will be ready to make some noise in his second playoff appearance. In 2020, he had three tackles and one sack in two games but now has a much better defensive coordinator. He also has more help around him which will keep the Texans from being able to effectively double-team him without paying the price.

That's why it's a safe bet that Garrett will find a way to make an impact play. In this bold prediction, he does that by not only registering a sack on Stroud but also by forcing a fumble that gets recovered in the end zone. This defense is at its best when they attack and that's what Garrett is going to do with a rookie quarterback on the other side.

1. Joe Flacco has another 300-yard, 3 TD performance

No one in the NFL was as hot as Joe Flacco from Week 13 through Week 17. After taking over as the QB in Cleveland, Flacco had the most passing attempts (204), the most passing yardage (1,616), and the most touchdown passes (13) in the league. That included him pulling off four wins in a row and he never had fewer than two touchdowns in a start.

Browns fans enjoyed every moment of the Joe Flacco experience as he brought some much-needed firepower to their offense down the stretch. While Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker were able to find ways to win in defensive battles, Flacco turned them into an offensive powerhouse capable of winning a shootout.

Heading into the playoffs, they'll be leaning on him more than ever — and for good reason. Flacco is 10-5 in his career in the postseason and has a Super Bowl ring, which he won in Baltimore in 2012. He's also never lost in the Wild Card Round, entering this weekend with a 5-0 mark.

This final bold prediction is that he remains unbothered by the extra attention the postseason brings. That leads to him, once again, throwing for more than 300 yards while also hitting the end zone three times. That could be enough for him to go 6-0 in Round 1 — and it would be the second time in four years the Browns made it to the Divisional Round.

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