Stroud’s debut year has been nothing short of spectacular. He’s the likely Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and he’s spearheaded a stunning turnaround in Houston, which was formerly home to teams with just postseason aspirations. Stroud will fulfill that dream on Saturday, less than a year after the Texans selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, and he takes with him a few significant figures from 2023, including his 4,108 passing yardage total, which ranks third among all rookie quarterbacks in NFL history. Houston is a substantially better team with Stroud at the helm, but it will be interesting to see if he can keep it going in a high-pressure game against the NFL’s top-ranked defense. Stroud’s stint at Ohio State, fortunately for the Texans, prepared him for the spotlight.
2) January Joe looks to keep the magic going.
Fresh off the bench, Joe Flacco, 38, has had a spectacular month, throwing for 300 yards or more in each of his last four games. He is only the third quarterback to enter the playoffs on a four-game streak of 300 yards or more, following Tom Brady and Drew Brees. And, since joining the Browns, Flacco has led the NFL in passing yards per game with 323.2. All of this points to a tremendous boom-or-bust scenario, and their opponent has previously seen the flare of a Flacco explosion in a 368-yard effort against the Texans in Week 16. Can the Houston Texans keep the Browns from dumping another bomb at NRG Stadium? Or, with another Browns victory, will Flacco Fever, which is currently raging in Cleveland, spread throughout the NFL?
3) The coach of the year showdown.
When it comes to this honor, the debate has been understandably heated. Despite starting five different quarterbacks and losing his starting quarterback twice during the season, Kevin Stefanski guided the Browns to an 11-6 record. Meanwhile, DeMeco Ryans has staged a turnaround that few expected, revitalizing the Texans and making them a featured star of Super Wild Card Weekend. Stefanski has a postseason win as head coach and is 1-0 in previous encounters with Ryans and the Texans, but that game isn’t comparable to what his Browns will face this weekend because Stroud did not play. Ryans, a former NFL linebacker and defensive coordinator, hasn’t seen consistent play from his defense, but he knows it’s full of motivated players eager to make plays. Unfortunately, NFL Honors voters have already cast their ballots, so this game will have no bearing on the ultimate conclusion. But it will be entertaining to see two of the NFL’s best tales square battle in the postseason.
