Cleveland Browns vs. Houston Texans Week 18 Odds, Time, and Prediction

The Cleveland Browns are playing in the postseason for only the second time in two decades, but their fans worry that their playoff campaign won’t last for too long. The thing is that they’re playing against the in-form Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round. On the bright side for them, the last time they played against the Texans in Houston, they won 36-22.

Cleveland Browns vs. Houston Texans Week 18 Odds

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When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas 
• Date: Saturday, January 13, 2024
• Time: 4:30 p.m. ET
• How to Watch: NBC

Can the Cleveland Browns Win in Texas Once Again?

The Cleveland Browns finished the regular season with an 11-6 record, which wasn’t enough to win the AFC North Division. However, it was enough to win them the No. 5 seed in the conference, which opened the door to the Wild Card Round for them.

That’s where they’re going to play against the Houston Texans, a team with which they’ve got a pretty good record. In fact, the Browns beat the Texans in each of their four previous meetings, three of which took place in Houston.

The last of those saw the Browns win 36-22 mainly thanks to the brilliant performance of their veteran quarterback Joe Flacco who’s turning 39 next week. He threw for three touchdowns that day, while the Browns also scored two more rushing TDs.

Their defense did very well also, keeping the Texans to 22 points. However, the hosts were without their superstar rookie CJ Stroud in that game. But he’s back now!

All Eyes on CJ Stroud in Houston

CJ Stroud is the man the Texans’ fans should be grateful to for this season’s success. The rookie quarterback has been sensational, making himself Houston’s key man. When he’s not around, they do not do great.

He missed the last duel with the Texans, but in the next two games, he was nothing short of brilliant. Against the Titans, on the last day of 2023, he threw for one TD, while in the Texans’ first game of 2024, he recorded two TD passes. In neither of those games did he get any of his passes intercepted.

With him on the field, the Texans are likely to do better than they did in the previous game with the Browns. However, it’s a big question of whether they’re going to score enough to get a win.

Cleveland Browns vs. Houston Texans Prediction

The Cleveland Browns will win this game, we think. It’s not going to be easy, but they’ve got the experience needed to win such games. We probably won’t see them make any risky passes but focus on running the ball instead. Luckily for them, that’s exactly what they’re good at.

Pick: Cleveland Browns