MCCLAIN: DEFENSE TURNS UP HEAT.
Momentum-changing plays provide spark, make for a ‘pretty good day at the office’
The Texans’ plus-4 turnover differential against Cleveland was their most decisive of the season and played a crucial role in their 29-13 victory over the Browns at NRG Stadium on Sunday.
Cleveland entered the game at plus-14, tied for the NFL lead with Chicago, but the Texans intercepted rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield three times and forced a fumble that saved a touchdown.
During their 0-3 start, the Texans were minus-2. They have been plus-10 during their ninegame winning streak that elevated their record to 9-3 and boosted their lead in the AFC South to three games over Indianapolis and Tennessee.
“They’re momentum-changers, huge plays in the game,” defensive end J.J. Watt said. “They give your team a spark. When you get four turnovers, you’re going to have a pretty good day at the office.”
And what a day it was at NRG Stadium. The Texans jumped on the Browns early and built a 23-0 halftime lead in which they had 262 yards to Cleveland’s 74.
Mayfield, the Austin native who won the Heisman Trophy last year at Oklahoma and was the first overall pick in the draft, had three interceptions in the first half, 46 yards passing and a rating of 9.3.
Mayfield was transformed in the second half. He finished with 397 yards, one touchdown and a 75.4 rating. He was not sacked, and he was hit once by Watt.
Because the Browns fell so far behind in the first half, they had to abandon the run. They ran only nine times, all by rookie running back Nick Chubb, who gained 31 yards and scored on a 2-yard run.
“We always want to stop the run and make them put it in the air,” Watt said. “I think we did a great job of that.”
The Texans scored on their first two possessions for a 10-0 lead. The Browns were trying to rally when they had a first down at their 28, and that’s when the defense started forcing turnovers.
Mayfield tried to throw over the middle to receiver Antonio Callaway, but inside linebacker Zach Cunningham intercepted the pass and took off down the left side. He didn’t stop until he had a 38-yard touchdown that increased the lead to 17-0.
“A guy making a play helps fuel another guy to make a play,” said Cunningham, who played his second game since missing two with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee. “It felt great for me to get back out there and do what I can do to help the team.”
The Texans’ second interception was courtesy of safety Andre Hal. Mayfield tried to throw a touchdown pass to tight end David Njoku, but Hal made the interception in the back of the end zone. Hal’s interception started the Texans on another scoring drive that ended with Ka’imi Fairbairn’s field goal that made it 23-0 at halftime.
The score was 26-7 late in the third quarter when rookie safety Justin Reid made an extraordinary play in which he could have given up but didn’t.
Mayfield found Callaway, who broke free down the left side for 71 yards that should have been the Browns’ second touchdown. Reid chased down Callaway and reached him at the Texans’ 1, forcing a fumble that Hal recovered in the end zone.
“He’s been having a hell of a year,” Watt said. “He’s been making huge plays all year long. I think he should be up for defensive rookie of the year.”
Afterward, Reid described the play from his vantage point.
“I thought the ball was going to be overthrown, and I was going for the pick at first,” Reid said. “I saw (Callaway) catch it, and I put my head down and just started digging.
“You always want to show great effort and run to the ball. At that point, I was just trying to make something happen. I didn’t want him to score. I wanted to make a play on the ball and see if it would come out. Good thing for us it did.”
Reid said the Texans were prepared for Mayfield and the Cleveland offense. Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel devised a game plan that shut down the Browns in the first half and was designed to not give up touchdowns in the last two quarters.
“The coaching staff did a hell of a job,” Reid said. “It’s a huge credit to the coaching staff having us prepared and coming out to fire on all cylinders. We saw those plays all week, and we were prepared for them.”
If Reid had not forced the fumble into the end zone and if another Mayfield touchdown pass had not been nullified because of a penalty, Cleveland would have made it a closer game.
“I thought we played real well in the first half,” safety Tyrann Mathieu said. “In the second half, they made some adjustments, and then he (Mayfield) started finding his receivers, fitting balls into tight holes and extending plays.
“I’m just grateful we made more plays today.”