By Terrance Turner
Sept. 19, 2021
The Houston Texans were in Ohio today, playing against the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns went three and out but then got the ball back after a costly turnover. Texans punt returner Andre Roberts dropped the ball, which was recovered by Cleveland. Roberts muffed a low-driving punt that bounced off his chest and was recovered by Browns linebacker Sione Takitaki at the Houston 35-yard line. The Cleveland Browns cashed in with touchdown. Browns fullback Andy Janovich scored his first TD as a Brown with a 1-yard rush, giving Cleveland a 7-0 lead.
Texans answered with a scoring drive. QB Tyrod Taylor put the Texans on the board, with a 22-yard touchdown catch by running back Phillip Lindsay. Texans had possession again after a turnover; safety Justin Reed knocked the ball out of a Browns receiver’s hands, and Texans recovered. But they scored no points. Game tied at 7 when thee first quarter ended. Then Baker Mayfield was intercepted by Houston. Mayfield was shaken up on play, slowly rising to his feet but is then back down on one knee. Eventually he had to go to the locker room. WR Jarvis Landry was also hurt; the team believes he suffered an MCL sprain.
Houston capitalized on the turnover when Tyrod Taylor took off, running into end zone for a 15-yd touchdown run. At the end of the run, Taylor took a knee in the end zone. He left the field and was followed by a staffer to the bench.
With 1;16 left in the second half, Mayfield got a rushing touchdown of his own, taking off past the goal line for the TD. The game was tied 14-14 at halftime.
Demetric Felton had a breakout run, striding 33 yards into the end zone. That was his first career touchdown. It capped a 12-play, 72-yard drive by the Browns. With just under eight minutes left in the third quarter, the Texans took over, with QB Davis Mills in for Taylor. Tyrod Taylor was ruled out due to a hamstring injury. Mills was intercepted when a pass to Andre Roberts was instead caught by Malcolm Smith. Cleveland tried to capitalize on that pick but had to settle for a field goal. Kicker Chase McLaughlin made a 30-yard kick to put the Browns ahead 24-14.
That was the score when the fourth quarter began. Houston churned down the field, with running back Mark Ingram taking them to 1st and goal. On 3rd and goal, Texans WR Brandin Cooks caught a 2-yard pass for the touchdown. The game tightened. It was 24-21 with 11 minutes remaining.
Cleveland picked one first down after another, thanks to big runs by Hunt and Chubb. Nick Chubb rushed 26 yards for the touchdown, This is his eighth consecutive game with a rushing touchdown. His latest score gave the Browns a 31-21 lead with just under six minutes left to play.
A disastrous drive for the Texans commenced when the Texans were flagged for ineligible man downfield. On 3rd and 10, Mills sent a far-flung pass that was nearly picked off but landed incomplete. The Texans had to punt. On their next drive, they got as far as the 24-yard line. But on 3rd and 17, Mills’ pass was also incomplete. Houston settled for a field goal, but kicker Joey Slye missed what should’ve been a chip-shot field goal. Cleveland got the ball and let the clock run out. The Browns won, 31-21.
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