The 2024 NFL Playoffs get underway with the AFC Wild Card Game as the AFC South champion Houston Texans host the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium.
Unquestionably the surprise team in this year's playoffs led by first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, Houston won their first division title since 2019 by defeating Indianapolis in Week 18 coupled with Jacksonville's loss to Tennessee.
With 11 wins for the second time in four seasons, Cleveland clinched a postseason berth in Week 16 led by the resurgent veteran quarterback Joe Flacco and a defense that forced 24 turnovers in their last 12 games.
The turnover battle, always a key, could play a prominent role in this game as this is the first playoff game since the merger in 1970 to feature the teams that committed the most and fewest turnovers.
Houston is 3-2 all-time at home in the playoffs while the Browns have lost eight of their last nine postseason contests on the road, the lone win coming in their last playoff appearance in 2020 in Pittsburgh.
Injury report
Kicker Dustin Hopkins (hamstring), safety Grant Delpit (groin), and wide receiver Cedric Tillman (concussion) have all been ruled out.
Running back Pierre Strong (back), safety Juan Thornhill (calf), and cornerbacks Mike Ford (calf) and Denzel Ward (shoulder) are listed as questionable.
The only absentee for Houston is defensive end Jerry Hughes, who will miss out through an ankle injury.
Defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. and Jonathan Greenard (both ankle), defensive tackles Maliek Collins (hip) and Sheldon Rankins (shoulder), wide receivers Noah Brown (back) and Robert Woods (hip) and fullback Andrew Beck (calf) are all questionable.
Browns dominate the recent head-to-head
Cleveland has won four in a row against Houston with the latest victory coming just three weeks ago when Amari Cooper had a franchise-record 265 receiving yards in the Browns' 36-22 win.
Flacco threw for 368 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions as Cleveland won their third game in a row that put them on the verge of a playoff spot.
Case Keenum started in place of Stroud, who was recovering from a concussion and had just 62 yards and two interceptions passing before being replaced in the third quarter by Davis Mills.
Key players for the Browns
Myles Garrett is one of the elite defensive players in the NFL as he is the only player with 14 or more sacks in the last three seasons and at least ten in the last six seasons.
Wide receiver Amari Cooper led the team with 1,250 receiving yards and was second in receptions (72) and touchdowns (five), giving Flacco a big-play threat in the passing game.
Key players for Texans
Stroud is the runaway winner for Offensive Rookie of the Year as he passed for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns while completing 63.9 percent of his passes.
The former Ohio State signal-caller had a quarterback rating of 100.8, ranking seventh in the league.
Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. led Houston with five interceptions, part of a defense that forced 24 turnovers and had a turnover margin of +10.
How to watch Browns vs Texans
NBC will carry the game live with Noah Eagle set to handle the play-by-play duties, Todd Blackledge serving as the analyst, and Kathryn Tappen handling sideline duties.
Kickoff is set for 4:30pm Eastern time.