Recap – Wild Card Weekend

January 15, 2024

By Noonefromtampa

Saturday Games

Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans

The Texans avenged their week 16 loss to the Browns in a big way. Bobby Slowik also helped out his coaching resume for his upcoming head coach interviews by orchestrating a 45-14 thrashing of the Browns and their vaunted defense. Yes, the Texans defense scored two defensive touchdowns, but the Texans offense came to play and made excellent use of misdirection again the aggressive Browns defense. C.J. Stroud continued his special quarterback play, going 16/27 for 274 yards with three touchdowns and a 157.2 rating.

Joe Flacco went 34/46 for 307 yards with one touchdown and an 80.6 rating. He destroyed any comeback hope for the Browns with two pick sixes on successive drives in the third quarter. That put the Browns in the position of needing three scores just to get back in the game. The Browns actually took the lead 14-10 in the second quarter on a Flacco to Kareem Hunt touchdown pass. From then on it was all Texans who scored the remaining five touchdowns in the game. Texans 45, Browns 14.

Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs

The bitter cold and the Chiefs defense stymied the Dolphins offense, holding them to one touchdown in the game, a big play 53 yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa to Tyreek Hill. The Chiefs were not as explosive on offense as they were earlier in the season. They however did chip away at the Dolphins defense who were missing several starters. Chiefs’ rookie Rachee Rice had a breakout game with eight catches for 130 yards and one touchdown.

The Chiefs had trouble getting the ball into the endzone frequently ending drives in Dolphins’ territory and settling for field goals, four in all. Isiah Pacheco was able to run the ball in from the 3 yard line later in the fourth quarter to seal the game for Kansas City. Miami’s next two drives ended in turnover on downs. The clock became Miami’s enemy and final nail in their coffin. Chiefs 26, Dolphins 7.

Sunday Games

Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys

This was a great game for Commanders fans and any other fan who roots against the Cowboys. The Packers jump out to a 27-0 lead behind the passing of Jordan Love and the running of Aaron Jones. Love finished the day 16/21 for 272 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions and passer rating of 157.2.  Jones ran 21 for 188 yards and three touchdowns. Dak Prescott played from behind and threw 60 pass attempts, completing 41 for 403 yards, He had 3 touchdown throws but also two interceptions, one of which was returned for a 64 yard touchdown by Darnell Savage Jr.

Dallas got its first score, a touchdown with two seconds left in the first half. They opened the second half with a field goal to try and mount a comeback. However Green Bay’s offense continually moved the ball against the Dallas defense. Dallas scored 25 second half points, but they also allowed 21 points to the Packers. Jake Ferguson had a big day with 10 catches for 93 yards and three touchdowns. Both CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup had over 100 yards receiving but neither one scored a touchdown. The Packers victory means their next game is at the San Francisco 49ers. Packers 48, Cowboys 32.

Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions

The Lions opened the game with three touchdowns on their first three possessions. The Rams responded with a field goal and two touchdowns of their own. While the Lions were methodical in the drives, the Rams scored on some big plays. Matthew Stafford hit Puka Nacua for a 50-yard touchdown and Tutu Atwell for a 38-yard touchdown.  Both quarterbacks Stafford and Jared Goff had similar days. Stafford was 25/36 for 367 yards and two touchdowns for 120.9 rating and Goff went 22/27 for 277 yards and one touchdown for 121.8 rating. Ram Kyren Williams ran 13 times for 61 yards while David Montgomery ran 14 times for 56 yards and one touchdown for the Lions.

The Lions had a 21-17 lead going into halftime. Both teams made defense adjustments at half and the second half saw a total of three field goals, two for the Rams and one for the Lions. The Lions were able to run the last minutes off the clock and end any chance of the Rams getting a game winning field goal. Lions 24, Rams 23.