C.J. Stroud on Texans' wild-card rout over Browns: 'This is a dream come true'

The Texans made their postseason return in emphatic fashion.

Houston dominated Cleveland in all phases during Saturday's opening game of Super Wild Card Weekend, riding a hot start by rookie C.J. Stroud and a defense intent on scoring points of its own to a 45-14 win over the Browns.

"This is a dream come true," Stroud said Saturday of the victory. "How close we are as a team. We're really, really close. Offense, defense, special teams. We all mend well together, and just to have another week to go at it with my brothers is a blessing, so I'm super excited for this team and the city of Houston, and I'm just blessed to be in the position I am."

Stroud, in his first NFL postseason game ever and the team's first time back in the playoffs since the 2019 season, looked every bit the veteran while going for 274 yards, three touchdowns and a near-perfect 157.2 passer rating on 16-of-21 passing.

The 22-year-old was sharp early, but a pair of drops on his first drive and a stall on his second resulted in just three points. From there, he led three first-half touchdown drives of 75, 76 and 71 yards.

He ended all on passes, which tied the postseason rookie record for TD throws in a game.

"C.J. is the reason why we are in this position," Texans head coach Demeco Ryans said of the performance. "He's special. A special young man. A special player. Continues to shine no matter how big the moment is. Our whole team is leaning on him, and he has the shoulders to carry that weight. ... When you have a young player who can shoulder the load of your team and the way the team is behind him, the confidence that he gives our entire team. It's so cool to watch."

For much of that first half, the teams kept it tight, trading blows on alternating drives.