NFL Scores Week 16: AFC, NFC Playoff Picture, Standings and Results | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

There may be no potential playoff team more improbable than the Cleveland Browns, who lost starter Deshaun Watson to a shoulder injury earlier in the season, then started both PJ Tucker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson before turning to grizzled veteran and Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco to guide them through the remainder of the season.

Despite injury and inconsistent play at the most important position on the field, the Browns sat solidly in the AFC's fifth seed entering Sunday's game against the Houston Texans, with a chance to clinch a playoff berth with a Denver Broncos loss in the night game.

Cleveland responded, tallying over 400 yards of offense en route to a one-sided win over a Texans teams without its star quarterback, rookie CJ Stroud.

Flacco put up 368 yards and three touchdowns. There was the small matter of two interceptions, both of which would have proved costly in a playoff game, but his aerial assault on an outmatched Houston secondary was more than enough to power his team to victory.

Amari Cooper had a monster day, catching 11 balls for 265 yards, and two touchdowns.

Those two competitors have revitalized the Browns offense and have them in a position to play in their first postseason game since 2020. With a defense that gave up just 250 total yards, the team is built to win playoff games in the winter.

It will be important to get the run game rolling again after tallying just 53 total yards in the win over Houston, but Browns fans should feel very good about their team, which continues to win against all odds.