Cowboys Star Micah Parsons sends brutal massage to Browns Defense
The Cleveland Browns defense did not look like the elite unit it was all year in the first half against the Houston Texans on Saturday, particularly in the secondary.
The Texans took a 24-14 lead into halftime, racking up 286 yards of total offense. Most of that came through the air, with Texans QB C.J. Stroud racking up 236 yards and three touchdowns.
The biggest play of the first half was a 76-yard connection between Brevin Jordan and Stroud. Jordan caught a short pass and ran nearly untouched the rest of the way.
Cowboys star Micah Parsons took issue with the effort of Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. on the play. Parsons voiced his opinion on social media.
“23 [Emerson] effort for a playoff game is unacceptable bro!” Parsons tweeted. “Trust if ima lose i won’t show up on film like that!”
Parsons wasn’t the only one with that opinion on the play.
“What is Martin Emerson doing?” one fan wrote. “Terrible effort terrible tackle attempt I don’t even understand what he did.”
On Sunday, Parsons and the Cowboys take on the Green Bay Packers in their Wild Card game.
CB Greg Newsome of the Browns Furthermore Called Out
Against the Texans, the Browns secondary as a whole struggled in the first half.On a couple significant plays, Greg Newsome II was burned, and supporters heard about it on social media.
A admirer wrote, “Greg Newsome, you wear the perfect number, because you’re a zero.”
One of the more outspoken Browns supporters on social media is Newsome. His play against the Texans did not support his words.
“They gonna have to put Greg Newsome in witness protection after this game,” another fan wrote. “You talk all that talk all season to play like this in the playoffs.”
Against the Texans, Newsome was playing in his first playoff game. When the Browns last made the playoffs in 2020, he was not a member of the club. While excited about the game, Newsome was also aware of the difficulty Stroud posed.
On Tuesday, January 9, Newsome stated, “C.J. is not just the best rookie quarterback, but he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the whole NFL.” “He gives us a lot of challenges, but I believe we can rise to the occasion.”
In the end zone, Newsome did have a terrific pass breakup that stopped a touchdown.
Denzel Ward Solid for Browns Despite Knee Injury
Denzel Ward, the Pro Bowl cornerback for the Browns, was doubtful for the game against the Texans. A few days before the game, he hurt his knee in practice. Despite the injury, Ward played well against the Texans and didn’t appear to be overly impacted.
The Texans attempted to maneuver their pass-catchers beside Newsome and seldom went with Ward on pass plays.
Against the Texans, Browns defender Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah had a significant effect. With nine tackles and four stops for loss in the first half alone, Owusu-Koramoah was all over the field.
The Browns faced the Texans in the regular season, winning 36-22. However, Stroud did not play in that game. The rookie passer made a big difference in the Wild Card matchup.
