It didn’t take the Browns long to get on the board against the Texans and the club’s best receiver accomplished a milestone in the process.
Cleveland used a 4-yard run by Jerome Ford to take a 7-0 lead over Houston.
Quarterback Joe Flacco and receiver Amari Cooper got things going from the first play, as Flacco hooked up with Cooper on a deep shot for a 53-yard gain down to Houston’s 6-yard line. On the play, Cooper became the first Browns wide receiver to ever record two 1,000-yard seasons. Cooper also has done that in back-to-back seasons. Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome was the only Browns player to ever record multiple 1,000-yard seasons before.
Cooper has gone over 1,000 yards seven times in his nine seasons for the Raiders, Cowboys, and Browns.
Pierre Strong had gotten the Browns solid field position on the kickoff with a 36-yard return to Cleveland’s 41.