Browns vs. Texans Same Game Parlay | Wild Card
The NFL playoffs get underway this Saturday with two teams that are not typically seen in the postseason.
Category Ratings
The Houston Texans will host the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium in Houston, and this will be only the third playoff appearance for Cleveland since their return to the NFL in 1999.
As for the Texans, this will be their seventh playoff trip in their 22-year existence.
The Browns will be led by quarterback Joe Flacco, who was watching games from his couch prior to his Cleveland debut in Week 13.
In his time with the Baltimore Ravens, Flacco defeated the Browns 18 times in 21 games. Flacco has gone from hated division rival, to the potential savior of Cleveland’s Super Bowl hopes.
The Texans will be led by rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who was born less than a year before his franchise played their first game, and was only 11-years old when Flacco and the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII.
For this intriguing playoff matchup, I’ll place a same game parlay on FanDuel.
Joe Flacco – OVER 275.5 Passing Yards and OVER 1.5 TD Passes
In his limited time as QB1 for the Cleveland Browns, Flacco is averaging 323.2 passing yards per game.
Flacco could put up some big passing numbers again in the Wild Card round as he will face the Texans’ 25th-ranked passing defense, allowing 254.9 passing yards per game.
In Flacco’s five regular season starts with Cleveland, he threw for 300 or more yards in four games, including a 368-yard performance against this Houston defense in Week 16.
The Browns defeated the Texans 36-22 in that contest, and Flacco collected three passing touchdowns as well.
#Browns QB Joe Flacco completes a 75-Yard Touchdown Pass to WR Amari Cooper#Browns– 14
— SportsCastProductions (@SportsCastProd0) December 24, 2023
2Q#Texans– 0
pic.twitter.com/lWCERK3gNw
For Cleveland’s offense, Flacco is the the coal that makes this train roll, and right now, it’s barreling down the track.
The Browns’ offense is scoring 28.6 points per game with Flacco under center.
I have purchased a ticket on the Cleveland Browns’ hype train.
Pick: Flacco – OVER 275.5 Passing Yards (-114) FanDuel
Pick: Flacco – OVER 1.5 TD Passes (-102) FanDuel
Amari Cooper – OVER 5.5 Receptions and OVER 78.5 Receiving Yards
If Flacco is the Browns’ train engineer, then Cooper is the conductor.
Yeah, I know I just said Flacco was the coal, but he’s the engineer now.
Cooper has not played the last two weeks, as he is nursing a heel injury, but in his four games played with Flacco leading the offense, Cooper is averaging 6.3 receptions for 121.3 receiving yards.
That’s much better than his season-long averages of 4.8 receptions and 83.3 receiving yards, so Flacco’s presence has given Cooper a boost.
Texans’ cornerback Steven Nelson will be the most likely to shadow Cooper throughout this game, and that presents a winnable matchup for Cooper.
Here’s how opposing receivers have fared against Nelson in the last five games:
| WR with Nelson as Primary Defender | WR Results |
| Garrett Wilson (NYJ) | 9 rec, 108 yds (14 tgts) |
| DeAndre Hopkins (TEN) | 2 rec, 21 yds (9 tgts) |
| Amari Cooper (CLE) | 11 rec, 265 yds, 2 TD (15 tgts) |
| DeAndre Hopkins (TEN) | 7 rec, 72 yds (7 tgts) |
| Michael Pittman (IND) | 5 rec, 44 yds (6 tgts) |
Cooper is clearly an outlier here, but other than the dud produced by Hopkins, most receivers are finding success against Nelson, especially in terms of receptions, with an average of 6.8 catches.
Although Cooper probably won’t replicate his historical Week 16 performance against the Texans, he should receive more than enough targets from Flacco to eclipse his receptions and yards props.
Pick: Cooper – OVER 5.5 Receptions (+120) FanDuel
Pick: Cooper – OVER 78.5 Receiving Yards (-114) FanDuel
David Njoku – OVER 5.5 Receptions, OVER 56.5 Receiving Yards and Anytime Touchdown
If Flacco is the engineer and Cooper is the conductor, then Njoku is the caboose, stabilizing the Cleveland offense and keeping it on the tracks.
No player in this Browns’ offense has seen a bigger jump in production since Flacco’s arrival than Njoku.
Before Flacco joined Cleveland, Njoku was averaging 4.6 receptions for 42.9 yards and only hauled in two touchdowns in 11 games.
Since Flacco has taken over under center, Njoku is averaging 6.0 receptions for 78 yards and he has scored four touchdowns in five games.
#Browns QB Joe Flacco completes a 21-Yard Touchdown Pass to TE David Njoku#Browns– 21
— SportsCastProductions (@SportsCastProd0) December 24, 2023
2Q#Texans– 7
pic.twitter.com/9211HIlVre
The middle of the Houston Texans’ defensive secondary is subpar, allowing the most catches to tight ends and the fifth-most receiving yards to tight ends.
Njoku picked up a score against the Texans in Week 16, and when Cleveland gets inside the 20-yard line, they’ll look Njoku’s way.
The Browns’ tight end has received a whopping 80% of the teams’ target share in the red zone.
Njoku for six!
Pick: Njoku – OVER 5.5 Receptions (-108) FanDuel
Pick: Njoku – OVER 56.5 Receiving Yards (-114) FanDuel
Pick: Njoku – Anytime Touchdown (+185) FanDuel
C.J. Stroud – OVER 242.5 Passing Yards and OVER 1.5 TD Passes
As a rookie, Stroud has impressed, averaging 273.9 passing yards per game and throwing for 23 touchdowns and only five interceptions.
Most veteran quarterbacks would take that production.
In Stroud’s playoff debut, he’ll face the No. 1 passing defense in the NFL, as the Browns allow only 164.7 passing yards per game.
While Cleveland has grounded most opponent’s aerial attacks, I’d expect the bulk of Houston’s offense to come from Stroud’s arm.
This visual from BestOdds EDGE shows that Stroud is frequently around or over 250 passing yards.
Stroud has finished with less than 200 yards in only three games and one was a rainy mess of a game at MetLife Stadium against a very solid New York Jets passing defense.
The volume of passing attempts from Stroud could result in the over on his yards and touchdown props.
When Stroud attempts at least 35 passes, which he has done in seven games, he is averaging 334.4 passing yards and 1.9 touchdown passes per game.
Stroud hasn’t attempted more than 32 passes in his last four starts, so I would expect DeMeco Ryans to put the offense on his rookie QB’s shoulders.
Pick: Stroud – OVER 242.5 Passing Yards (-114) FanDuel
Pick: Stroud – OVER 1.5 TD Passes (+120) FanDuel
| CLE vs. HOU SGP Legs – FanDuel | Odds |
| Flacco – OVER 275.5 Passing Yards | -114 |
| Flacco – OVER 1.5 TD Passes | -102 |
| Cooper – OVER 5.5 Receptions | +120 |
| Cooper – OVER 78.5 Receiving Yards | -114 |
| Njoku – OVER 5.5 Receptions | -108 |
| Njoku – OVER 56.5 Receiving Yards | -114 |
| Njoku – Anytime Touchdown | +185 |
| Stroud – OVER 242.5 Passing Yards | -114 |
| Stroud – OVER 1.5 TD Passes | +120 |
| Browns vs. Texans SGP Odds | +4069 |
A $10 wager on this Browns-Texans Wild Card Same Game Parlay would win $406.96!
Betting NFL Same Game Parlays
Same game parlay is just like a regular NFL parlay bet, except all bet selections come from different wagers within one football game.
The benefit of an NFL same game parlay is achieved by combining multiple bets so you can go for bigger wins as the odds increase.
The more bet selections you add, the more difficult it is to win, but the odds also greatly increase so is the potential winning amount.BestOdds is the ultimate website for NFL bettors new and old. We offer educational content on the latest news and the best betting site options to bet on NFL football. Support us by signing up for one of the recommended sportsbooks and make sure to follow us on social!
A fan of both the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, which is rare! Thomas provides sports betting content with the intent to educate and entertain. A lover of sports statistics and the stories those stats tell. A Pittsburgh Pirates follower that has become calloused by the Pirates\' ineptitude. His best bet was a 5-Leg College Football underdog parlay with odds of +64000. He only wagered $0.50 on it.
