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CLE Away

Cleveland Browns

HC Kevin Stefanski
@
HOU Home

Houston Texans

HC DeMeco Ryans
Sunday 2023-12-24 · 13:00 NRG Stadium, Houston US 🏟 Dome Spread -3.0 O/U 40.0

Win Probability

CLE
38.8%
HOU
61.2%
🏟 Dome

Confidence: <strong>slight edge</strong> Bands are honesty-checked against held-out seasons, not a feeling about this game — see the <a href="/track-record">full track record</a>.

Key Insights

  • CLE offense: -0.131 EPA/play over its last 8 games (26th in the league)
  • CLE defense: -0.150 EPA/play allowed over its last 8 games (2nd in the league)
  • Indoors — weather neutralised
  • HOU offense: -0.035 EPA/play over its last 8 games (17th in the league)
  • QB edge to HOU: Case Keenum (HOU) -0.061 vs Joe Flacco (CLE) -0.117 EPA/dropback

Predicted Final Score

CLE 19
HOU 22
Projected margin: HOU by 3 Projected total: 41

Typical error on unseen games: ±10.2 pts on margin, ±10.7 pts on total (held-out 2025). Treat this as a range, not a prediction to the point — see the <a href="/track-record">full track record</a>.

Injury Report — Week 16

CLE

Jordan Kunaszyk LB Out Calf
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo DE Out Pectoral
Juan Thornhill S Out Calf
Anthony Walker LB Out Knee
Joel Bitonio G Questionable Back

HOU

Will Anderson DE Out Ankle
Blake Cashman LB Out Hamstring
C.J. Stroud QB Out Concussion
Nico Collins WR Questionable Calf
Maliek Collins DT Questionable Hip
Denzel Perryman LB Questionable Achilles

Pulled fresh for 2023 week 16 specifically, not a cached snapshot — this changes every week as new reports come in.

Actual Result

CLE 36
HOU 22

Prediction missed by 17 pts on margin, 17 pts on total.

Scoring Summary

  • Q1 13:23 TD CLE (13:23) (Shotgun) Direct snap to 34-J.Ford. 34-J.Ford right end for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. CLE 6 – HOU 0
  • Q2 12:16 TD CLE (12:16) 53-N.Harris reported in as eligible. 15-J.Flacco pass deep left to 2-A.Cooper for 75 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Penalty on HOU-37-D.Ross, Defensive Pass Interference, declined. CLE 13 – HOU 0
  • Q2 12:04 TD HOU 7-D.Hopkins kicks 63 yards from CLE 35 to HOU 2. 31-D.Pierce for 98 yards, TOUCHDOWN. CLE 14 – HOU 6
  • Q2 04:21 TD CLE (4:21) (Shotgun) 15-J.Flacco pass deep middle to 85-D.Njoku for 21 yards, TOUCHDOWN. CLE 20 – HOU 7
  • Q3 02:39 TD CLE (2:39) (Shotgun) 15-J.Flacco pass short right to 2-A.Cooper for 7 yards, TOUCHDOWN. CLE 28 – HOU 7
  • Q4 12:34 TD CLE (12:34) 68-M.Dunn and 53-N.Harris reported in as eligible. 27-K.Hunt right guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. CLE 34 – HOU 7
  • Q4 06:11 TD HOU (6:11) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass short right to 12-N.Collins for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN [37-Da.Bell]. CLE 36 – HOU 13
  • Q4 04:15 TD HOU (4:15) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass short right to 47-A.Beck for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN. CLE 36 – HOU 21

Fourth-Down Decisions

  • Q1 HOU 4th & 12 at the 53
    Chose PUNT ✓ matched the model
    p(convert) 29% p(FG) 29%

    (9:53) 11-C.Johnston punts 42 yards to CLE 11, Center-46-J.Weeks, fair catch by 11-J.Proche.

  • Q1 CLE 4th & 10 at the 77
    Chose PUNT ✓ matched the model
    p(convert) 34%

    (6:50) 13-C.Bojorquez punts 55 yards to HOU 22, Center-47-C.Hughlett. 2-R.Woods pushed ob at HOU 34 for 12 yards (28-M.Ford, 47-C.Hughlett).

  • Q1 HOU 4th & 9 at the 65
    Chose PUNT ✓ matched the model
    p(convert) 34%

    (4:47) 11-C.Johnston punts 56 yards to CLE 9, Center-46-J.Weeks. 11-J.Proche pushed ob at CLE 21 for 12 yards (43-N.Hewitt; 30-D.Houston-Carson).

  • Q1 CLE 4th & 17 at the 64
    Chose PUNT ✓ matched the model
    p(convert) 25%

    (1:50) 13-C.Bojorquez punts 47 yards to HOU 17, Center-47-C.Hughlett. 2-R.Woods to HOU 20 for 3 yards (28-M.Ford).

  • Q2 HOU 4th & 4 at the 52
    Chose PUNT ✓ matched the model
    p(convert) 46% p(FG) 31%

    (13:43) 11-C.Johnston punts 42 yards to CLE 10, Center-46-J.Weeks, fair catch by 11-J.Proche.

  • Q2 CLE 4th & 14 at the 79
    Chose PUNT ✓ matched the model
    p(convert) 29%

    (10:31) 13-C.Bojorquez punts 46 yards to HOU 33, Center-47-C.Hughlett, fair catch by 2-R.Woods.

  • Q2 HOU 4th & 7 at the 65
    Chose PUNT ✓ matched the model
    p(convert) 38%

    (2:08) 11-C.Johnston punts 52 yards to CLE 13, Center-46-J.Weeks. 11-J.Proche to CLE 19 for 6 yards (39-H.To'oTo'o, 43-N.Hewitt). PENALTY on HOU-47-A.Beck, Unnecessary Roughness, 15 yards, enforced at CLE 19.

  • Q3 HOU 4th & 6 at the 46
    Chose PUNT ✓ matched the model
    p(convert) 38% p(FG) 45%

    (12:20) 11-C.Johnston punts 40 yards to CLE 6, Center-46-J.Weeks, fair catch by 11-J.Proche.

  • Q3 CLE 4th & 8 at the 30
    Chose GO Model wanted KICK instead — cost +0.64 EP
    p(convert) 32% p(FG) 81%

    (4:30) (Shotgun) 15-J.Flacco pass short left to 2-A.Cooper ran ob at HOU 17 for 13 yards [95-D.Barnett].

  • Q4 CLE 4th & 5 at the 25
    Chose GO Model wanted KICK instead — cost +0.37 EP
    p(convert) 38% p(FG) 88%

    (15:00) (Shotgun) 15-J.Flacco pass short left to 19-C.Tillman to HOU 18 for 7 yards (21-S.Nelson).

  • Q4 CLE 4th & 5 at the 13
    Chose GO ✓ matched the model
    p(convert) 37% p(FG) 96%

    (12:56) (Shotgun) 15-J.Flacco pass short right to 2-A.Cooper pushed ob at HOU 2 for 11 yards (24-D.Stingley). PENALTY on HOU-25-D.King, Unnecessary Roughness, 1 yard, enforced at HOU 2.

  • Q4 HOU 4th & 2 at the 60
    Chose GO ✓ matched the model
    p(convert) 58%

    (11:02) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass incomplete short right to 2-R.Woods.

  • Q4 CLE 4th & 11 at the 29
    Chose GO Model wanted KICK instead — cost +0.86 EP
    p(convert) 27% p(FG) 83%

    (8:11) (Shotgun) 17-D.Thompson-Robinson sacked at HOU 39 for -10 yards (55-J.Hughes).

  • Q4 HOU 4th & 10 at the 53
    Chose GO Model wanted PUNT instead — cost +0.45 EP
    p(convert) 31% p(FG) 29%

    (5:57) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass short left to 86-D.Schultz to CLE 39 for 14 yards (37-Da.Bell). HOU-86-D.Schultz was injured during the play.

  • Q4 CLE 4th & 7 at the 26 late-game
    Chose GO Model wanted KICK instead — cost +0.78 EP
    p(convert) 33% p(FG) 87%

    (3:49) (Shotgun) 15-J.Flacco pass short right to 2-A.Cooper ran ob at HOU 13 for 13 yards.

  • Q4 CLE 4th & 12 at the 15 late-game
    Chose GO Model wanted KICK instead — cost +0.76 EP
    p(convert) 25% p(FG) 95%

    (2:11) (Shotgun) 15-J.Flacco pass short left to 34-J.Ford to HOU 17 for -2 yards (25-D.King).

  • Q4 HOU 4th & 5 at the 48 late-game
    Chose GO Model wanted KICK instead — cost +0.64 EP
    p(convert) 42% p(FG) 40%

    (:32) (Shotgun) 10-D.Mills pass incomplete short right to 9-B.Jordan (6-J.Owusu-Koramoah).