He started the game with a 53-yard gain to set up a 4-yard touchdown run by Jerome. He ended it with a gain of 13 on fourth-and-7 as the Browns coasted past Houston to inch closer toward a playoff berth. Cleveland Browns Amari Coooper drives past multiple Houston Texans defenders after a gain of 53 yards in the first quarter at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports “We had a good week of preparation,” said Texas coach DeMeco Ryans. “We knew what we had to do to win the game, which was eliminate the explosive passes. For them to come out for the first play and for that to happen, it’s not good enough.” Four of Cooper’s 11 receptions went for gains over 20 yards. His longest reception, a 75-yard snag in the second quarter, extended the Browns’ lead by 14 as D’Angelo Ross was left lying on the turf watching Cooper waltz untouched into the end zone. The Texans often choose to play one side of the field rather than follow one player. Ryans never considered putting Derek Stingley Jr. or Steven Nelson directly on the Browns’ No. 1 weapon, trusting both would hold their own when given the opportunity.
