Joe Flacco, we have a problem.
The No. 5 Cleveland Browns trailed at the No. 4 Houston Texans in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs on Saturday, with the former driving in hopes of narrowing the 24-14 deficit.
But Flacco, who was having a solid outing, saw the game go from bad to worse in a matter of minutes midway through the third quarter.
On a first-and-10 from Houston's 34, Flacco was hit as he threw, and his pass went over the intended target and into Steven Nelson's hands, who took it back 82 yards to the house.
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Nelson's score marked Houston's first pick-six of the entire campaign.
Then on Cleveland's ensuing drive on a fourth-and-2 from its own 33, Flacco was picked off by Christian Harris, who returned it 36 yards for the touchdown.
NFL
The Browns picked up Flacco, 38, as a free agent midseason following some quarterback injuries to Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson.
The former Super Bowl champion with the Baltimore Ravens helped right Cleveland's season with some impressive performances, and its elite defense also did its thing.
But Flacco was also turnover-prone in the regular season, throwing eight picks in five games. The playoffs are when flaws for both players and coaches exacerbate. Flacco definitely felt that in this one to a rising Houston squad.
