Texans Match Seahawks' Feat in Playoff Win
Though they were eliminated from the playoffs in Week 18, the Seattle Seahawks were involved in the NFL's postseason on Saturday. Well, sort of.
While the 2024 Seahawks spent the weekend immersed in a search for their next head coach after firing Pete Carroll, the AFC Wild Card Game invoked memories of Seattle's better days almost 20 years ago.
The upstart Houston Texans routed the Cleveland Browns, 45-14, scoring the game's final 35 points for their first playoff win since 2020. In the victory, Houston intercepted Browns' feel-good-story quarterback Joe Flacco twice for touchdowns in the third quarter.
Leading 24-14 at halftime behind impressive rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud and first-year coach DeMeco Ryans, the Texans blew the game open with an 82-yard Pick 6 by cornerback Steven Nelson and another by linebacker Christian Harris - a 36-yarder - in the span of 1:59.
In producing their Texas Two-Step, the Texans became the first team with two Pick 6s in a playoff game since the Seahawks in January of 2008.
The 2007 Seattle team went 6-2 in the second half of the season to finish 10-6 and win the NFC West. The Seahawks hosted Washington on Wild Card Weekend and trailed 14-13 midway through the fourth quarter before scoring three touchdowns in the final six minutes for a 35-14 victory.
Two of the scores were interception returns of Washington quarterback Todd Collins by cornerback Marcus Trufant (78 yards) and safety Jordan Babineaux (57 yards).
The Seahawks lost at the Green Bay Packers the following week in the Divisional Round.
