'What A Moment': DeMeco Ryans Praises John Metchie's Strong Playoff Performance
C.J. Stroud stole the show, Brevin Jordan grabbed the record and Christian Harris called game.
Those were just the cliff notes from the Houston Texans' 45-14 win over the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round Saturday afternoon at NRG Stadium.
But unsung heroes often play essential roles in the outcome. Take for instance a sack by Derek Barnett on Joe Flacco in the second quarter. Without it, the drive continues and perhaps the Browns regain momentum just before halftime.
Or how about a block from Xavier Hutchinson following a Kareem Hunt touchdown? The blow opened a crease for Jordan to evade a Browns defender and run 76 yards for the longest touchdown in Texans' postseason history.
Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III (8) shakes hands with quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during a time out to check for a touchdown run during the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium.
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
But few forgotten names match the impact of second-year receiver John Metchie's performance on the outside against Pro Bowl corner Denzel Ward and emerging star Martin Emmerson. His three catches didn't find the end zone, but they set up scoring drives on the way to a playoff win.
"What a moment for him this past game," said Texans coach DeMeco Ryans Monday. "He came up with a couple of big catches, the run after the catch. I'm really proud of him for his journey and all that he's been through. No one's been through it tougher than him."
Big, significant, substantial; all words could describe Metchie's performance against the league's No. 1 secondary. Thrice when targeted by Stroud, the former second-round pick didn't miss his chance to be the No. 1 option.
In the closing minutes of the first quarter, Stroud stepped up in the pocket to evade the sack and found Metchie streaking down the left hash mark uncovered for a gain of 27. Three plays later, Houston would retake the lead on a 15-yard score from Nico Collins.
Two drives later, Stroud found Metchie for a gain of nine to set up second-and-short. Five players later, the rookie made playoff history with his touchdown pass on a 37-yard connection to Dalton Schultz.
Stroud targeted Metchie again to start the third, this time out in the flats for a minimal pickup, this time for a gain of 11. Houston would punt four plays later, but would recover defensively with an 82-yard interception returned for a touchdown from Steven Nelson.
Without the first down, Houston punts deeper in its territory and perhaps gives Cleveland a better field position. Does Flacco still throw in the pick under pressure? Do the Browns score and eventually pick up the pace?
Drafted out of Alabama 44th overall in 2022, Metchie missed his entire rookie season after being diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, a treatable form of cancer. Since his return, there's been a fair share of ups and downs while working back to full strength.
Ryans, a fellow Alabama graduate, praised Metchie for his resilience, willingness to fight back, and readiness at the start of training camp. On Monday, a similar sentiment echoed from the first-year coach.
"For him to show the resolve to continue to push, continue to fight to get better at his craft, day in and day out, no one works on their craft higher than Metchie," said Ryans. "It was good to see the success come from it in our first playoff game. I'm happy. I know our entire team was happy."
A favorite inside the locker room, teammates voted Metchie as the Texans’ annual Ed Block Courage Award, recognizing his grit and determination to return to the field. The Ed Block Courage Award honors a player's efforts both on and off the field and their ability to overcome adversity.
Metchie, who in 16 games hauled in 16 passes for 158 yards, now has his sights on the end zone in the next round of the playoffs. For now, Houston must wait to figure out where it'll travel on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. CT kickoff.
Should the Pittsburgh Steelers, the AFC No. 7 seed, upset the Buffalo Bills, the Texans would travel to Arrowhead Stadium to face the Kansas City Chiefs. Should the Bills avoid the upset, Houston would head to M&T Bank Stadium for a rematch of Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens.
Baltimore defeated Houston, 25-9, in the season-opener.
