franchise record with a ninth straight win on Sunday https://www.brownsfanshop.com/Ricardo-Louis-Jersey , J.J. Watt was asked to reflect on how far the team has come in the past year."I was on the couch a year ago so this is a lot better," said Watt, who missed the last 11 games of Houston's 4-12 2017 season with a broken leg. "I was in a lot of pain. So it's good for us to be winning … this is what it's supposed to feel like. Honestly this is how you dream it up."Deshaun Watson threw a touchdown pass and the Texans intercepted rookie Baker Mayfield three times, returning one for a score, to get the 29-13 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday that extended the streak.The Texans (9-3), who opened the season 0-3, haven't lost since Sept. 23 to take a commanding lead atop the AFC South. While they appreciate what they've done to turn things around, they're quick to note that they still have plenty of work left to do."It means a lot especially from where we came from 0-3 … but it's not the Super Bowl so we're still fighting," receiver DeAndre Hopkins said.Houston raced out to a 23-0 halftime lead and added two second-half field goals by Ka'imi Fairbairn to give him five on Sunday.Mayfield, the top overall pick in this year's draft, had his worst game of the season, throwing three interceptions for the first time since he was a freshman at Texas Tech in 2013. He entered the game having thrown nine touchdown passes with just one interception in the past three games as the Browns (4-7-1) won consecutive games for the first time since 2014.Mayfield lamented the mistakes he made in this one."(If) I would've taken care of the ball, this game would've been very close," he said.He finished with 397 yards passing and had a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter after throwing a career-best four in a win over the Bengals last week. Houston's fearsome pass rush, led by Watt and Jadeveon Clowney didn't sack Mayfield, but they hurried and harassed him for much of the day.His interceptions all came before halftime to help the Texans build the big early lead."He probably wasn't feeling too dangerous in the first half, but he was feeling a little more dangerous in the second half," Watt said.Houston was up 3-0 after an early field goal when Watson, who finished with 224 yards, connected with rookie Jordan Thomas on an 11-yard touchdown pass.聽Hopkins set up that score聽when he made a 24-yard reception after T.J. Carrie grabbed his dreadlocks in an attempt to slow him down two plays earlier.Zach Cunningham made it 17-0聽when he grabbed his first career interception and ran 38 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. Officials first ruled him down at the 1, but the play was reviewed and changed to a touchdown.Kareem Jackson was called for a 47-yard pass interference penalty on Cleveland's next drive to put the Browns at their 20. But Mayfield threw another interception two plays later and it was returned 18 yards by Johnathan Joseph.Houston added another field goal to make it 20-0 with about three minutes left in the second quarter.Mayfield's third interception came late in the second quarter when Andre Hal grabbed the ball in the end zone.Lamar Miller had 103 yards rushing for his second straight 100-yard game and fourth of the season and Hopkins had seven receptions for 91 yards.Cleveland continued to struggle in late-season games, and the Browns fell to 9-39 in December and January games since 2008.Nick Chubb got the Browns on the board in the third quarter when his 2-yard TD run cut the lead to 23-7 with about 9陆 minutes left. Rashard Higgins had a 17-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, but the 2-point conversion failed to leave the Browns down 29-13.Houston added another field goal after that before a mistake-filled possession by the Browns. First Mayfield threw what looked to be a 76-yard touchdown pass to rookie Antonio Callaway, but it was brought back because of a holding penalty by left tackle Greg Robinson.Two plays later, Mayfield connected with Callaway again and he gained 71 yards before rookie聽Justin Reid chased him down from behind聽and knocked the ball out of his hands just before he would have scored. It bounced into the end zone where it was recovered by the Texans."It was just trying to make something happen David Njoku Jersey ," Reid said. "I didn't want him to score so just make a play on the ball and see if it would come out. Good thing for us it did."INJURIESCleveland cornerback Denzel Ward left in the first half with a concussion. … Browns defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi injured his biceps in the second quarter and didn't return. … Joseph didn't return after injuring his neck in the second quarter. … LB Brennan Scarlett injured his leg and didn't return. … Houston offensive tackle Kendall Lamm left in the second half with a concussion.REMEMBERING PRESIDENT BUSHThe Texans observed a moment of silence before the game for former President George H.W. Bush, who died on Friday night in Houston at 94. Bush was a frequent visitor to Houston's games and had participated in the coin toss at several contests. During the moment of silence pictures of Bush at various games were shown on the video screens flanked by huge 41's made out of a collage of pictures as a further tribute to the nation's 41st president.UP NEXTBrowns: Host the Panthers next Sunday.Texans: Host the Colts next Sunday. CLEVELAND (AP) — Cam Newton’s unique fashion choices remain exciting.Everything else about the Carolina Panthers looks stale.Unable to come up with big plays down the stretch again, the reeling Panthers suffered their fifth straight loss, a 26-20 setback to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday that puts a major dent in Carolina’s playoff hopes.Afterward, Newton, stylish as usual in a hat and tailored gray, three-piece suit adorned with a yellow rose on his lapel, uncomfortably answered questions about Carolina’s collapse.“It’s extremely frustrating to come up short each and every week with similar settings and not be able to push through,” said Newton, who passed for 265 yards and a touchdown but had two bad throws late in the fourth quarter. “I wish I had the words to say, but I don’t. In this league, that’s what it always comes down to: finding ways to keep the game close.“We just haven’t found a way to win.”The Panthers (6-7) are plummeting. They have three games left, but two are against the New Orleans Saints (11-2), who clinched the NFC South with a 28-14 win over Tampa Bay.Carolina was unable to put away the Browns (5-7-1), who scored nine points in the fourth quarter and overcame their own costly mistakes.It’s back to the drawing board for the Panthers and coach Ron Rivera, who was already feeling the heat and is in real danger of losing his job. Rivera shook up his coaching staff last week, pulling defensive play-calling duties away from coordinator Eric Washington, firing defensive line coach Brady Hoke and assistant secondary/cornerbacks coach Jeff Imamura.Those moves came after Rivera’s meeting with owner David Tepper and general manager Marty Hurney, who may want to have another discussion with him.The Browns completed a 66-yard pass on their first play, and gashed Carolina’s defense for plays of 51, 51, 29, 28 and 15 yards. Even Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry got loose for a long run.But the Panthers’ biggest problem has been their inability to win close games. They’ve dropped their part four by a combined 17 points.“We felt like we were going to win today,” defensive end Julius Peppers said. “We felt like we were going to win last week. We feel like we are going to win every game. It is not for a lack of confidence. It is just a lack of execution.”With the Panthers trailing 26-20, Newton Larry Ogunjobi Color Rush Jersey , who has been bothered by a sore right shoulder for several weeks, dinked and dunked his way to Cleveland’s 3-yard line with 3:25 left.After a run by D.J. Moore was stopped for no gain, Newton underthrew Curtis Samuel in the right corner of the end zone on third down.Then, on fourth down, Newton, facing some pressure up the middle, overthrew Jarius Wright in the back of the end zone on what would end up being Carolina’s last real chance.The Panthers got the ball back with 1:04 left, but Newton missed wide receiver Devin Funchess and was intercepted by Browns safety Damarious Randall.Newton accepted responsibility for his mistakes, but said the Panthers as a whole aren’t doing enough to win.Carolina had earlier chances to score, but a false start led to a field goal instead of a touchdown and the Panthers had the ball for just 24 seconds in one series in the third before punting.“Those opportunities slip through our grasp and find ways to come back and bite us,” Newton said. “Early on in the second half, we had opportunities, favorable field position, and we just have to find ways to score points, touchdowns, preferably. Now everyone goes to shuffling, running around with their heads cut off and panicking at the end of the game.“We should’ve done the hard work when we had opportunities. It’s just a detriment to everyone. I’m going to do my part. I’m starting with myself. We all put ourselves in this situation. There’s no one person to blame. We just have to keep moving forward.”Newton quickly dismissed a question about whether he would rest his sore shoulder.Times are tough, but he’s not quitting.“We’re in a position where we’re done with the cliché sayings,” he said. “It just comes down to us doing our job. That’s pretty much what it is, in all three phases of football. Even though coach can get up and motivate us, we can get up, scream and holler, it just comes down to us doing our job.”
