The Cleveland Browns’ Wild Card game against the Houston Texans could be without rookie wide out Cedric Tillman.
Tillman suffered a concussion in Sunday’s 31-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He is currently in concussion protocol, and his future status is unknown.
Tillman gained 43 yards on three passes from backup quarterback Jeff Driskel against the Bengals.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said following the game. “You can’t predict these injuries, and you can’t predict how the guys will respond, so we’ll see.” “I’m sorry for Ced.”
Tillman has grown into a bigger part of the passing game after only three catches in his first four games. He has at least one catch in six of the last seven games. Tillman has 21 catches for 224 yards on the season. He has yet to reach the goal line.
Tillman was selected by the Browns in the third round of this year’s draft. With most of the players rested, the squad was eager to see how he would perform in a larger position.
“It’s just turns, opportunities, and reps,” Stefanski explained on Friday, January 5. “It’s anything you choose to call it. I believe that the more the better, since so much of this game is about making mistakes, and having a lot of reps helps because if you make a mistake, you can repair it. So, I think that’s extremely important for all those young players to simply have more chances at it.”
The Browns are not concerned about their momentum following their loss.
For the Week 18 clash, the Browns had nothing to lose. The goal was to get out alive. That was not the case with Tillman’s and a few other people’s injuries.
Pierre Strong Jr., the team’s third-string running back, suffered a back injury. Shelby Harris, a veteran defensive tackle, also departed the game with a shin injury. The extent of those injuries is unknown.
The Browns’ four-game winning streak was snapped with the loss to the Bengals. Cleveland, on the other hand, seems unconcerned about their momentum heading into the postseason.
“When you look at these games, it’s about what’s best for your football team,” Stefanski said, referring to the decision to rest the majority of their important players. “I knew what this game was, a great opportunity for young guys to get some reps.”
The Browns are the early favorite against the Texans.
The Browns will travel to Houston for their Wild Card game versus the Texans. Cleveland entered as a 2-point underdog on the road. Houston clinched a postseason spot and the AFC South title with a win over the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night and the Jacksonville Jaguars losing on Sunday.
“We have to really get back to work, that’s where our focus is,” Stefanski said of the game. “I know how good of a team that is.”
On Christmas Eve, the Browns defeated the Texans by a score of 36-22. Joe Flacco threw for 368 yards, the most of which went to Amari Cooper. The Browns’ leading pass-catcher set a team single-season record with 265 yards receiving.
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