Getty Images The Cleveland Browns are set to see an old friend in Houston Texans QB Case Keenum
The Cleveland Browns are set to see an old friend in Case Keenum when they face the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Keenum spent a pair of seasons with the Browns from 2020-2021. He served as the backup to Baker Mayfield, starting a pair of games during that span. Keenum was a bit of a surprise selection to be the starter over Davis Mills with C.J. Stroud out with a concussion. But the veteran produced for the Texans when his number was called.
Keenum passed for 229 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Houston won in overtime 19-16.
The Browns parted ways with Keenum shortly after the trade for Deshaun Watson in 2022. Cleveland sent Keenum to the Buffalo Bills for a seventh-round pick and signed Jacoby Brissett.
Browns Have High Praise for Case Keenum
Getty ImagesCase Keenum spent a pair of seasons with the Browns.
Stroud is unlikely to suit up Sunday against the Browns, meaning Cleveland’s league-leading defense will get to face Keenum. They’re not taking the 35-year-old passer lightly.
“Case comes in last week, starts and wins. That’s what he does,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said. “He’s played a lot of football games in his career, started a lot of football games in his career, has won. So we know the type of talent that he has.”
Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had equally high praise for Keenum.
“Case Keenum has been around for a long time, has all the experience in the league,” Schwartz said on Thursday, December 21. “Obviously, he was here. He led the Vikings to an NFC championship game. I was in Philly when we played him. A true vet that has seen everything. Very accurate passer. He does it a little bit different than CJ Stroud, but led them to a win last week. And when it’s all said and done, head coaches and quarterbacks are judged on wins and Case Kennum is a winner.”
Joe Flacco Ready for ‘Aggressive’ Texans Defense
Getty ImagesQuarterback Joe Flacco of the Cleveland Browns.
Keenum joked that the percentage he’ll face a former team is high, considering how well-traveled he’s been in his career. He’s played for seven different franchises since going undrafted in 2012.
“The chances of me playing against an old team are higher than most people because I have a lot of old teams,” Keenum said. “I’ve had to answer this a bunch, because I’ve played a lot of my old teams in the past. I remember being with the Vikings and playing an old team and I was with Kevin Stefanski. Me and him actually talked about it and making the main thing the main thing and not paying attention to all the externals.
“I’ll take a coaching point from the team’s coach who we’re about to play about the team I used to play on because he told me about a different team that I used to play on.”
The Browns will roll out their own savvy veteran in Joe Flacco, who will be making his fourth start with Cleveland. Flacco has been outstanding so far, passing for 939 yards, 7 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. However, he knows he’ll have his hands full against a hungry Texans defense.
“Their front does a really good job and their back end plays aggressive,” Flacco said on Wednesday, December 20. “And I think the key to those guys, to that style, is that front disrupting everything and allowing that back end to play that aggressive style because they’re going to trust that they’re going to stop the run and get to the quarterback. So, I think they do those things well.”
The Browns are a 2.5-point road favorite for the matchup and can get close to locking up a playoff spot with a win.