Ravens Set for a Christmas Day Showdown Against the Texans
Just four days later, both the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens will be back in action for a Christmas Day showdown at NRG Stadium in Houston. The Ravens, led by Lamar Jackson, come into town on a two-game win streak since their bye week, with their latest victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers clinching a playoff spot and tying them for first place in the division with two games remaining. The Ravens will likely need to win out to secure the AFC North title and hope Pittsburgh drops one of their remaining games to avoid tiebreaker scenarios. Meanwhile, the Texans, led by second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud, have already clinched the AFC South and are coming off a loss to the Chiefs on Saturday, where several key starters left due to injury. With the Ravens and Texans set for a holiday showdown and their first meeting since last postseason's AFC Divisional Round, there are key headlines to watch as Baltimore aims for its second win in less than a week.
The Ravens will face a Texans squad that has dealt with several major, season-ending injuries through 16 weeks of the season. Most notably, the Texans lost two of their top three wide receivers to season-ending injuries. Offseason trade acquisition Stefon Diggs, who was traded from the Bills, suffered a torn ACL in Week Eight against the Colts, and now their second-leading receiver, second-year wideout Tank Dell, is out after suffering a gruesome leg injury in the loss to Kansas City. With both Diggs and Dell out for the season, the Ravens defense will be up against a depleted Texans' receiving corps, with leading receiver Nico Collins, who has tallied 909 receiving yards and six touchdowns, as the lone standout. The Ravens' defense, looking to continue their second-half resurgence after early-season struggles, will focus on limiting Collins' impact rather than facing Houston's original trio of top receivers. In addition to containing Collins, the Ravens will aim to keep in check a familiar former divisional rival, veteran running back Joe Mixon, who signed a contract extension with Houston in the offseason. Mixon, 28, has continued his rushing success from his Bengals days and is just 33 yards shy of his fifth career 1,000-yard rushing season. However, the Ravens' top-ranked run defense will look to stifle Houston’s ground game, as they have done with opponents throughout the season.
Meanwhile, the Ravens’ explosive offense is coming off one of its best performances of the season against the Steelers’ stingy defense. Most notably, the Ravens will look to take advantage of the Texans’ defense by utilizing the NFL’s second-best rushing attack, led by Derrick Henry, who is coming off a 162-yard performance against Pittsburgh. To do so, the Ravens will have to overcome another strong run defense in Houston, which ranks 11th in the league, allowing 106.8 yards per game. Houston's defense has also been effective in limiting scoring, ranking ninth in points allowed at just 21.8 points per game. However, the Ravens' third-ranked scoring offense will aim to exploit a Texans' secondary that is headlined by talented third-year cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who is tied for fifth in the league with five interceptions. This means quarterback Lamar Jackson will need to be cautious to avoid costly turnovers. Despite an interception against the Steelers on Saturday, Jackson still boasts an impressive touchdown-to-interception ratio of 37 to four, demonstrating his growth as a passer and decision-maker. He ranks fifth in passing yards, second in the league in touchdown passes, and holds the second-best QBR through 16 weeks. If the Ravens can establish their run game early, setting up opportunities in the passing game, they will be in a strong position to give their fans another Christmas gift with a victory.
