The Houston Texans faced the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 20, 2024, in the Divisional Round of the 2023 NFL playoffs. Here are takeaways and highlights from the game.
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Final Score: Ravens 34, Texans 10
On a cold afternoon in Baltimore, the Ravens were expected to bring their No. 1 defense at C.J. Stroud and the Texans. They started slow but pulled away late for the 34-10 victory.
The first quarter was slow for both clubs as they traded field goals and found themselves in a 3-3 tie. The first touchdown of the weekend came with 9:14 left in the second quarter as Lamar Jackson connected with Nelson Agholor for a three-yard strike. With just over four minutes left, the Texans and punt returner Steven Sims made a bit of history.
Fielding a punt from his own 33, Sims ran it back 67 yards for Houston’s first postseason punt return touchdown and the NFL’s first in the playoffs since 2012, when Trindon Holliday ran one back (also against the Ravens). The teams went to halftime tied at 10 and some wondered if Baltimore was headed for playoff disaster once again.
Those fears were quelled in the second half. Baltimore’s defense held strong as the Texans would not score again. Jackson ran in a 15-yard touchdown with 12:07 to go in the third to give the Ravens a lead they would not relinquish. Isaiah Likely brought the Ravens a two-score lead early in the fourth as Jackson found the tight end on a 15-yard pass play. Lamar went back to the ground game one more time for extra insurance and Justin Tucker ended the scoring just after the two-minute warning.
Highlights
NELLY TD 🚨
Tune in on ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/AGLkttkJhm
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 20, 2024
RUN IT BACK SIMS! pic.twitter.com/CKWU4A2qrO
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 20, 2024
A BEAUTY! @Lj_era8 to @DaGorilla4 for 6 🔥
Tune in on ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/07ZO3NrM6g
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 20, 2024
He ran in the tunnel 😂😂😂😂
Tune in on ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/emd7nBkwHF
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 21, 2024
Looking Forward
Houston heads home after blowing every expectation they had for this season out the door. Meanwhile, Baltimore will return to the AFC Championship for the first time since 2012.
To build further this offseason, the Texans will most likely look for more depth defensively to stop such a loss like this one from occurring next time. After Tank Dell’s season-ending leg injury in Week 13, an investment into another rookie receiver may be in order. There is no denying that head coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio have built a potential AFC South juggernaut. With a critical offseason on the way, Texans fans should be excited for what lies ahead.
On the other sideline, Baltimore defended their home field successfully. For the first time in M&T Bank Stadium’s history, the Ravens will host the AFC Championship. Their three previous trips to the AFC Championship (one against the Raiders in 2000, twice in successive seasons against the Patriots in 2011 and 2012) saw them win the AFC title twice. Both times, they went on to win the Super Bowl). The one loss came in 2011. The Ravens now await the winner of Bills-Chiefs, and a win in the AFC Championship would make Baltimore’s prospects of its third Super Bowl title brighter, regardless of opponent.
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