Category: AFC Playoffs

National reaction to Ravens advancing to AFC Championship game with 34-10 win over Texans

We’re looking at the national reaction to the Baltmore Ravens advancing to the AFC Championship game after a 34-10 iwin over the Houston Texans

The Ravens avoided the repeat of 2019, advancing to the AFC title game after a dominant 34-10 win over the Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium.

The win gave Baltimore two wins over DeMeco Ryan’s team, and the combined scores of 56-19 provide insight into how far Houston has to climb before they start thinking about championship Sunday.

Lamar Jackson was dominant from start to finish and will likely win his second NFL MVP after accounting for 252 yards, four total touchdowns, and a `121.8 quarterback rating.

Mike Macdonald’s defense held Houston to 213 yards of total offense on 47 offensive plays, limiting C.J. Stroud to 19-33 passing for 175 yards and no touchdowns.

After overcoming past failures, here’s the national reaction to the Ravens’ dominant victory.

Ravens vs. Texans: 10 takeaway from first half of Divisional Round matchup

We’re looking at ten takeaways from the first half as the Ravens and Texans are tied 10-10 in AFC Divisional Round matchup at M&T Bank Stadium

Baltimore got off to a slow start on Saturday before kicking things into gear on both sides of the football.

All-Pro quarterback Lamar Jackson was 7 of 11 passing, for 52 yards, one touchdown, and a 105.1 quarterback rating. Jackson had runs of 23 yards and 15 yards in the second quarter, scoring a drive that put the Ravens up 10-3 on the youthful Texans.

Houston responded on special teams, as recently elevated running back Steven Sims brought a punt return back 67 yards with 5:00 left in the first half.

With both teams back on the field, we’re looking at ten takeaways from the first half.

WATCH: Lamar Jackson talks ‘growth’ at QB; Why this Ravens playoff run will be different

Lamar Jackson says this playoff run will be different from 2019

The Divisional round of the NFL Playoffs will begin on ESPN for the first time as the Houston Texans visit the Baltimore Ravens (Saturday, January 20, 4:15 p.m. ET) on ESPN, ABC, ESPN+, and ESPN Deportes, as the AFC South Champion meets the AFC’s top-seeded team.

Lamar Jackson enters the contest as the MVP favorite and, before the matchup, sat down with the great Chris Berman to discuss his “growth” as quarterback this season and how the Ravens’ playoff run will be different from 2019 when they were the No. 1 overall seed and were upset by the Titans.

In the first matchup between the two teams, the host Ravens won 25-9, holding Houston to 268 yards, while Jackson had two turnovers and 169 yards passing in his first game action in almost a year.  The 78.0 passer rating in C.J. Stroud’s NFL debut for Houston was his second-lowest of the season.

The pressure is on Jackson, who is 1-3 in playoff games and 0-2 at home.

Jackson is the leading candidate for NFL MVP and will start his first postseason game since the 2020 season. Jackson was injured and missed Baltimore’s lone playoff game last season.

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Breaking down the final 4 teams in the AFC playoff field

We’re breaking down all four AFC playoff teams left in the divisional round as the Ravens, Texans, Chiefs and Bills look to reach Championship Sunday

The divisional round matchups are set and ready to begin.

The Texans will travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens in the AFC, while the Chiefs will head to Buffalo to face the Bills. On the NFC side, the Packers will face the 49ers in San Francisco, and the Lions will host the Buccaneers after Tampa Bay beat Philadelphia on Monday night.

With the week of preparation completed, we can look ahead to the divisional round schedule, including the first postseason games for the Niners and the Ravens, who each had a bye.

We’re breaking down the final four teams in the AFC playoff field to prepare you for the Saturday and Sunday slate.

ESPN NFL Matchup: X’s & O’s film on the Texans offense

Here’s an exclusive look at the Houston Texans offense with ESPN NFL Matchup.

Darius Butler from ESPN NFL Matchup took a look at the Houston Texans offense on film this week. They like to use misdirection to create advantages for their skills players.

Head Coach DeMeco Ryans and offensive Coordinator Bobby Slowik deserve credit for leading the Texans to such an impressive offensive showing versus the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Wild.

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The Texans will need to move Baltimore Ravens linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen if they want to be effective in the AFC Divisional. Stopping Texans HB Devin Singletary is essential in this game. Let’s take a look at more Texans film below.

For Jadeveon Clowney, playing his original team in the playoffs is just ‘the next game up’

Jadeveon Clowney says playoff matchup vs. Texans is the next game up

Jadeveon Clowney has played and beaten all four of his former teams this season. On Saturday, he will face his original team, the Houston Texans, for the second time this season in the divisional round of the playoffs.

The now 30-year-old edge rusher was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Texans in 2014 and spent his first five seasons in Houston. Clowney was asked if it means anything to face the Texans again this Saturday.

“To me, it’s the next game up,” Clowney said. “I just want to win, because it’s the playoffs; it’s bigger than just worrying about the Texans. There is much more at stake. It’s either win or go home. And we want to get away with this win, so [that] we can keep fighting for the goal we’ve been fighting for all year. What you do all of this for is to try to get to that Super Bowl and win it.”

Clowney is having the best season of his career with the Ravens after bouncing around the league for many years after leaving Houston. Clowney’s 9.5 sacks this season tied his previous season high from 2017 as a member of the Texans, and his 71 pressures are a career-high.

With his 10th NFL season coming to a close soon, Clowney realizes how important every game is — especially in the playoffs.

“I’m in Year 10, and you never know how many more you’ve got left,” Clowney said. “I’ve been in the game 10 years and haven’t been this far; [I] haven’t won or gotten a bye – that first-round bye – ever. So, this is big for me and – in my career – where I’m at. I just hope [that] I can continue to help this team and help us get our long-term goal, [which] is to win a Super Bowl. And like I said, we’ve got to knock the Texans off just to do that.”

Ravens not expected to activate Mark Andrews for divisional round matchup vs. Texans

The Baltimore Ravens are not expected to activate TE Mark Andrews for divisional round matchup vs. Houston Texans

Mark Andrews got in his second full practice on Thursday, but he’s not expected to be activated off injured reserve for Baltimore’s divisional-round matchup against Houston at M&T Bank Stadium.

Ian Rapoport reports that Andrews still has a ways to go in his rehab and return from a fractured fibula.

The Ravens tight end, who suffered a major ankle injury on Nov. 16, said Wednesday that he’ll play if he feels he can help the team.

AFC Divisional Round picks: Who the experts are taking in Ravens vs. Texans

The NFL experts have made their picks, and the Baltimore Ravens are favored to defeat the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round

We’re a little over 30 hours away from the Ravens (13-4) and Texans (11-7) kicking off the AFC divisional round of the playoffs on ESPN.

Houston advanced to the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history with a 45-14 win over the Browns in Super Wild Card Weekend.

The playoff win earned the Texans a rematch against the Ravens, and they’ll return to M&T Bank Stadium hoping to avenge a 25-9 loss in Week 1.

With kickoff fast approaching, here’s the NFL expert picks.

Ravens divisional round preview: 10 things to know about the Houston Texans

We’re looking at ten things to know about the Houston Texans ahead of their AFC Divisional Round matchup against the Baltimore Ravens

The Texans advanced to the Divisional round of the NFL playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history with a 45-14 win over the Browns in Super Wild Card Weekend.

The playoff success earned Houston a rematch against the Baltimore Ravens, and they’ll return to M&T Bank Stadium hoping to avenge a 25-9 loss in Week 1.

The Texans are a different team since that humble welcome to the NFL moment for C.J. Stroud, and all the former Ohio State star has done is shatter records and lead his team to the postseason as a rookie.

With final preparations for Saturday’s kickoff underway, we’re looking at ten things about the Houston Texans.

Dalvin Cook is ‘ready to give it all’ he has for the playoffs

Dalvin Cook is ‘ready to give it all’ he has for the playoffs

The Baltimore Ravens eagerly await their playoff debut against the Houston Texans this Saturday after sitting out Super Wild Card Weekend.

The Ravens have a bevy of offensive skill players ready to attack defenses this postseason, including tight end Mark Andrews, who may return to action for the first time this weekend after suffering a seemingly season-ending leg injury in Week 11.

One player who has yet to take a snap for Baltimore but may end up playing a role for them in the playoffs is running back Dalvin Cook.

The Ravens signed the veteran back to the practice squad after the New York Jets released him before the final week of the regular season. Now, before their first playoff game, Baltimore has added Cook to the active roster.

When speaking with the media on Thursday, Cook was asked if he was ready for a significant workload if he was called on.

“Yes. It’s the playoffs, man,” Cook said. “You have to … I’m dialed up. I’m ready to give it all I have – everything I have in the tank. It’s the playoffs, man.”

Gus Edwards and Justice Hill have been the two mainstays in a running back room that has seen season-ending injuries to J.K. Dobbins and Keaton Mitchell this season. Cook is hopeful he can contribute alongside Edwards and Hill.

“They call 31’s number, I’m going to be out there,” Cook said. “I’m going to be on the field. I’m ready to make a play, but for me though, honestly, Gus [Edwards and] Justice [Hill], they put the work in all year. You have to credit those guys, so whatever my role is, whatever they call upon me [to do], they’ll get a thousand percent out of Dalvin.”

The Ravens will be hoping to get a better version of the Pro Bowl running back than the one that only posted 214 rushing yards on 67 carries for the Jets this season.