Ravens fans got a Christmas gift as the Ravens demolished the Houston Texans, 31-2, Wednesday night in Houston.
Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry dominated as Baltimore played its most complete game of the season.
With the win and Steelers' loss to the Chiefs earlier in the day, the Ravens now control their own destiny in the AFC North race. All Baltimore needs is a victory in Week 18 over the Browns or a Steelers loss to the Bengals.
Here's how the Ravens came away with the Christmas victory:
Turning Point
Moments after a Texans safety injected life into the Houston crowd, the Texans were threatening again deep inside Baltimore territory. The Ravens defense held strong, however, and on fourth-and-goal as Ar'Darius Washington walloped Texans running back Joe Mixon near the pylon for a turnover on downs.
Then the Ravens went 99 yards on six plays, highlighted by a 67-yard catch and run from Mark Andrews and an unreal touchdown pass from Jackson to Isaiah Likely. The sequence gave the Ravens a 17-2 lead heading into halftime.
Top Play
Right after Beyoncé performed, the show continued for the Ravens. Leading by 15, Kyle Hamilton opened the second half with his first interception of the season, and Jackson took it from there.
On Baltimore's second play of the drive, Jackson faked a handoff to Derrick Henry and broke free for a 48-yard touchdown thanks to strong blocks from Andrews and Likely.
Scoring Summary
| Scoring Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | Ravens: (10:08) Derrick Henry 2-yard run | 7-0, Ravens |
| Ravens: (2:47) Justin Tucker 52-yard field goal | 10-0, Ravens | |
| 2nd Quarter | Texans: (10:09) Derrick Henry 4-yard loss for safety | 10-2, Ravens |
| Ravens: (1:51) Isaiah Likely 9-yard pass from Lamar Jackson | 17-2, Ravens | |
| 3rd Quarter | Ravens: (13:22) Lamar Jackson 48-yard run | 24-2, Ravens |
| Ravens: (5:50) Mark Andrews 1-yard pass from Lamar Jackson | 31-2, Ravens |
Statistical Breakdown
Offensive Stats
| Ravens | Texans | |
|---|---|---|
| Passing Leader | Lamar Jackson (10-of-15, 168 yards, 2 TDs) | C.J. Stroud (17-of-31, 185 yards, 1 INT) |
| Receiving Leader | Mark Andrews (2 catches, 68 yards, 1 TD) | Nico Collins (3 catches, 59 yards) |
| Rushing Leader | Derrick Henry (27 carries, 147 yards, 1 TD) | Joe Mixon (9 carries, 26 yards) |
Defensive Stats
| Ravens | Texans | |
|---|---|---|
| Sacks | 5 | 1 |
| Turnovers Forced | 1 | 0 |
Team Stats
| Ravens | Texans | |
|---|---|---|
| Time of Possession | 35:21 | 24:02 |
| Total Yards | 432 | 211 |
| Penalties | 3 for 30 yards | 5 for 39 yards |
| 3rd Down Efficiency | 4-for-9 | 4-for-15 |
| 1st Downs | 25 | 10 |
Stock Watch
S Kyle Hamilton
Hamilton might petition to play every Christmas. After hauling in two interceptions on Dec. 25 last season, Hamilton got his first interception of the season against the Texans. Hamilton continues to elevate the defense since his switch to more of a traditional deep safety role.
RB Derrick Henry
The Ravens rode Henry to start the game, and the Texans couldn't stop him. Henry had 10 carries for 86 rushing yards and a touchdown in the first quarter as Baltimore got out to a quick 10-0 lead. Henry finished the game with 27 rushes for 147 yards and a score.
QB Lamar Jackson
Jackson continues to make a case for his third MVP. He finished Wednesday's game with 168 passing yards 87 rushing yards, scoring three total touchdowns as he passed Michael Vick for the most career rushing yards for a quarterback in NFL history. He made a couple ridiculous plays, like his touchdown pass to Likely, where he held the ball for more than eight seconds, and his 48-yard run.
Ravens Defense
The Baltimore defense had its best game of the season, pitching a shutout on the road. The Texans had just 10 first downs and 211 total yards in the loss while five different Ravens had sacks. Since Week 11, the Ravens defense has turned into a strength after having a difficult start to the season.
Up Next
The Ravens return to M&T Bank Stadium for their regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns (3-12) on either Jan. 4 (Sat.) or Jan. 5 (Sun.). The Ravens fell to the Browns in Week 8, but since then quarterback Jameis Winston has been benched for Dorian Thompson-Robinson. A Ravens win clinches back-to-back AFC North titles.
