Playing their third game in 11 days, the Ravens (10-5) visit the Houston Texans (9-6) in a Christmas Day matchup between two AFC playoff teams.
Basics
Kickoff: Wednesday, 4:30 p.m. EST, NRG Stadium
TV: Netflix streaming, CBS Channel 13 (Baltimore TV market only). Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Greg Olsen (analyst), Jamie Erdahl (sideline), Steve Wyche (sideline)
Radio: WBAL (101.5 FM/1090 AM), 98 Rock (97.9 FM). Ravens crew: Gerry Sandusky (play-by-play), Rod Woodson (analyst). Westwood One Sports: Ryan Radtke (play-by-play), Ryan Leaf (analyst)
History
The Ravens lead the all-time series, 12-2, including the postseason and have won the last five meetings. Baltimore beat the Texans twice last season, opening the year with a Week 1 home win before eliminating them in the AFC Divisional round, 34-10, at M&T Bank Stadium.
Stakes
With two games left in the regular season, the Ravens are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5) for first place in the AFC North. Neither Baltimore nor Pittsburgh can clinch the division on Christmas. However, if the Steelers lose to the Kansas City Chiefs (14-1) in the 1 p.m. game on Christmas, the Ravens take control of their own destiny and would capture the division by winning out against Houston and the Cleveland Browns (Week 18). The Texans have clinched the AFC South and are currently the No. 4 seed but have a chance to finish No. 3 if they win out and get some help.
Key Storylines
Will Baltimore's defense continue its recent dominance?
Since Week 11, Baltimore has given up the fewest net yards in the NFL (278.2 per game) and is the No. 1 defense on third-down (29.7%). Since Ar'Darius Washington joined the starting lineup, he and All-Pro Kyle Hamilton have been among the league's best safety tandems. The Texans have lost playmaking wide receivers Tank Dell and Stefon Diggs to season-ending knee injuries. Houston may struggle offensively if the Ravens pressure quarterback C.J. Stroud and keep him from escaping the pocket.
Which team will handle the quick turnaround best?
Both teams will be playing their third game in 11 days, which will be a challenge physically and mentally. However, Baltimore enters the game with momentum, having won two straight since its bye in Week 14. Playing at home is an advantage for Houston, but the Ravens hope to duplicate the road intensity they displayed on Christmas last year when they defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 33-19.
Can the Texans prevent Derrick Henry from doing major damage?
The Ravens are 7-0 when Henry runs for at least 100 yards, and he's coming off a 162-yard performance against the Steelers. Henry historically turns it up in December when opposing defenses are wearing down. The Texans rank 11th in run defense, but trying to tackle Henry on short rest will be a challenge, particularly in the second half.
These five matchups could be keys in deciding Wednesday's Christmas game between the Ravens and Texans.
LT Ronnie Stanley vs. DE Will Anderson
The other force on the edge, Anderson is following up his Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign with a potential Pro Bowl season and has 10.5 sacks in 13 games. Stanley is blocking Lamar Jackson's blindside at an elite level this season and will try to keep it going against the 2023 No. 3-overall pick.
RT Roger Rosengarten vs. DE Danielle Hunter
The Texans have one of the NFL's best edge rusher duos led by Hunter, who has a team-high 12 sacks. Hunter is playing at an All-Pro level during his first season in Houston, but Rosengarten has proven he can match up with anyone. The rookie didn't give up a sack to T.J. Watt across two games and has been playing his best football of the season over the past month.
TE Mark Andrews vs. LB Henry To'oTo'o
Andrews just keeps scoring. He has nine touchdowns in his last 10 games, including four consecutive games finding the end zone. To'oTo'o is enjoying a strong season and has back-to-back games with double-digit tackles. This will be a battle to watch in the middle of the field.
CB Brandon Stephens vs. WR Nico Collins
Despite missing five games due to injury this year, Collins is nearing a 1,000-yard season and is one of the top big play threats in the NFL. With Tank Dell (knee) out, the Ravens' focus will be to keep Collins from taking over, and Stephens will be his primary assignment.
WR Rashod Bateman vs. CB Derek Stingley Jr.
Bateman is having the best season of his career and could see even more volume on Christmas with Zay Flowers dealing with a shoulder injury. Bateman will face one of the league's best cornerbacks in Stingley, who has five interceptions and 18 passes defended this season.
Players to Watch
QB Lamar Jackson
Over the last two games, Jackson has thrown eight touchdowns and completed 75% of his passes. He's on a mission to lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl run, and he'll begin the game needing 87 rushing yards to surpass Michael Vick (6,109) for the most quarterback rushing yards in NFL history.
S Kyle Hamilton
Hamilton has been playing primarily at deep safety and has helped the secondary eliminate big plays and stay organized. He had a stellar game on Christmas last year against the 49ers with two interceptions, and his range will be important against Stroud, a quarterback capable of making every throw.
WR Rashod Bateman
Bateman has a career-high eight touchdown catches, including four in the last five games. The Texans rank 27th in red zone defense and Bateman is showing a nose for the end zone in addition to making explosive plays, which could pose a problem for Houston's secondary. With No. 1 wide receiver Zay Flowers dealing with a shoulder injury, Bateman could see a bigger workload on Christmas.
