The Baltimore Ravens used a strong second-half effort to beat the Houston Texans 34-10 in the AFC Divisional Round. Baltimore will head to the AFC Championship game against either the Buffalo Bills or Kansas City Chiefs.
After a Texans’ three-and-out, the Ravens were able to get on the board courtesy of a 53-yard field goal by Justin Tucker with 8:36 left in the first quarter. A 26-yard completion to RB Devin Singletary on Houston’s second drive got the Teans into Baltimore territory, but penalties knocked Houston out of field goal range and they were forced to punt. The Ravens would take over at their own 13 with 5:02 left in the quarter.
With 28 seconds left in the quarter, a Ka’imi Fairbairn field goal tied the game at 3-3, but Baltimore got right to work with a 23-yard scramble by QB Lamar Jackson and then a 17-yard strike to WR Zay Flowers two plays later moving Baltimore into Houston territory. Baltimore got down to the Houston 2 on a 15-yard scramble by Jackson, and two plays later he hit WR Nelson Agholor for a touchdown to put the Ravens up 10-3 following Tucker’s extra point.
Houston couldn’t respond, going three-and-out on their next drive, but after a Ravens punt, former Steelers WR Steven Sims took a punt return 67 yards for a touchdown and Houston tied the game up at 10-10 after the extra point.
Houston would miss a 47-yard field goal with 37 seconds left in the half that would’ve put them up 13-10 and the Ravens took over at their own 37. The Ravens got to Jackson for back-to-back sacks, and the game would go into the half tied at 10-10.
Baltimore came out firing to start the second half, scoring a touchdown on their opening drive. Devin Duvernay returned the second-half kickoff to the Baltimore 45, and the Ravens put together a six-play, 55-yard drive capped off by a 15-yard touchdown run by Jackson. Houston struggled to move the ball on their lone third-quarter drive, and the game would enter the fourth quarter with the Ravens driving, as the fourth quarter started with Baltimore on the Houston 19.
The fourth quarter opened with a four-yard run by RB Gus Edwards, and on the next play Jackson hit TE Isaiah Likely for a 15-yard touchdown. Baltimore took a two-score lead at 24-10 after Tucker’s extra point. Houston went three-and-out on their next drive with QB C.J. Stroud missing WR Robert Woods on 3rd and 5, and Baltimore took over with 13:30 left in the game.
With 9:39 left on 2nd and 7 from the Houston 46, RB Dalvin Cook ran for 19 yards and a first down to the Houston 27, and the Ravens looked to extend their lead. Two plays later Baltimore had another first down on a pass to WR Zay Flowers, and later in the drive Jackson and Baltimore extended the lead to 31-10 with Jackson’s eight-yard touchdown run and Tucker’s extra point with 6:20 remaining.
With 5:04 left, Stroud missed TE Dalton Schultz on 4th and 6 from the Houston 33, and the Ravens had the game locked up. With 1:56 left, Tucker added a field goal to extend the lead to 34-10, which would be the final score.
Baltimore now advances to the AFC Championship game for the first time since 2012.
