Ravens vs. Texans Preview: Texas Hold 'Em

The Baltimore Ravens head down to H-Town for a playoff rematch on Christmas Day.

Jan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs the ball to score a touchdown against Houston Texans defensive tackle Khalil Davis (94) during the fourth quarter of a 2024 AFC divisional round game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Christmas Day is becoming quite the special occasion for the Baltimore Ravens, and not in the normal way.

Last year, the Ravens traveled across the country and laid a 33-19 beatdown on the eventual NFC-champion San Francisco 49ers. This year, they travel down south to face the Houston Texans in a rematch of last year's divisional round game.

While the Ravens would love to celebrate the holiday with their families, they recognize playing in front of a national audience on such an occasion.

"It's just as special as it was last year. Maybe even more so because it's [been] twice," head coach John Harbaugh told reporters Monday. "It is meaningful. It's meaningful because if I'm going to talk about it in those kind of terms – and spiritual terms – it's a chance to bring glory on a glorious day, I would say, and an opportunity to kind of shine in that way before men. A lot of people are going to be watching, so we want to put our best foot forward and do it the right way."

The Texans were one of the league's top breakout teams in 2023 with Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud leading the way, and had great expectations for 2024 as a result. They haven't quite reached those expectations on offense, but Stroud, running back Joe Mixon and wide receiver Nico Collins still make for a formidable trio.

"C.J. is a great quarterback, and it's not going to be an easy task – getting him off his game and hopefully making him have a bad game," safety Kyle Hamilton said. "So, it's going to start with the run game, knocking out the run game, and then from then on, just getting after the quarterback."

Defensively, on the other hand, the Texans are quite the stingy unit. Edge rushers Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. both rank in the top 10 for NFL sacks, while the secondary, led by cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., is one of the most opportunistic in the league.

The Ravens have won their past five games against the Texans, none bigger than last year's playoff game in Baltimore. It's entirely possible they meet again in the playoffs this season, but for now, their focus is exclusively on the holiday showdown.

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