Five Questions Ahead of Ravens vs. Texans

The Baltimore Ravens visit the Houston Texans on Christmas Day.

Dec 21, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws during the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans are getting ready to face off against the Baltimore Ravens for their Christmas Day matchup.

To learn more about the Ravens, we spoke with Baltimore Ravens On SI writer Jon Alfano.

The Ravens are 10-5 going into the game. What’s been the story behind their success?

Everyone knows about the heroics of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, and they have been nothing short of fantastic this season. However, I also think the defense deserves credit for an impressive mid-season turnaround. The Ravens had one of the worst passing defenses in recent memory for the first half of the season, but now they’ve allowed less than 200 yards through the air in four of their past five games, and the entire unit deserves credit for that.

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What’s a matchup you are keeping an eye on?

I’m definitely interested to see how the Ravens’ offensive line stacks up against Danielle Hunter, Will Anderson Jr. and a strong Texans pass rush. The line has held up better than I think most expected coming into the season, but even then, facing two edge rushers who rank in the top 10 in sacks is going to be a great challenge. That’s not even mentioning Tim Settle Jr., Derek Barnett, Denico Autry and other key depth pieces.

What’s one thing people should know about the Ravens that cannot be found in a box score?

I believe one of the biggest recent developments for the Ravens is their new rotation at linebacker. Trenton Simpson has started alongside Roquan Smith for most of the season, but lately it’s been Malik Harrison and Chris Board occupying that role instead. The defense has also significantly improved since making that change, though the season-long box score still doesn’t show it just yet.

If the Ravens lose, what would be the reason why?

In my opinion, the Ravens are one of the best teams in the league when everything is running smoothly, but they have a nasty tendency to get in their own way. All five of their losses this season have been by one score, and all of them feature some unforced errors. If they shoot themselves in the foot again in this game, it will be very difficult to walk out of Houston victorious.

What’s your prediction for the game?

Truth be told, I expected more from the Texans this season, particularly on offense. I know they’ve dealt with injuries on that side of the ball, but it still seems like they’ve regressed since last season. As a result, I think the Ravens just have too much firepower for the Texans to keep up with, though I suspect it will be close.

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Stick with TexansGameday for more coverage of the Houston Texans throughout the season. 

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