(SportsRadio 610) - In route to their divisional round matchup in Baltimore this weekend, the Texans have had some tough competition in front of them, but have found ways to exploit what the opposition has done best along the way.
Against one of the better teams at slowing the run game down, the Texans eclipsed 100-yards rushing twice against the Titans in the final month of the regular season in route to two crucial wins, averaging 4.6 and 4.0 yards per carry respectively. Tennessee allowed the sixth fewest yards per attempt (3.8) in the league this season.
Most recently, the Texans put up 45 points on the Cleveland Browns, who boasted the NFL's best defense for much of the regular season before being exploited by offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik in the Texans 45-14 blowout victory in the Wild Card round.
This weekend, the Texans will have to try and figure a way to slow the Ravens rush attack, led by the odds-on favorite for league MVP, quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Gus Edwards.
The Ravens finished as the NFL's top rushing team during the regular season, rushing for over 100-yards in every game they played this season. They ran it seven more times and for 262 more yards than the next closest team.
Averaging 4.9 yards per attempt, the third best mark in the league, the Ravens also compiled the second most explosive runs in the league during the regular season, with 21 runs going for at least 20-yards. They had four go for at least 40-yards.
"Our first game going against Baltimore – man, tough place to play," Ryans recalled. "Rookie quarterback, new team, new start, going out to Baltimore. Really tight game, and they kind of took it away in the second half. But, from there to where we are now, we've definitely grown. Completely different team. They're a completely different team."
While the both the Texans and the Ravens are two very different teams now, than when they first met in week one, the Ravens big play potential in the run game has been a constant all season long.
During the 25-9 loss to the Ravens in week one, the Texans defense surrendered 110 yards on the ground on 32 attempts. Jackson took six of those carries for 38 yards, running for first downs three times, all in the first half.
Overall, the Ravens hit the Texans defense for six plays of at least 17-yards in the game, including four on third-downs. The Ravens went 8-15 on third-down conversions that day.
The Texans did sack Jackson four times in the game for a total loss of 14 yards, affecting his overall yardage on the ground. Linebacker Christian Harris along with edge rushers Will Anderson and Jonathan Greenard each recorded sacks in the game.
Jackson also fumbled twice, losing one and threw an interception.
The threat of Jackson's legs is real. He led the Ravens in rushing seven times during the season, eclipsing the 100-yard threshold just once, but averaged 51-yards per attempt in route to his fifth-straight season of at least 750-yards on the ground.
Jackson ranks third all-time in career rushing yards for a quarterback, behind only Russell Wilson and Michael Vick, put together his most complete season to date. In his sixth season, Jackson set career-high marks in passing yards (3,678), completions (307), attempts (457) and completion percentage (67.2).
Ravens lead running back Gus Edwards finished the regular season with 810 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns at a clip of 4.1 yards per attempt. All of Edwards touchdowns came inside of the red zone, the fourth most in the league this season.
As DeMeco Ryans eludes to often, turnovers can be a game changer.
"That's one of the biggest indicators and predictors in wins and losses in the entire NFL, no matter when you play regular season or postseason, the most important thing is taking care of the football and trying to take the ball away," Ryans said. "So, when you do that the right way, we were able to have some big turnovers and actually capitalize and score on them in the game, and that flips the game instantly."
The Texans used back-to-back pick-sixes by Steven Nelson and Christian Harris this past weekend to turn a tight game, into a show of dominance.
Both the Texans and Ravens finished inside of the top-three in turnover differential this season, the Ravens tied for the top spot (+12) while then Texans finished in a four-way tie for third best mark (+10). Something to keep an eye on this weekend is just how well both of these teams take care of the ball and how they might try to force each other into mistakes.
While the Texans take exceptional care of the ball, fumbling it just six times this season, the third fewest of any team, the Ravens coughed the ball up 12 times (sixth most).
Through the air, while Texans quarterback CJ Stroud has only thrown five interceptions all season, the Ravens have shown a propensity to force quarterbacks into poor decisions, intercepting opponents 18 times this season.
Stroud got away with some near misses by Ravens defenders week one.
Not only will the Texans have to figure out a way to slow the Ravens run game down and contain Jackson from getting loose outside of the pocket in crucial downs, but they'll have to play a much cleaner football game Saturday than they did week one.
While the Texans looked far from a disciplined team week one, committing nine penalties which cost them 88-yards, the Ravens had more yellow tissues thrown their way than a client on Doctor Phil's couch, drawing 13 flags for an astounding 106-yards.
Neither team has chilled out in the penalty department since, both finishing in the top-10 for most penalties accrued this regular season.
With the Ravens coming in as an insulting 9-point favorite on Saturday, the Texans will have a tall task ahead, but yet another opportunity to shock the world.
