The Baltimore Ravens took the Houston Texans' best punch in the first half, then took control of the game in the second half en route to a 34-10 win in Saturday's divisional round playoff showdown.
Baltimore, the AFC's top-seeded team, will host the winner of Sunday's Buffalo Bills-Kansas City Chiefs divisional round game next Sunday for the right to go to Super Bowl LVIII.
John Harbaugh's squad was a completely team in the second half. After settling for a 10-10 halftime tie, the Ravens scored touchdowns on their first four second have drives, including touchdowns on their first three possessions. Lamar Jackson accounted for all three touchdowns that included his go-ahead touchdown run less than three minutes into the third quarter.
Jackson was great in the second half. After falling victim to Houston's blitzes in the first half, the likely league MVP countered with quick, yet accurate passes in the second half that included his 15-yard bullet to Isaiah Likely that stretched Baltimore's lead to 24-10 early in the fourth quarter. Jackson also rushed for 100 of Baltimore's 229 yards that included a 14-yard on a fourth-and-1 play set up his touchdown pass to Likely.
Houston fought hard, but DeMeco Ryans' defense had no answer for Jackson and the Ravens offense in the second half. On offense, rookie phenom C.J. Stroud had his moments, but he couldn't make up for several bad pre snap penalties and a running game that gained just 38 yards on 14 carries. The Texans' only touchdown came on Steven Sims' 67-yard punt return for a score late in the first half.
Here's a closer look at how Jackson won his first home playoff game.
Why the Ravens won
While they were a vastly different team in the second half, the one thing the Ravens did well throughout the game was run the ball, and that was the biggest difference between the two teams. Baltimore had 95 yards on 17 carries in the first half and 134 yards on 25 carries in the second half. Jackson was the catalyst, but Justice Hill and Gus Edwards complemented him by running for a combined 106 yards on 23 carries.
While the running game was a constant, give credit to Baltimore first-year offensive coordinator Todd Monken's second-half adjustments that led to Jackson throwing for 100 yards and a touchdown in the second half after throwing for just 52 yards in the first half. Jackson spread the ball around, completing passes to nine different teammates. Jackson also wasn't sacked in the second half after he was taken down three times in the game's first 30 minutes.
Defensively, Baltimore did not allow Houston to record a single first down after its first drive of the second half. They never allowed the Texans to enter the red zone, largely because of their ability to make Houston one-dimensional.
Why the Texans lost
Houston outplayed Baltimore in the first half, but it wasn't sustainable. The Texans' lack of a running game was a big reason for the loss, but nearly as impactful was 11 penalties compared to Baltimore's three.
With their offense neutralized, the Texans defense got little rest in the second half, which surely contributed to the Ravens' massive second-half success, especially on the ground. Houston's defense also had no counter once Baltimore adjusted its passing approach in the second half.
There are no moral victories, but Stroud did play well in defeat. He went 19 of 33 for 175 and did not turn the ball over.
Turning point
It appeared as if some of the wind came out of Houston's sail when it missed a golden chance to take the lead just before halftime after Stroud hit Nico Collins for completions of 29 and 16 yards on consecutive plays. But after nailing a 50-yard field goal earlier in the game, Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn missed his 47-yard attempt wide right. The score remained tied at halftime, and the Texans never seriously threatened to score again.
Plays of the game
Jackson, not surprisingly, authored three of the game's biggest plays: his go-ahead touchdown run, his fourth-down run that set up his touchdown pass to Likely, and his touchdown pass to Likely that was a perfect example of the duo's red zone chemistry.
Quotable
"We studied those guys like no tomorrow. We had the bye week, but we still stayed locked in and focused. I just believe, just because we haven't been in a game atmosphere in a week, and just started out slow in the first half. But in the second half, we dialed it up and we started connecting." -- Jackson to ESPN's Lisa Salters on the difference between halves
What's next
Baltimore advances to its fifth AFC title game and first since 2012, when the Ravens upset the Patriots en route to winning Super Bowl XLVII. The Texans begin their offseason following a highly surprising 2023 season that saw them capture the AFC South division title before defeating the Browns on Super Wild Card Weekend.