The bank was rocking today. If you tuned in to see if the hype around Lamar Jackson finally meeting his playoff match was real, you got a very specific answer. The Baltimore Ravens didn't just win the game today; they systematically dismantled a Houston Texans team that, for a half, looked like they might actually pull off the impossible.
It was 10-10 at halftime. People were sweating.
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Baltimore looked tight early on. Lamar was holding the ball. The blitz was getting home. But the second half? That was a different sport entirely. Baltimore walked out of the tunnel and decided to stop overthinking the chess match and start playing bully ball. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the 34-10 final score felt almost kind to Houston.
The Second Half Surge That Defined Who Win The Game Today
Most folks expected C.J. Stroud to struggle against this Mike Macdonald defense, and honestly, he did. But it wasn't because he played "bad" football. It was because the Ravens' defensive scheme is a nightmare disguised as a standard nickel package. They don't just blitz; they simulate pressure from angles that make offensive coordinators want to retire.
Stroud finished with 175 yards. No touchdowns. No picks, either, which says a lot about his poise, but zero touchdowns won't win you a road game in January.
Lamar Jackson, on the other hand, was playing a different game. He ran for 100 yards. He threw for two scores. He ran for two more. When you see a quarterback account for four touchdowns in a playoff game where the pressure is supposedly "suffocating" him, you're watching a generational talent hit his stride.
The turning point was basically the first drive of the third quarter. Baltimore went 55 yards in six plays. Lamar tucked it and ran for a 15-yard score that looked effortless. You could almost feel the soul leave the Texans' sideline.
Why the Texans' Cinderella Story Hit a Wall
Houston had an incredible year. Let’s be real. Nobody had them winning the AFC South, let alone crushing the Browns in the Wild Card round. DeMeco Ryans has completely changed the culture in that building. But today showed the gap between a "team on the rise" and a "team built for a title."
The Texans couldn't run the ball. 38 total rushing yards.
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You cannot beat the Baltimore Ravens by being one-dimensional. If you tell Kyle Hamilton and Roquan Smith that they don't have to worry about the handoff, they are going to ruin your life. They spent the entire afternoon in Stroud's lap.
Breaking Down the Lamar Jackson Narrative
For years, the "Lamar can't win in the playoffs" talk has been the loudest thing in sports media. It was annoying. It was largely based on small sample sizes and a few bad drops by his receivers in years past. Today, that narrative didn't just die; it was buried under about six feet of Maryland turf.
He looked calm. Even when the Ravens were stagnant in the second quarter, he wasn't forcing throws into triple coverage. He took the check-downs. He used his legs when the lane opened up.
- Completion Percentage: He was efficient.
- Rushing Impact: He forced Houston to keep a spy on him, which opened up the middle of the field for Isaiah Likely.
- Leadership: You saw him on the sidelines rallying the offensive line.
The Defensive Masterclass Nobody is Talking About
While everyone is rightfully obsessed with Lamar, we need to talk about Mike Macdonald. The Ravens' defensive coordinator is likely going to be a head coach somewhere else next year, and today showed why.
He didn't just sit in a soft zone. He dared Stroud to beat him deep. The Texans' receivers—Nico Collins and Noah Brown—were fought at the line of scrimmage on every single snap. It was physical. It was borderline mean.
The stat that tells the whole story: The Texans didn't score an offensive touchdown. Their only points came from a 67-yard punt return by Steven Sims. Think about that. One of the hottest offenses in the league was held to zero touchdowns over 60 minutes.
That is how you win the game today. You take away the opponent's primary weapon and dare their rookie quarterback to win on 3rd-and-long.
The Adjustments That Changed the Scoreboard
At halftime, John Harbaugh basically told the media that they needed to stop trying to be cute. They went to a heavy personnel set. They started running downhill.
The Ravens' offensive line, led by Tyler Linderbaum, started moving people. It wasn't about scheme anymore; it was about math and physics. They were bigger, stronger, and more tired of the "choker" labels than anyone realized.
What This Means for the AFC Championship
Now, the road to the Super Bowl officially goes through Baltimore. That matters. A lot.
Playing at M&T Bank Stadium in late January is a nightmare for visiting teams. The wind swirls. The crowd is deafening. The grass gets slick. If the Ravens play the way they did in the second half today, it’s hard to see anyone—not the Chiefs, not the Bills—coming into that stadium and leaving with a trophy.
Baltimore is currently the most complete team in professional football. They have the MVP. They have the best defense. They have a kicker in Justin Tucker who is basically a cheat code.
Misconceptions About the Ravens Victory
A lot of people will say the Texans "gave up." That's lazy.
The Texans didn't quit; they got solved. It’s like a puzzle. In the first half, Houston’s defensive front was winning the battle in the trenches. Will Anderson Jr. was a problem. But Baltimore adapted. They started using more motion. They used Lamar as a decoy in the option game more frequently.
It wasn't a collapse. It was an elite team executing a mid-game correction.
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Actionable Takeaways for Football Fans
If you're looking at the betting lines or just trying to win your office pool for next week, keep these three things in mind based on what we saw today:
- Watch the First Quarter Script: The Ravens tend to start slow as they "feel out" the opposing defense. Don't panic if they aren't up by 14 in the first ten minutes.
- The "Lamar Spy" is Dead: Trying to dedicate one linebacker to follow Lamar Jackson doesn't work anymore because he's become too good at passing over the middle. Teams have to pick their poison.
- Home Field is Real: The energy in Baltimore is different this year. It's a "revenge tour" atmosphere.
The Ravens are heading to the AFC Championship for a reason. They proved that they can handle the pressure, weather the storm of a close game, and pull away when it counts.
Next Steps for Following the Postseason:
- Monitor the injury report for Baltimore's secondary, as they took a few hard hits late in the game.
- Watch the film on how Baltimore used Isaiah Likely in the red zone; he's becoming a matchup nightmare that teams aren't prepared for.
- Analyze the upcoming weather reports for Baltimore next Sunday, as heavy wind significantly favors the Ravens' rushing attack over a pass-heavy opponent.