Summary
The Texans held off the Ravens in the first half, but Lamar Jackson then took charge to lead Baltimore to a 34-10 victory in the second round of the playoffs on Saturday.
Lamar Jackson threw two touchdown passes and scored two on the ground for the second time in his career.
The Ravens will therefore have the chance to play an association final at home for the first time since 1971, this weekend. It’s also their first AFC final since 2012.
“You know, this is just the first playoff game we’ve won,” Jackson said. There is still work to be done. »
“Our fans will have the chance to be as loud, if not louder, than today and they were incredible,” said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. I thought our fans were incredible. It was deafening. »
With a rookie head coach and quarterback at the helm of the team, Houston remained neck and neck with a 10-10 halftime score. CJ Stroud, however, couldn’t find a way to break through the opponent’s experienced defense while Jackson put on a show on the other side of the ball.
“You have to give credit to Lamar,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said. He made a ton of good plays. That’s why he’s the most valuable player. »
Justin Tucker got the Ravens on the board on their first possession of the game with a 53-yard field goal to set the tone. Baltimore had not scored a point in the first quarter in its last five playoff games, since the divisional round in 2014, and was 1-4 in those circumstances.
The Texans let the storm pass after a difficult first few minutes, particularly due to numerous penalties, before responding with the score. Stroud was nearly intercepted by Kyle Hamilton in the final 40 seconds on a pass to John Metchie III, after which Houston broke the deadlock by capping the sequence with a 50-yard field goal from Ka’imi Fairbairn that tied the game. brand.
In the second quarter, at the goal gate, Lamar Jackson joined Nelson Agholor in the paying zone after a long sequence of more than 6 minutes and 11 plays to give the locals the lead again. It was Jackson’s first touchdown pass before the fourth quarter in the playoffs, on his fifth game.
Houston responded two sequences later. Steven Sims was able to weave through the opposition avoiding tackles to escape to the end zone completing a spectacular 67-yard punt return.
The Texans missed a golden chance to retreat to the locker room with the lead when Fairbairn missed his precision kick late in the half. It was the first time in 39 kicks of less than 50 yards (47) that he missed the target.
Baltimore wasted no time regaining control of the game in the third quarter. Jackson crossed the 15 yards that separated him from the end zone to restore a seven-point lead to the Ravens.
He then joined Isaiah Likely to increase the gap to 24-10 in the fourth quarter, before adding a second major by running shortly after.
2024-01-20 19:00:00
#NFL #Playoffs #Lamar #Jackson #Ravens #Texans #hopes
