Yahoo Sports Staff
The Houston Texans, led by rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, had all the good vibes entering Saturday. The top-seeded Baltimore Ravens lit them on fire.
The Ravens beat the Texans 34-10 to open the divisional round, turning a game that was tied 10-10 at halftime into a laugher with complete domination in the second round. Lamar Jackson finished the game 16-of-22 for 152 yards, two passing touchdowns, 100 rushing yards on 11 carries and two rushing touchdowns.
LAMAR JACKSON.
Baltimore can taste the AFC Championship game.
📺: #HOUvsBAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/mOqD2jfu4M pic.twitter.com/stiJQtphvC— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2024
Meanwhile, the Ravens defense shut down what was looking like a dangerous Texans offense. The only Houston touchdown came via a punt return touchdown from Steven Sims. Stroud was 19-of-33 for 175 yards, while the running game mustered only 38 yards.
The Ravens will now advance to the AFC Championship Game, which they will host for the first time in franchise history. They will face the winner of the other AFC divisional game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs.
Here's how it all went down via Yahoo Sports:
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Lamar Jackson produced as many TDs on Saturday as he did in his first four playoff games:
First four games: 4 total TDs
Saturday vs Texans: 4 TDs— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) January 21, 2024
Here's Frank Schwab's recap on a blowout to open the divisional round.
The Texans' season is over, but it remains a huge success. Rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud are clearly keepers and now they can build around that for the foreseeable future.
FINAL: 34-10 Ravens.
Baltimore advances and will host the AFC Championship Game for the first time in franchise history. It is also their first AFC Championship Game since the 2012-13 season, when they won the Super Bowl.
This game was tied 10-10 at halftime and the Ravens responded with near-perfect football in the second half, scoring touchdowns on their first three drives while shutting down rookie C.J. Stroud. This team made it a habit of demolishing good teams in the regular season and that remains the trend one game into the postseason.
Texans fumble the kickoff return, but seem to recover it. This is not ending gracefully.
Baltimore will host the AFC Championship Game vs. the Chiefs-Bills winner next Sunday, Jan. 28, at 3 p.m. ET.
Baltimore hasn’t hosted a conference championship game since January 1971.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 21, 2024
Quarterbacks coach Tee Martin with a beaming smile and shoulder squeeze for Lamar Jackson after he comes off the field following another scoring drive.
— Giana Han (@giana_jade) January 21, 2024
Ravens follow up the two-minute warning with a 43-yard field goal.
Lamar Jackson is now just the second player in the Super Bowl era with 2+ passing TD, 2+ rushing TD and 100+ rushing yards in a single playoff game, joining Colin Kaepernick in 2013.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 21, 2024
Ravens go for it on 4th and 3 and get it. We're just waiting for the clock to bleed out now.,
5.2 yards per attempt for C.J. Stroud is his worst mark in a full start this entire season.
Second-worst was 5.5 ... Week 1 against Baltimore.
— David Helman (@davidhelman_) January 21, 2024
Texans OC Bobby Slowik is a top candidate for head coaching jobs this offseason. Pretty much every team is going to have to ask him what happened today against Ravens DC Mike Macdonald, who might be up against him for those jobs.
Texans go for it on 4th-and-6 (with no urgency) and C.J. Stroud gets hammered by blitzing corner Arthur Maulet. Throw is incomplete and the Ravens will take over in Houston territory.
Make that 11 penalties. Houston is facing 3rd and 19 with 5:41 remaining.
Ronald Darby is shaken up. Rock Ya-Sin in teh game. Gus Edwards also came off the field on that last drive holding his arm. That led to the three Dalvin Cook carries.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) January 21, 2024
Texans just called for their 10th penalty, a franchise playoff record.
Call is confirmed, Ravens lose a timeout. It's about the only thing they've lost this half.
The Ravens are now challenging that the Texans recovered their own fumble on the kick return. Returner Stephen Sims looks clearly down on replay.
Lamar Jackson has 3 career playoff games with 100+ rushing yards, the most by any QB in NFL history. #RavensFlock @ravens @NFLResearch
— Tony Holzman-Escareno (@FrontOfficeNFL) January 21, 2024
Lamar said "I'll see y'all next week." 😂 pic.twitter.com/Qe2KTJJHYl
— NFL (@NFL) January 21, 2024
