Ravens vs. Texans viewing guide: How to watch ,Time, TV, live stream, key matchups, prediction for AFC divisional round game

 

The Baltimore Ravens, as the top seed in the AFC, will take on the Houston Texans

Houston Texans, who are the AFC South champions and the fourth seed, in the first game of the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. Having secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, the Ravens had a bye in the first round, while the Texans secured their first playoff victory since 2019 by defeating the Cleveland Browns as underdogs.

These two teams are set to face off once again, in a rematch of their season opener, with a spot in the conference championship at stake. Which team will progress to the AFC title game will be determined soon enough.

Before we analyze the matchup, here's how you can tune in to watch the game.

How to watch

Date: Saturday, Jan. 20 | Time: 4:30 p.m. ET

Location: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore)

TV: ABC/ESPN | Stream on fubo (try for free)

Follow: CBS Sports App

Odds: Ravens -9.5, O/U 43.5 ( via Sportsline consensus odds).

👉Click the link: https://shorturl.at/gvRST

Texans Offensive Performance

In their Week 1 matchup, the Texans appeared far from a team competing for a spot in the conference championship game. They struggled to put points on the board against Baltimore's defense, with C.J. Stroud averaging only 5.5 yards per attempt. Running backs Dameon Pierce and Devin Singletary combined for a mere 53 yards on 18 carries, and Tank Dell had minimal involvement in the offense. The only notable offensive highlight was Nico Collins' 6 catches for 80 yards from 11 targets.

Offensive Game Plan for the Ravens

Limited information was available about the Ravens' offense in their previous matchup against this team. Uncertainty persisted even until the end of the game.

J.K. Dobbins suffered an Achilles injury early in the second half, while Mark Andrews was sidelined due to an injury. Baltimore appeared satisfied with employing a run-focused strategy up the middle, with Jackson favoring short, rapid passes to rookie wideout Zay Flowers, leveraging Flowers' ability to gain yards after the catch. Flowers secured 9 receptions for 78 yards on 10 targets, while the rest of the team combined for 8 catches for 91 yards, including a significant portion gained on a deep pass to Odell Beckham.

Prediction

In the earlier encounter, Baltimore secured a convincing victory against these opponents. Although the Texans have notably improved since then, the Ravens maintain advantages on both offense and defense, being in good health, well-rested, and playing on home turf. While Houston holds great promise for the future, they may not quite be able to rival the Ravens at present.

Projected Score: Ravens 26-17.