The Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans both advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs Saturday, beating the Pittsburgh Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers, respectively.
The Ravens, the AFC’s No. 3 seed, put up a dominant performance in the day’s nightcap. Baltimore beat its divisional rival 28-14, powered by an unstoppable rushing attack.
The Ravens ran 50 times for 299 yards against the Steelers. Running back Derrick Henry had 26 carries for 186 yards and two scores, while quarterback Lamar Jackson added 81 yards of his own on the ground.
Pittsburgh was inept offensively for much of the night. Russell Wilson finished with 270 yards passing and two touchdowns, but the Steelers had only 11 first downs and 280 total yards over the course of the game.
Baltimore marched down the field for three massive touchdown drives in the first half alone. The Ravens went 95 yards in 13 plays for their first score, then 85 yards in 13 plays before a nine-play, 90-yard masterpiece for a touchdown two seconds before halftime.
Pittsburgh’s offense woke up with 14 points in the third quarter, with Wilson making some nice throws. Baltimore’s lead never went under two scores, however, and the Ravens ultimately ran out the clock.
Jackson, often talk-show fodder for his playoff struggles, played at an MVP level. In addition to his success running, he completed 16 of 21 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns.
Earlier in the day, the Texans advanced after a wacky game against the Chargers in which both defenses shined. The two teams combined for seven turnovers, but Houston was better able to take advantage of the miscues.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud threw for 282 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Texans. Justin Herbert, meanwhile, threw for 242 yards with one score and a whopping four interceptions — including a pick-six.
Los Angeles took a 6-0 lead early in the first quarter, but didn’t score again until the fourth. On the Chargers’ only touchdown, their extra point was blocked and returned for two points by Houston. Los Angeles scored only three points off the Texans’ three giveaways.
Houston, meanwhile, overcame a slow offensive start to take a 10-7 lead into halftime, scoring twice in the final minute of the second quarter — once on the end of a 99-yard touchdown drive. That possession was nearly derailed when Stroud fumbled a snap on 3rd-and-16, but he recovered the ball and completed a deep pass on the same play.
The Texans would add 13 more points before the touchdown-turned-blocked kick-turned-two-pointer sequence. Stroud then led one more touchdown drive while Herbert was picked off on the Chargers’ final possession.
Both Houston’s and Baltimore’s opponents for the next round will depend on Sunday’s results.