(credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images)
The AFC South Champion Houston Texans (11-6) continue their first-ever postseason Sunday in the AFC Divisional Playoff against the AFC North Champion Baltimore Ravens (12-4) at M&T Bank Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon CST.
Houston advanced to the Divisional round with a 31-10 win against Cincinnati last Saturday at Reliant Stadium using the strong running game and relentless defense that earned the franchise’s first playoff berth. RB Arian Foster rushed 24 times for 153 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Rookie QB T.J. Yates bounced back from a shaky first half to finish with 159 yards and a touchdown on 11-of-20 passing for a 97.7 passer rating. WR Andre Johnson caught five passes for 90 yards, including a 40-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter.
The Texans’ defense intercepted three passes, recorded four sacks and shut the Bengals out in the second half. Rookie DE J.J. Watt had a sack and returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown to give the Texans the lead
for good late in the first half. ILB Brian Cushing led the team with eight tackles. The teams met at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 6 of the regular season, with the Ravens scoring 16 unanswered points to earn a 29-14 win. Baltimore sacked QB Matt Schaub four times and held Houston to 6-of-16 on third down. Ravens RB Ray Rice ran for 101 yards, WR Anquan Boldin had 136 yards receiving and K Billy Cundiff made five field goals.
Both teams feature top-five defenses, two of the NFL’s best all-purpose running backs in Foster and Rice, and premiere receivers in Johnson and Boldin. Houston’s defense underwent one of the biggest one-year improvements in NFL history and finished the 2011 season ranked second, allowing 285.7 yards per game. CB Johnathan Joseph was elected to his first Pro Bowl and led the Texans’ second-ranked pass defense with 15 passes defensed and four interceptions. Cushing had a team-high 114 tackles, and OLB Connor Barwin led the team with 11.5 sacks. Baltimore has had a top-10 defense in each of the last nine seasons and finished the regular season ranked third with 288.9 yards per game. OLB Terrell Suggs led the AFC with 14.0 sacks.
Houston’s offense, riddled by injuries for much of the season, ranked second in the NFL in rushing with a franchise-record 153.0 yards per game and was 13th overall with 372.1 yards per game. Foster was elected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl and led the team with 1,224 yards rushing, finished second on the team with 617 yards receiving, led the NFL with 141.6 scrimmage yards per game and finished second in the AFC with 12 touchdowns from scrimmage.
Rice led the NFL with 2,068 yards from scrimmage and finished second in rushing with 1,364 yards. Johnson and Boldin have both accumulated more than 700 receptions, 9,000 yards receiving and 50 touchdowns in their careers. The Texans are 0-5 all-time against Baltimore, including an 0-2 mark at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore was 8-0 at home during the regular season, giving up 14.9 points and 254.8 yards per game, second-lowest in the League.
The Texans
• Can win their first road playoff game in franchise history.
• Can record their first win against Baltimore in franchise history.
• Can become the sixth expansion franchise since 1976 to advance to
the conference championship game in its first postseason.
• Can post a positive turnover margin for the second consecutive postseason
game and for the 10th time overall this season.
• Can hold an opponent to fewer than 20 points for the second consecutive
postseason game and the 12th time overall this season.
• Can outrush their opponent for the second consecutive postseason
game and the 13th time overall this season.
• Can win time of possession for the first time this postseason and the
13th time overall this season.
• RB Arian Foster can become the 17th player to rush for 100 or more
yards in consecutive postseason games.
• QB T.J. Yates can become the third quarterback to win two playoff
games in his rookie season, and the first quarterback drafted outside
of the first round to do so. Yates would join Baltimore QB Joe Flacco
(2008) and New York Jets QB Mark Sanchez (2009).
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