BALTIMORE — Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson answered some questions on his playoff chops Saturday evening in a 34-10 divisional spherical win over the Houston Texans, however he had loads of assist.
The Ravens’ dominant protection confirmed no rust after a bye week, shutting down sensational rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud because the Baltimore superior to the AFC Championship Sport towards the winner of Sunday’s sport between the Buffalo Payments and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.
Jackson has completed nearly every thing in the course of the common season and is probably going headed towards his second MVP award, however he was simply 1-3 within the playoffs till Saturday. He is hoping that two extra victories this marketing campaign will silence all doubters.
Baltimore Ravens
Jackson gave the Ravens one thing they’ve by no means had of their 28-year existence: an AFC Championship Sport on their dwelling discipline.
Hurting the Texans along with his legs as a lot as his arm, Jackson totaled 4 touchdowns and 100 yards speeding for the Ravens’ first divisional spherical win since their 2012 Tremendous Bowl marketing campaign.
Jackson recorded his third 100-yard speeding sport within the postseason, surpassing Colin Kaepernick for probably the most by a quarterback in NFL historical past. Jackson is also the fourth participant to document 100 yards speeding and two landing passes in a playoff sport in NFL historical past and the primary since Kaepernick in 2012.
Within the course of, Jackson shattered the narrative that he could not win within the postseason after only one playoff victory in his first 5 seasons.
This marks the primary time Baltimore will host the AFC Championship Sport in 53 years, when the Baltimore Colts did so within the 1970 season. It is the longest hole for a metropolis to host a convention championship sport.
The Ravens’ protection regularly annoyed Stroud. After protecting the Texans out of the top zone within the season opener, Baltimore held Stroud and Houston’s offense out of the top zone within the playoffs. Ravens coach John Harbaugh is now 18-2 towards rookie quarterbacks in Baltimore.
Eye-popping stat: When Jackson discovered Nelson Agholor in the long run zone within the second quarter, it marked the signal-caller’s first landing cross within the postseason previous to the fourth quarter. Earlier than Saturday, Jackson had thrown three landing passes in 5 playoff video games and all got here within the fourth quarter. Jackson didn’t document a landing cross in his earlier two postseason video games. This was additionally Agholor’s first landing catch within the playoffs; he had been one in every of six energetic gamers with not less than 20 postseason receptions however and not using a landing catch.
Promising development: Jackson repeatedly beat Houston along with his legs, producing his fourth profession playoff sport with 50-plus speeding yards. That ties him with Steve Younger, Russell Wilson and Kaepernick for the second most by a quarterback since 1950. Jackson’s 100 speeding yards are probably the most allowed by the Texans to a quarterback this season. With a 15-yard scoring run, Jackson turned the primary participant in Ravens playoff historical past with a speeding and passing landing in the identical sport.
2023 NFL Playoffs
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Pivotal play: Jackson changing a gutsy fourth-and-1 name at midfield. With the Ravens main 17-10 within the third quarter, Baltimore put the ball within the fingers of Jackson, who ran vast left behind offensive sort out Ronnie Stanley for a 14-yard acquire. It saved alive a 12-play, 93-yard drive that ended with Jackson’s 15-yard landing cross to Isaiah Doubtless.
Troubling development: Steven Sims’ 67-yard punt return for a landing within the second quarter marked the third straight playoff sport that Baltimore has allowed a return for a landing. Within the 2020 divisional playoff sport in Buffalo, Jackson threw a pick-six within the pink zone. Final 12 months, throughout a wild-card sport on the Cincinnati Bengals, Tyler Huntley’s fumble close to the purpose line was returned 98 yards for a landing by Sam Hubbard. — Jamison Hensley
Subsequent sport: The AFC Championship Sport, versus the winner of Sunday’s sport between the Payments and Chiefs.
Houston Texans
The Texans’ shock season, by which they made it to the divisional spherical for the primary time since 2019, has come to an finish.
Coach DeMeco Ryans and Stroud turned the third rookie coach-rookie quarterback duo since 1950 to win a playoff sport, however they could not make it two. The offense struggled in ways in which it hadn’t since Week 14, when Houston misplaced 30-6 to the New York Jets.
The problems began up entrance, because the Texans did not run or block effectively, and Stroud was pressured on 45.7% of his 35 dropbacks, tied for his second-highest strain fee this season.
The protection was in a position to decide up the slack within the first half, however finally it broke within the second half, permitting 21 factors.
Describe the Texans in two phrases: No offense. The offense had no reply for the Ravens’ protection. The Texans averaged 343 yards per sport (twelfth) within the common season, however they completed with 38 speeding yards (averaging 2.7 per carry) and 213 whole yards on Saturday. And similar to within the season opener, they did not rating an offensive landing towards the Ravens.
Greatest gap within the sport plan: The Texans had no constant reply for Jackson’s scrambling potential. They have been hyper-aware of him, however they nonetheless struggled — permitting 48 scramble yards. The Texans yielded 217 whole scramble yards within the common season (twelfth fewest), and probably the most that they had allowed in a sport was 43 yards towards the Arizona Cardinals in Week 11.
Pivotal (first half) play: The punt return by Sims gave the Texans life. It made the rating 10-10 with 4:17 remaining within the first half — earlier than issues fell a component within the second. That landing was the Texans’ third non-offensive rating this postseason, probably the most by any workforce in a single postseason for the reason that Inexperienced Bay Packers had three in 2010.
Eye-popping stat: The Texans’ 11 accepted penalties towards them set a franchise document, exceeding the earlier mark of eight. Within the first quarter, that they had three false begins, an intentional grounding and a delay of sport, they usually have been referred to as for holding on particular groups. These six penalties within the first quarter have been their most in any quarter this season. — DJ Bien-Aime
Subsequent sport: Season is over.