'Great Athlete!' Texans Face Daunting Challenge of Containing Ravens QB Lamar Jackson
BALTIMORE, MD — Neither the Houston Texans nor Baltimore Ravens are the same team from their Week 1 meeting on Sept. 10. The Texans sustained a 25-9 defeat to begin the 2023 regular season. However, they have since established themselves as an AFC powerhouse by advancing to the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
The Texans have found their stride since their last visit to M&T Bank Stadium. But in their rematch against the Ravens four months later, Houston will face a Baltimore team that has dominated the league behind the play of presumed league MVP Lamar Jackson.
"He is a great athlete," defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. "He has a great feel in the pocket, he does a great job of escaping, breaking tackles – all those things. If you get out of your area and out of your lane, and kind of where we’re trying to put it all together, if you get out, then he’s going to make you pay. So, I would probably say just from a discipline – a rush discipline level – this is the ultimate [challenge] this week, for sure."
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws a pass to wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) against the Houston Texans during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium.
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Burke revealed that the key to containing Jackson begins with the team "staying true" to its defensive strategies. The Texans evolved into one of the league's best defensive teams during the regular season, and their success led to a 45-14 Wild Card victory over the Cleveland Browns on Jan. 13.
One of the Texans' best defensive strong suits has been the production of the front four. The defensive line has been the foundation of Houston's ability to stop the run, giving up 96.6 yards on the ground while recording a franchise-best 46 sacks.
However, Jackson provides a daunting challenge for Houston. He orchestrated one of the most explosive offenses in the league. Baltimore finished the regular season ranked fourth in scoring, averaging 28.4 points. Jackson led the way while completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also rushed for 821 yards on 148 carries and five touchdowns.
"You can throw as many things at Lamar as you want to, but he finds a way to make plays," coach DeMeco Ryans said. "That’s what makes him a special player. No matter what type of looks he’s gotten on tape, he’s made a ton of teams pay because of his play-making ability. He’s seen a lot, made a lot of plays, so it’s going to be a challenge no matter what we present or what we throw at him."
The Texans saw a less effective version of Jackson during their season-opening loss to the Ravens, but Houston still managed to do a solid job of containing the two-time All-Pro quarterback.
They held Jackson to 169 yards while completing 77.3 percent of his passes amid 22 attempts. Steven Nelson recorded his first interception of the season against Jackson, while Will Anderson Jr. logged his first career sack.
"You talk about drastic improvements – our first game going against Baltimore – man, tough place to play," Ryans said. "But, from there to where we are now, we’ve definitely grown. Completely different team. They’re a completely different team. We’ve grown, their offense has grown. They’ve done a really great job."
