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.
Final: Ravens 28, Steelers 14
Pittsburgh made it mildly interesting in the second half, but the Ravens dominated this one for most of the night. Lamar Jackson had an MVP-caliber performance as he tries to rehabilitate his playoff image.
Baltimore is onto the second round. The Steelers have now lost six straight postseason games.
Steelers turn it over on downs
That was a costly possession for the Steelers, who took 2:30 off the clock with nothing to show for it. A false start penalty followed by a sack set Pittsburgh back too far on its last set of downs, and Russell Wilson couldn’t connect with Calvin Austin on an end zone heave on 4th-and-15.
The Ravens now have the ball on their own 43 with 6:06 left in the fourth. Baltimore leads 28-14.
Ravens punt after nine plays
The Ravens punted after a nine-play drive stalled near midfield, but the drive took over six minutes off the clock, which is a win for Baltimore.
The Steelers have the ball on their own 25 trailing 28-14 with 8:36 to go.
Pittsburgh punts for the fifth time
Normally we don’t condone punting down two scores in the fourth quarter in this space, but the Steelers were in a tough spot facing a 4th-and-16 from their own 36.
The Ravens have the ball back and a 28-14 lead. Let’s see if they try to chew clock on this drive.
End of third: Ravens 28, Steelers 14
The Steelers finally woke up in the third quarter, scoring two touchdowns and getting a couple stops. Pittsburgh is in the game, but will likely punt to open the fourth after Russell Wilson was sacked on third down on the last play of the third quarter.
Ravens go three-and-out for the first time
A false start penalty set the Ravens back five yards and they couldn’t make it up, and they punted after a three-and-out for the first time tonight. The Steelers finally got the stop they’ve been desperate for tonight.
Pittsburgh trails 28-14, but a touchdown here would make it a one-score game. The Steelers will start this drive from their own 25.
Touchdown, Steelers!
Russell Wilson is starting to cook a little bit.
The Steelers now have touchdowns on back-to-back possessions after Wilson lofted a perfect pass to George Pickens down the right sideline for a 36-yard catch-and-score.
It’s now a 28-14 Ravens lead. Can Pittsburgh get some stops?
Touchdown, Ravens!
That was quick!
Four plays after the Steelers finally got on the board, the Ravens pushed their lead back to 21. After a first down sack, a 21-yard pass and a 15-yard run, Derrick Henry ended the drive with a 44-yard touchdown burst up the middle of the field.
Henry has 155 yards and two touchdowns, and Baltimore has a 28-7 lead.
Touchdown, Steelers!
It’s not over yet!
What a drive by the Steelers, who went 98 yards in nine plays for their first score of the night. Russell Wilson found Van Jefferson down the left sideline for 30 yards and a touchdown.
Pittsburgh gained more yards on this drive than it did the entire first half.
It’s now a 21-7 Ravens lead.
Ravens punt on opening second-half drive
The Ravens, despite dominating on the ground, decided not to go for it on 4th-and-2 near midfield after a five-play, 19-yard drive to start the second half. Baltimore’s punt was a good one, at least, pinning the Steelers on their own 3-yard line.
That’s where Pittsburgh will start on offense trailing 21-0.