NFL playoffs: Lamar Jackson, Ravens eliminate Texans
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more as the Ravens defeated the Houston Texans 34-10 in an AFC playoff game on Saturday.
Jackson rushed five times for 50 yards, including touchdown runs of 15 and 8 yards, and completed 9-of-11 passes for 100 yards, including a 15-yard TD toss to tight end Isaiah Likely after a 10-10 halftime tie.
Meanwhile, the Houston offense gained only 68 yards in the second half and didn’t find the end zone in the game. The Texans’ touchdown came on a 67-yard punt return by Steven Sims as Houston tied the game with 4:17 left in the first half.
Seven players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field during the Houston-Baltimore game:
· Will Anderson Jr. (Alabama) started at defensive end for the Texans. Anderson recorded one tackle for loss and registered one quarterback hit.
· Ravens cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (St. Paul’s Episcopal, Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Nico Collins (Clay-Chalkville) started at wide receiver for the Texans. Collins caught five passes for 68 yards.
· Ravens quarterback Malik Cunningham (Park Crossing) was designated as a game-day inactive.
· Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (Alabama A&M) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Ravens guard Tyrell Doss (Aliceville) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Christian Harris (Alabama) started at linebacker for the Texans. Harris tied for the team lead with seven tackles, recorded one tackle for loss and registered one quarterback hit.
· Texans guard Tytus Howard (Monroe County, Alabama State) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Hoover, Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive. A calf injury kept Humphrey out of the lineup.
· Texans safety Kareem Jackson (Alabama) dressed for the game but did not play.
· Ravens guard Tashawn Manning (Auburn) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Ravens cornerback Christian Matthew (Samford) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Texans wide receiver John Metchie III (Alabama) did not record any stats.
· Ravens outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon (Hoover) did not record any stats.
· Michael Pierce (Daphne, Samford) started at nose tackle for the Ravens. Pierce made one tackle.
· Texans linebacker Henry To’oTo’o (Alabama) made three tackles.
· Texans safety Jimmie Ward (Davidson) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Texans offensive tackle Kilian Zierer (Auburn) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
After winning three games last season, Houston went 10-7 in 2023 to take the AFC South title, then opened the playoffs with a 45-14 victory over the Cleveland Browns last week in their first year under former Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans.
Baltimore had a 13-4 regular-season record to earn the AFC’s No. 1 seed and receive bye through last week’s first round.
The Ravens will play the winner of Sunday’s Kansas City Chiefs-Buffalo Bills contest in the AFC Championship Game at 2 p.m. CST Jan. 28 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. CBS will televise the game.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.