The Ravens couldn't afford to give up any ground in the brutal AFC North playoff race, but they stumbled to a tough loss in Sunday's game against the Houston Texans.
Turning Point:
With the Ravens down 22-7 and driving into Texans territory, Joe Flacco was unable to convert on fourth down. The Texans kicked a field goal on the ensuing drive, extending the Houston lead to 18 points and effectively putting the game out of reach.
Texans MVP:
Arian Foster deserves credit for a nice game (96 rushing yards, one five-yard touchdown pass!), but once again, it was the J.J. Watt show in Houston. Watt led his team in tackles with 8, sacked Joe Flacco in a crucial fourth-quarter situation, and had three tackles for a loss on the day. Despite being the focal point of Baltimore's attention on nearly every drive, Watt still found ways to be disruptive and dominant.
Stat of the Day:
Joe Flacco's first-half stat line: 3/18 with two interceptions. While Flacco picked things up a little in the second half, his brutal first-half display put his team in a hole they couldn't climb out of. Baltimore's running game was similarly unimpressive, with Justin Forsett and Fitzgerald Toussaint unable to gain more than 30 yards combined.
What's Next?
Baltimore isn't out of the playoffs yet, but they'll need lots of help if they want to sneak in with a win over Cleveland next weekend. Houston also needs other results to go their way, and they'll have to take care of business at home against Jacksonville to keep their season going into January.
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