NFL Week 5: Texans at Ravens — Four Things to Watch For

As rebuilds in the National Football League go, the first two seasons and four games of the DeMeco Ryans Era in Houston have gone better than most. Two 10-win season, two AFC South titles, and two wild card round playoff wins comprise a better start to a rebuild than most. DeMeco Ryans has done a nice job. 

However, there has been one Achilles heel for the Ryans Era Texans, one team that has established dominance over the Houston Texans. That team is the Baltimore Ravens, who, in three games since the beginning of 2023, have gone 3-0 and outscored the Texans 90-21 in three games. That’s brutal.

When the Texans started this season 0-3, it was almost considered a fait accompli that the Texans would be, at best, 1-4 going into their Week 6 bye, with the Titans and the Ravens on tap. Now, with a 26-0 win over the Titans last week, and the Ravens now dealing with a crazy spate of injuries, the Texans are, all of a sudden, 1.5 point favorites in Baltimore on Sunday. 

In other words, anything less than a 2-3 record going into the bye would be a disappointment. Let’s look at four things to watch for in this essential game for the Texans’ full season hopes:

4. Baltimore walking wounded

The first injury report of the week was released on Wednesday afternoon, and on the Ravens side of things, it looked like an injury report for Week 17, not Week 5. The Ravens had eight players listed as “DNP” (Did Not Practice), including quarterback Lamar Jackson. That is the story of this game — will Jackson play (unlikely), and if he does not, then how many points do the Ravens score on a Texans defense that’s given up just 51 points in four games? 

3. Watch the trick plays 

If the Ravens are without Jackson, and if they are without the half dozen or so wounded players on defense (for a defense that wasn’t all that great at full strength), then they are going to behave to find creative ways to generate points. Head coach John HARBAUGH is a former special teams coordinator, so a fake punt or something tricky on special teams is certainly in play. Beyond that, on offense, if Cooper Rush is replacing Jackson, then the Ravens (who, at 1-3, are desperate) are primed to run a trick play or two on offense. Eye discipline will be a big key for the Texans on defense.

2. More Woody

Fans and media had been clamoring for more participation from the rookie class, through three games. Last Sunday, we got our wish as there appeared to be a changing of the guard at running back, with rookie Woody Marks taking the lion’s share of the touches. On the day, Marks had 21 touches for 119 yards, and two touchdowns. Nick Chubb had 13 carries, so he will remain involved, but the split moving forward must favor Marks, the more explosive of the two backs. 

1. Smother Derrick Henry 

Henry looked like his usual self in the Ravens’ season opening loss to the Bills, with 18 carries for 169 yards and two touchdowns. However, Henry did lose a crucial fourth quarter fumble that opened the door for the Bills’ comeback. Since then, he’s been getting a level of activity that would indicate, perhaps, some trust issues from the Ravens’ coaches. He’s carried just 31 times in three games, and managed to lose two more fumbles. If Jackson is out, the Ravens will have no choice but to lean on Henry, and hopefully the Texans can make him look the way he did the last time he faced the Texans without Lamar Jackson as his quarterback — a combined 28 carries for 51 yards back in 2023. 

SPREAD: Texans -1.5

PREDICTION: Texans 20, Ravens 13

SEASON RECORD: 1-3 SU, 1-3 ATS

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