Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens: Baltimore Will Win Ugly Struggle

You may want to avert your eyes from the screen when the Baltimore Ravens serve up a loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday. 

The Ravens will not let a home-field opportunity slip through their hands, nor will Joe Flacco allow a chance to prove he is elite be sullied by Houston. 

That is not to say that this game will be the lest bit watchable. Welcome to the second-worst thing to watch since the Steelers took on the Ravens at any point in any season. 

Yes, we are forced to once again watch two defensive juggernauts battle and pretend that we enjoy it. Like going to the opera, just because you feign interest doesn't make it any more tolerable. 

We didn't come here to prove this game will be exciting, though. This is all about what team is going to squeeze out a close win and head one step closer to the end game. The Ravens are the better team and will prove as much in this divisional matchup. 

The Ravens will have a great deal more comfort at home making it far more likely that Flacco spreads his wings and actually attacks to the sides and down field. 

The Texans are going to try to muddy this game up by constantly pounding the ball up the middle. You can expect that the Ravens will stack the box enough to negate Houston's one amazing advantage. 

That's not to say Baltimore is a one-trick pony. The Ravens are a versatile bunch and will show T.J. Yates a bunch of different packages. 

And that is where this thing will come down to. Yates has shown he is a capable quarterback, but it is too much to ask a young inexperienced quarterback to get the Texans to the playoffs, and then beat a team like the Ravens. 

If you want a description of this game, it will be gritty and hard-hitting. Expect a great deal of three-yard runs mixed in with both quarterbacks showing some frustration. 

The Ravens have the upper hand in experience and at quarterback, and that gives the the vital edge.

 

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