Baltimore Ravens Should Win Easy and Make Statement Against Houston Texans

For the second consecutive year, the Baltimore Ravens are 3-1 after the quarter mark of the season, and because of that, are considered by many to be the best team in the American Football Conference.

The Ravens have earned the accolades that they have received so far this season. They play lights out on the defensive side of the ball, and even though they have struggled with their offensive identity through four games, they seem to have perfect timing when they are executing.

There is also a lot of good mojo surrounding this team at present, and though they are playing like a solid postseason contender, they are catching some breaks along the way as well.

Head coach John Harbaugh would be wise to remind his team of this, as one of those breaks comes to M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday in the form of the Houston Texans.

Please do not take that the wrong way, the Texans are no pushovers. However, after a rough couple of weeks, Houston may be a team that possesses the personality of wild animal that is wounded and cornered. When that occurs, they come out fighting, scratching and biting, no matter the foe. They do whatever they can to stay alive, and that is about where the Texans are right now.

On Sunday, the purple and black will face a very depleted Houston team, both on personnel and probably in confidence as well. Like the Ravens, the Texans began the year with lofty goals and high expectations from many in the media.

After posting two 8-8, and one 9-7 record in three of their past four seasons, most experts and prognosticators believed that Houston would finally get into the postseason this year. They were in fact the sexy pick by many to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.

With last season’s leading rusher in the NFL, Arian Foster, an All-Pro ('08, '09) wide receiver in Andre Johnson and a Pro-Bowl (2009) quarterback in Matt Schaub, Houston seemed poised to score a lot of points this season.

They were prepared for the shoot-outs with Indianapolis should they have become necessary.

After finishing near the very bottom of the NFL in almost every defensive category last season, the Texans brought in the former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys and defensive guru, Wade Philips, as defensive coordinator. Phillips is making an impact. The Texans have the league’s seventh ranked defense heading into the game against Baltimore.

The Texans started strongly, and looked like the team everyone thought they were a few seasons back. Like the Ravens, Houston was catching some breaks as well.

Their division rivals, the Indianapolis Colts, who derailed more than a few Texans seasons, were nothing close to the same team without their all-universe quarterback, Peyton Manning.

Houston was also returning many of the players that missed significant time last season.

Finishing 6-10 last season, injuries and bad luck derailed the Texans pursuit of the postseason last year. Andre Johnson, who was hobbled by a bad ankle, and missed three games last season, was finally healthy, and ready to start the season. Also back, and excited about the new 3-4 defensive scheme that Phillips brought with him from Dallas was their former No. 1 overall pick, outside linebacker Mario Williams.

Williams battled a bad groin during the 2010 season, and like Johnson, played in 13 games last year. Many believed that Wade Phillips could do for Williams what he did for the Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware.

Houston started 2-0 by taking advantage of the Manning-less Colts on opening day and looked poised to take the next step, after beating the Dolphins 23-13 in Week 2. Despite allowing 23 fourth quarter points during a loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Texans rebounded to beat the Steelers the following week.

The Texans still appeared to have everything going for them, but as the Greek author Aesop said, “appearances are often deceiving." The start of Murphy's Law reared its ugly head during the game against Pittsburgh.

Johnson, who averaged 94 yards and one TD in each of the first two victories, went down untouched in pain after catching a short pass from Schaub. He injured his hamstring on the play, which required surgery to repair. However, he is expected to return in another two weeks.

Then last week, the sorry fortunes of bad luck continued as Mario Williams, who looked like he was headed for a Demarcus Ware type of season, with five sacks through the first five games, tore a pectoral muscle during the loss to the Raiders last week.

He also required surgery, but unlike Johnson, and exactly like last season, when he played in only five games, Williams is gone for the year.

Now, the Texans have lost two of their past three games, and seem headed for disaster without their two best players in the line-up.

The game against the Ravens is a big one for Texans head coach Gary Kubiak, and his squad. Houston is in a battle with the Tennessee Titans for AFC South supremacy. Both are 3-2, but clearly the better fortunes currently reside in Nashville at present.

With injuries and a new defensive system, it is not out of the question to think that the Texans and Titans could battle all season for the division title. It is also possible that the third tiebreaker, which is wins and losses versus a common opponent, could be used to determine the division winner.

Right now, the Texans hold that tiebreaker with a home win over the Steelers, while the Titans lost decisively in the Steele city last Sunday. In case it was necessary, conference record is the fourth tiebreaker at season’s end.

However, the Titans beat-up the Ravens during a Week 2 win, and now the Texans need a win to hold onto a very important tiebreaker.

A win against the Ravens in Baltimore will be a tall order without Johnson and Williams, and beating the Ravens after their bye week at home does not help the Texans cause. Especially when you consider that, they travel to play those same Tennessee Titans next week in Nashville.

Oh by the way, while the Titans will be at home watching the game between the Texans and Ravens, they will also be hosting the Texans coming off a bye week. When it rains it pours, and they say there is a drought in Texas.

For precisely every reason I just pointed out, the Ravens should dominate the Houston Texans on Sunday, and If the Ravens are indeed one of the best teams in the AFC, then they will. That is just what great or good teams do; they take advantage of weak teams, or good teams that are down on their luck. 

The Texans are a good team that is currently down but they are by no means out. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and the rest of the very confident Baltimore defense cannot get overconfident.

The Texans still have a very good QB in Matt Schaub. He threw for 403 yards last week without his All-Pro receiver. You may also remember Schaub dismantled the Ravens defense during a Monday night contest in Week 13 last season. 

As bad as the Texans defense was last season, they did not allow the Ravens offense any points during the second half of that game. Without Mario Williams, they still managed to sack Joe Flacco four times and hurried him on many more occasions.

For as good as the Ravens may be this year, they still have issues. They are still clearly without an offensive identity, this despite having arguably the best all-purpose running back in the NFL.

You know the expression; on any given Sunday, anything can happen. Not this time, this year is different in Charm City for the purple and black, and you can see it. Even as a fan, you can feel it.

Under John Harbaugh, and with Joe Flacco at quarterback, the Ravens are 3-0 following a bye week. Flacco and the rest of the Baltimore offense average 28 points per contest following a week of rest. Last year following the Ravens bye week, Flacco threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns during a 26-10 win over the Miami Dolphins.

In their three wins this season, the Ravens are averaging 35 points per game, and their average margin of victory is 25 points in those contests. They have a great mix of veteran leadership to compliment the youth that John Harbaugh and GM Ozzie Newsome forced onto the field this year.

All of them know there is something very special starting to develop in Baltimore this season. The Ravens will take advantage of the Texans misfortunes because they are the team that does that this season. 

It may seem like Schaub is leading a late comeback in this one, but it will only appear that way. Look for the Ravens to find some identity on offense and add another score on defense. They will set the tone for their next 12 games in the next three weeks with convincing wins.

I may be jumping ahead, but after Houston, the Ravens have a Monday night affair in Jacksonville against the 1-4 Jaguars, and then return home to play the 1-4 Arizona Cardinals.

The Ravens should be 7-1 heading to Pittsburgh on November 6 for a rematch of what could potentially be a battle for first place in the AFC North. That is of course if the Steelers can finally beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots the week before at home.

If the Ravens take advantage of their opportunities as they should, the will win easily.

Ravens 34, Texans 20