Texans Vs. Ravens, NFL Playoffs 2012: Baltimore Holds On, 20-13

NFL Playoffs 2012, Ravens Vs. Texans: TJ Yates Outsmarted By Ed Reed On Last-Minute Interception

According to Gary Kubiak, the interception that T.J. Yates threw to Ed Reed on the first play after the 2:00 minute warning was originally intended to be a run.

However, Yates was given the freedom to check into a deep pass to Andre Johnson if he thought the Ravens defense were playing with only one deep safety:

"The kid’s in the right place with the ball; he just didn’t hold Ed in the middle of the field," Kubiak said. "Attacking coverage, you never know where the ball is going to go. That coverage told us to take the shot, playing one safety."

Baltimore only had one safety playing deep, but that safety was Ed Reed, an eight-time Pro Bowler and future Hall of Famer.

The Ravens star read Yates the whole time, breaking across the field to intercept his pass and sealing the victory for Baltimore:

"He taught me a lesson on how to play football today," Yates said. "He made a heck of a play."

Ravens Vs. Texans: Baltimore Advances To AFC Championship Game Despite Being 'Physically Dominated'

The Baltimore Ravens have proven their worth as a defensive, conservative team in the image of their coach, John Harbaugh. But in their 20-13 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday, Ben Reiter of SI.com writes that the Ravens were "physically dominated."

For much of the game, the Texans did more than grind it out. They physically dominated at the line of scrimmage -- on both sides -- against a team whose bailiwick for more than a decade now has been physically dominating the line of scrimmage on both sides. Of the 57 players who had attempted to run against the Ravens in the playoffs, never before had one of them totaled more than 91 rushing yards. Arian Foster, the Texans tailback, gashed the Ravens for 132 yards on 27 carries.

The Ravens won't be facing a team with as much capacity for mauling up front when they head to New England to face the Patriots in the 2012 AFC Championship Game, but they could certainly do with some better pass protection than they had against the Texans. J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed combined to sack Joe Flacco five times on Sunday, and while the Patriots' defense has struggled all year, it did muster five sacks of Tim Tebow in New England's 45-10 win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday.

For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beat Down, and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Ed Reed Injury: Ravens Safety Rolls Ankle, Expected To Be Fine

The Baltimore Ravens beat the Houston Texans on Sunday, booking themselves a trip to New England for the AFC Championship game. They got a big scare on the second-to-last play of the game with safety Ed Reed went down with an ankle injury. Fortunately for the Ravens, Reed's injury looks like a minor one, a rolled ankle.

Reed told reporters immediately following the game that he would be fine, according to Aaron Wilson of Fox Sports. Albert Breer of the NFL Network later reported that X-rays on Reed's ankle came back negative, and he wold not need a follow-up MRI.

Reed made the play of the game, intercepting Texans quarterback T.J. Yates with two minutes left to play. That stopped a Texans drive that was proceeding down the field, looking to close a four-point gap. Houston got the ball back one more time in the game's final seconds when Reed rolled his ankle.

For more Baltimore Ravens coverage, check out Baltimore Beatdown. For a recap on the Ravens big win, visit our story stream.

Texans Vs. Ravens, NFL Playoffs 2012: Interceptions Doom Houston, Baltimore Wins 20-13

The Baltimore Ravens are headed for the AFC Championship game for the first time since the 2008 season. Using the same formula from that season of a strong defense and a balanced offense, the Ravens beat the Houston Texans by a final score of 20-13 in their AFC Divisional matchup on Sunday afternoon.

Safety Ed Reed sealed the deal, intercepting T.J. Yates and ending Houston's last chance to even the score with two minutes left to play. That was the third interception of the game for Yates, a fifth-round rookie thrust into action after the Texans lost Matt Schaub and Matt Leinert in the second half of the season. Yates finished the game 17-for-35 with 184 passing yards and no touchdowns. Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb picked off Yates twice.

The Ravens failed to sack Yates once in this game, getting shown up by the Texans' defensive line that sacked Joe Flacco five times. The sacks aside, Flacco managed to complete 14 of 27 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Veteran receiver Anquan Boldin made it easy for Flacco with some highlight-worthy catches. Boldin finished the game with four catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.

Houston running back Arian Foster led his team's offense, as usual. Reminding the world why he's one of the top running backs in the game right now, he ran for 132 yards on 27 carries and added a touchdown.

Baltimore fans held their breath as Ed Reed was helped off the field on the second-to-last play of the game. His status is still unknown.

Baltimore continued the trend of the home teams winning in the Divisional round of the playoffs.

The Ravens defense gets its toughest test yet next Sunday when they hit the road to face the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship. New England rolled over the Broncos on Saturday by a final score of 45-10.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens: Ed Reed Intercepts T.J. Yates Late

Live by the T.J. Yates, die by the T.J. Yates. The rookie quarterback threw his third interception of the game -- a deep ball intended for Andre Johnson -- that ended a great chance for Houston to tie up Sunday's divisional round matchup. The Ravens got the ball back with less than two minutes left and a one-touchdown lead, 20-13.

SI.com: Texans vs. Ravens Box Score

Here's video of Ed Reid's game-clinching INT:

Because of questionable clock management by the Ravens, Houston got the ball back with three minutes to run their two minute drill. The Ravens decision to throw the ball twice before kicking a field goal stopped the clock -- giving the Texans a good look at a potential game-tying drive.

It's cliche, but experience matter. This is Ed Reed's eighth career playoff INT. T.J. Yates was starting the eight game of his career.

Playoff Tested. Fan approved.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Field Goal Extends Baltimore Lead 20-13

The Baltimore Ravens finally got their offense moving down the field. A few passes from Flacco to his receivers moved the Ravens 45 yards in 10 plays. They kicked a field goal, the first points of the second half, to extend their lead to 20-13.

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The Ravens offense finally started to get some yards again on this drive. A two-yard run from Ray Rice was followed by a 13-yard catch from tight end Dennis Pitta. Flacco hit him on a crossing route over the middle. He then found Torrey Smith on the right side of the field for a nine-yard gain. Vonta Leach converted it into a first down with a one-yard run.

Another set of down, another short run from Ray Rice. Then it was all Anquan Boldin. Easily the Ravens' top offensive player so far, Boldin caught his fourth pass of the game, a 14-yarder that move the Ravens to the Houston 31-yard line.

Back to Rice for a five-yard gain on the new set of downs. A timeout by Texans head coach Gary Kubiak took some steam out of the Ravens' drive, resulting in two incomplete passes that ended the drive. Billy Cundiff hit a 44-yard field goal to extend their lead.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens: T.J. Yates Interception Spells Trouble For Houston

The Ravens defense strikes again. Texans quarterback T.J. Yates tossed his second interception of the NFL Divisional Round matchup, throwing over the middle into a crowd of purple jerseys. Baltimore holds on to a 17-13 lead late in the fourth quarter.

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It looked like Houston had avoided a big turnover when Jacoby Jones covered up an Arian Foster fumble at midfield when Haloti Ngata forced the ball out of Foster's hands. But on the next snap, Yates threw deep over the middle and right at Baltimore defensive back Lardarius Webb, who made his second interception of the game.

Here's video of the pick:

Yates, a rookie, hasn't been bad for the Texans, but those two picks could end up really costing Houston. Both offenses are struggling. No one has scored in the last seven possessions, and the Ravens haven't scored since the first quarter.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: J.J. Watt Sacks Joe Flacco Again, Baltimore Leads Defensive Struggle 17-13

The Baltimore Ravens continued their offensive struggles on their last drive. They maintain a 17-13 lead, and neither team has scored in the second half. The Ravens' latest drive ended with another sack on quarterback Joe Flacco.

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Fans wanted a pass interference call on Danieal Manning for jumping tight end Ed Dickson on a crossing route on second down. They did not get the desired call, and it Manning's work was safely in a gray area for the interference call. On third-and-seven, Texans rookie defensive end J.J. Watt continued his inspired postseason play, sacking Flacco for the second time in the second half of the game.

The sack resulted in a 12-yard loss. Houston has sacked Flacco five times in this game. The Ravens have yet to sack Texans quarterback T.J. Yates.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens: Baltimore Defense Stifles Houston Again

The Texans offense came alive at the end of the first half vs. the Ravens, but Houston has yet to really finds its rhythm in the second half on Sunday. Arian Foster is still running the ball relatively well, but Houston has had trouble sustaining drives on their last two possessions.

So while the Texans defense has clamped down on the Ravens, Baltimore still clings to a 17-13 lead in the fourth quarter.

SI.com: Live Texans vs. Ravens Box Score

Bernard Pollard made a nice tackle on Kevin Walter to stop him short of a first down on third-and-nine and Houston had to punt from their 40-yard-line. Matt Turk sent the ball just 35 yards, to the Baltimore 25.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Baltimore Offense Not Producing, Still Leading 17-13

The Baltimore Ravens continue to hold a narrow 17-13 lead over the Houston Texans. Joe Flacco and Ray Rice need to get their team some more points to extend that lead, but they'll have to wait for another chance later in the game. Their first drive of the fourth quarter was more of the same from the third quarter, stunted offensive line play leading to a three-and-out.

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A four-yard gain from Ray Rice was followed by a four-yard loss on a pass to Ray Rice. That set up third-and-10 for the Ravens. They went back to their top running back with another short pass. This time it produced a four-yard gain.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens: Houston Punts Ball Back After Goal-Line Stand

The Texans started this drive backed up against their own end zone after Houston's defense came up with a big goal-line stand on the previous possession. Houston went three-and-out and punted the ball back to the Ravens at the end of the third quarter, still trailing by a score of 17-13.

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The Texans tried to hit a home run on first down, looking deep for Andre Johnson, but quarterback T.J. Yates could not connect with the well-covered wideout. After that, Houston turned conservative, rushing twice with Arian Foster to get a little breathing room. Foster -- who has been brilliant so far on Sunday -- couldn't break anything big on this series.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Baltimore Comes Away With Nothing After Mistaking Ray Rice For Jerome Bettis

The Baltimore Ravens got the ball back with just under six minutes left in the third quarter following a missed 50-yard field goal. Joe Flacco and company took over at their own 40-yard line, hoping for better results than their last two drives. They had it, until someone made the decision to try and run Ray Rice up the gut again and again, coming away with no points, hanging onto a narrow 17-13 lead.

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On the first play, Flacco fired a quick pass for 16 yards to tight end Dennis Pitta. Brian Cushing batted down Flacco's pass intended for Anquan Boldin on the next play. Looking for some more power in their running game, they handed it to Ricky Williams for a five-yard gain.

And then Lee Evans - remember him? - showed up with a big 30-yard, one-handed catch that set up first-and-goal for the Ravens.

Then the Ravens curiously decided to use Ray Rice running up the middle on the first two plays inside the 10-yard line. He picked up five on first down and was stuffed on second down. On third down, his knee was on the turf before the ball crossed the goal line.

Baltimore tried again on fourth down ... with the same play. Houston's defense stopped him, and Baltimore came away with nothing on a drive where they needed to get some points.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

And here's Evans' catch in GIF form.

ANIMATED: Neil Rackers Hits Crossbar On 50-Yard Field Goal Attempt

Doink! Texans kicker Neil Rackers was thisclose to pulling Houston within one point of the Ravens in the third quarter, but his 50-yard field goal attempt banged off the bottom of the crossbar, no good. Baltimore leads the Texans by a score of 17-13.

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Check out the animated GIF below to relive the magic over and over:

Houston quarterback T.J. Yates is picking it up vs. the Ravens, and made several key throws to get Houston into Rackers' range. Yates had a 17-yard completion to Andre Johnson and a big 19-yard strike over the middle to Kevin Walter that gave the Texans a shot at points.

Of course, the flip side: the long miss gave the Ravens the ball at their own 40-yard line.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Another Series, Another Sack For Baltimore, Hanging Onto 17-13 Lead

The second half has been a rough one for the Baltimore Ravens defensive line. They have failed to open running lanes and allowed their second sack of the third quarter, one on each of the Ravens' possessions. A third-down screen pass might have taken some of the air out of the Texans' rush, but it came up short. Baltimore is hanging onto a narrow 17-13 lead.

SI.com: Live Texans vs. Ravens Box Score

Ray Rice was stuffed on the first play for a one-yard loss. Flacco was sacked for an eight-yard loss on the next play by rookie defensive end J.J. Watt, who is quickly establishing his NFL bona fides with a very good postseason so far. A screen pass to tight end Ed Dickson gained 14 yards on third down, but the Ravens needed 19 following the stuff and the sack on the two plays before that.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens: Arian Foster Still Strong, But Houston Sputters, Punts

Arian Foster went over 100 yards rushing on his first carry of the second half vs. the Ravens. He's been terrific. But after an 8-yard carry, the Texans running back could not get Houston past the first-down marker and the Texans had to punt the ball back to the Ravens.

Trailing 17-13 after the first half, Houston had a chance to jump on top of the Ravens in the second half, but Foster rushed for no gain on second down and quarterback T.J. Yates threw an incomplete pass on third-and-short.

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The drive started with another miscalculated punt return from Jacoby Jones, who is having just an awful day on special teams. After muffing a punt that led directly to a first-quarter Ravens touchdown, Jones field this kick and ran six yards backward before being tackled. Not good.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Raven 2012: Running Room Hard To Come By For Ray Rice

The Baltimore Ravens offensive line struggled on their first drive of the second half. The Ravens tried to run Ray Rice on the first two plays. Space was hard to find, and Rice picked up just four yards to set up third-and-four.

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The line struggled with Houston's defense again on third down. Multiple defenders broke through as quarterback Joe Flacco held the ball far too long. After dodging three tackles, Flacco was eventually sacked for a six-yard loss by Brooks Reed.

Baltimore's line has made running difficult for Ray Rice. He's averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. Credit the Houston defense too. Wade Phillips' unit has played a very good game.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Baltimore Leads 17-13 At The Half

Arian Foster close the gap with a touchdown in the second quarter. The Baltimore Ravens turned to Ricky Williams on their next drive, feeding him the ball three times for 14 yards. Baltimore's offense turned in a solid effort, but it ultimately came up short. The Ravens lead 17-13.

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After Williams, the Ravens went to Ray Rice for another five yard gain. On second-and-five, Anquan Boldin made a dramatic catch on a 28-yard pass from Joe Flacco. That catch on the deep right side of the field put the Ravens at Houston's 33-yard line just as the two-minute warning stopped play.

With a new set of downs, Flacco hit Rice on a short pass for no gain. He went deep again, but Boldin couldn't come up with the ball. On third down, Houston brought a corner blitz. Rookie defensive end J.J. Watt broke through line and sacked Flacco, forcing the punt.

Flacco has had some help from his receivers through the first half, as evidenced by Boldin's catch here. He's 6-for-15 with 80 yards and two touchdowns, but the Ravens have been throwing deep more than usual in this game. Ray Rice leads the Ravens with 30 rushing yards on eight carries. Boldin has three catches for 59 yards and a touchdown.

For the Texans, it's been all Arian Foster. He has 95 yards on 15 carries and his team's only touchdown. Rookie quarterback T.J. Yates is nine-for-18 with 87 yards and one interception.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens: Arian Foster, Houston Offense Coming Alive

In this Texans vs. Ravens game, an intriguing development: Houston appears to have put together some semblance of an offense. Thanks, Arian Foster. The Texans running back accounted for 57 yards and a score on Houston's first touchdown drive of the game. Baltimore leads 17-13 in the second quarter.

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Foster started off the drive with an explosive 28-yard run up the left sideline, which was upheld after the Ravens challenged whether he stepped out of bounds. He finished it with a one-yard touchdown run.

In between, he also leaked out on a screen to convert a surprise third-and-nine and get the Texans inside the 10-yard-line. Check out the stab he made to pull that off:

Quarterback T.J. Yates was also much more poised on this drive. He found Andre Johnson for a pair of first downs, including a key 13-yard gain on third-and-nine at around midfield.

But Foster has been the key for the Texans, as he was all season. He has already amassed 95 yards on 15 carries to go with 29 receiving yards. That'll do.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Baltimore Offense Stalls Out, Still Lead 17-6

A Houston Texas field goal cut into the Baltimore Ravens' lead early in the second quarter. After the kickoff, the Ravens started on their own 20-yard line, a drive that ultimately ended in a three-and-out. They lead 17-6.

Ray Rice was the featured player to star the drive. On first down, Flacco threw to him, but it ended up as an incomplete pass. On second down, Rice powered through the middle of the line for an eight-yard run. Two yards short, Flacco tried to hit tight end Dennis Pitta, but the ball never reached its target.

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Currently, Rice has seven carries for 25 yards. He has one catch for 20 yards. Flacco is just 4 for 12 with 52 passing yards and two touchdowns. Anquan Boldin leads the Ravens with two catches for 31 yards and a touchdown.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens: Arian Foster Helps Houston Stick Around

Arian Foster: still good at football. The Texans running back is keeping Houston around vs. the Ravens, running the ball well on a drive that set up a Houston field goal. Baltimore leads 17-6 with 11:42 left in the first half.

After their last three drives went three-and-out, three-and-out, one-play INT, Foster engineered an 11-play, 59-yard drive that ended with Neil Rackers booting a 33-yard field goal. Foster has 41 yards on 8 carries, including a long of 19 yards.

SI.com: Live Texans vs. Ravens Box Score

The Texans are going to need their running game to get going vs. the Ravens if they're going to stick around in this NFL Divisional Round matchup. Quarterback T.J. Yates has already thrown one interception -- and very nearly two -- and it led to a Baltimore touchdown. The Texans rookie QB is 6-for-13 for 50 yards so far.

Still, the Ravens have to be pleased at once again keeping the Texans out of the end zone when Houston was threatening.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Lardarius Webb INT Sets Up Anquan Boldin Touchdown, Baltimore Leads 17-3

The Baltimore Ravens are quickly burying the Houston Texans. As expected, the defense is playing a big role in that. A Lardarius Webb interception gave the Ravens the ball, and they offense went to work. The drive ended with an Anquan Boldin touchdown, giving the Ravens a 17-3 lead with a minute to play in the first quarter.

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Ray Rice broke out for a 20-yard gain on a third-down screen pass from Flacco. That put the Ravens in the red zone. One play later Flacco hit Boldin on a 10-yard short pass in the end zone for the touchdown.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

VIDEO: T.J. Yates Throws First-Quarter Interception Vs. Ravens

The Texans are in trouble vs. the Ravens. Houston has managed to get to the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs with a rookie quarterback, T.J. Yates, but that inexperience under center could end up costing them against an opportune Baltimore defense.

SI.com: Live Texans vs. Ravens Box Score

Yates threw a pick to Lardarius Webb in the first quarter that put the Texans in a really bad spot. Video of the interception below:

After consecutive three-and-outs that started with short first-down runs by Arian Foster, the Texans mixed it up, passing on first down. It didn't work out.

The Ravens turned the turnover into seven points, and lead 17-3 at the end of the first quarter in Baltimore.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Baltimore Has Its First Three-And-Out

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco shared his discontentment with criticism of his ability in the days leading up to this game. That probably is not the reason the Ravens have been using so many deep passes in this game, but it does make for an interesting juxtaposition. Baltimore leads 10-3.

On their first play of the drive, Flacco fired one deep to the left hash marks for Anquan Boldin, but the pass was off target. Giving Ray Rice a break, they handed off to Ricky Williams for a five-yard carry. On third-and-five, Flacco went looking for tight end Ed Dickson on a seam route. No dice.

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The Ravens punted, but the offense barely got to catch its breath before Lardarius Webb picked off T.J. Yates.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens: Houston Offense Struggling Against Baltimore

The Texans offense has struggled in the first quarter vs. the Ravens defense, going three-and-out for the second consecutive possession after squeezing a field goal out of some great field position on their opening drive. Houston trails the Ravens by a score of 10-3.

SI.com: Live Texans vs. Ravens Box Score

The formula has been the same for the Houston offense so far. For second straight drive, the Texans ran Arian Foster for a short gain on first down, followed by two incomplete passes by quarterback T.J. Yates, who is now 3-for-6 after completing his first two passes.

Ray Lewis and the Ravens defense will be a tough matchup for the Texans all day.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: 48-Yard Field Goal Gives Baltimore 10-3 Lead

The Baltimore Ravens defense forced a three-and-out on the Texans. That's why the unit led by Ray Lewis is the money maker for that team. That helped give them good field position at their own 40-yard line to start the drive.

A Ray Rice run was followed by a beautiful deep ball to Anquan Boldin on the sidelines. He went up in the air and caught a 21-yard pass from Joe Flacco with Texans corner Kareem Jackson playing him tight in man coverage. He managed to get a foot and a hand down to stay in bounds.

On third-and-four, the Texans brought pressure, and got their first sack of the game. In the process of going down, Flacco fumbled the ball, but the Ravens pulled it out of the pile. Billy Cundiff booted a 48-yard field goal.

For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens: Houston Goes Three-And-Out After Botched Punt

The Texans were off to a strong start vs. the Ravens after Danieal Manning's opening kickoff return set up Houston for an early 3-0 lead. But after forcing Jacoby Jones' muffed punt, and a Baltimore touchdown, the Texans could have wasted their chance to jump on the Ravens early.

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On its second drive, Houston went three-and-out and punted the ball back to the Ravens, who now have the upper hand in the field-position battle.

Arian Foster started the drive with a three-yard run, but Texans quarterback threw a pair of incomplete passes before Matt Turk punted the ball just 35 yards to the Baltimore 40-yard-line. The Ravens lead 7-3 in the first quarter.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Jacoby Jones' Muffed Punt Sets Up Baltimore Touchdown, 7-3 Lead

The Baltimore Ravens' offense started their first drive with a little luck. They managed to keep possession of the ball after kick returner Lardarius Webb fumbled the ball after a 25-yard return. It wasn't the only break they got with a return on the drive that resulted in a touchdown and a 7-3 Ravens' lead.

Ray Rice and Joe Flacco ran into Houston's defense. Ray Rice was stuffed on the first play. Flacco took a deep shot to Torrey Smith on the second play, but Jonathan Joseph had him covered.

On the punt, Texans return man Jacoby Jones fumbled the ball. Baltimore recovered at the 2-yard line, giving them excellent field position and keeping the drive alive. On third down, Flacco hit his third tight end, Chris Wilson on an easy play action throw into the end zone for the touchdown.

For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens Score Update: Houston Strikes First, Leads 3-0

The Houston Texans got off to a great start vs. the Ravens on Sunday afternoon when Danieal Manning returned the opening kick 60 yards to set up the Texans first drive in Baltimore territory. Houston turned the field position into three points, only the second time the Baltimore defense allowed a score on an opponent's opening drive this season.

Niel Rackers gave the Texans a 3-0 lead with a 40-yard-field goal. Still, the Ravens did well to keep the Texans out of the end zone, stopping Houston running back for no gain on 3rd-and-1 on the Baltimore 21-yard line.

Here's video of Manning's return:

T.J. Yates started sturdy for the Texans, completing his first two passes for 16 yards.

Keep up with the latest news, score updates and video highlights on our Texans vs. Ravens StoryStream. For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens, NFL Playoffs 2012: Inactive Lists

There are no surprises on either the Texans or Ravens' inactive lists as the two teams prepare to meet Sunday.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Houston's Defense Should Keep It Close

The Houston Texans are the underdogs in Sunday's game against the Baltimore Ravens but they're capable of an upset, as SB Nation's Texans blog, Battle Red Blog, predicts. Texans fans have seen their defense play at an elite level all season and think they can beat the Ravens. Battle Red Blog tells us why the Texans are capable of beating the Ravens, and why they could blow it.

Why The Texans Will Win: During their Week 6 meeting, Houston actually led the game midway through the third quarter - despite no Andre Johnson and still learning their 3-4 defense. The defense has gotten better with each game in the system and the offensive staff is coming off a masterfully called game in Cincinnati. Coming off a strong win, Houston will ride its momentum and finish what they couldn't on October.2.

Why The Texans Will Lose: Heading on the road to face a rested Ravens team is a daunting task in its own right. Add in the fact that Baltimore is filled with hungry-for-one-last-taste-of-glory veterans who know what it takes to play championship football and it could be near-impossible to overcome.

For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Time For Baltimore's Defense To Step Up Again

The Baltimore Ravens host the Houston Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs and most experts are predicting they'll win. That includes SB Nation's Ravens blog, Baltimore Beatdown, who predicts a Ravens victory. Preparing for the 1:00 p.m. (ET) game on Sunday, Baltimore Beatdown tells us why the Ravens will beat the Texans and why they're capable of losing the game.

Why The Ravens Will Win: The Baltimore Ravens already proved they could beat the Houston texans earlier this season and that was WITH Matt Schaub. Every NFL team would prefer to face the Texans with TJ Yate AND Andre Johnson than Schaub WITHOUT Johnson. Besides, the Ravens are undefeated at home this season and have not lost to a winning team all year.

Why The Ravens Will Lose: Can't see this happening, but if the Ravens beat themselves by turning over the ball deep in their own territory or giving up a Special Teams TD return, then they can conceivably give this game away to a tough Houston team.

For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

AFC Divisional Playoffs, Texans Vs. Ravens: Arian Foster And Ray Lewis Become Fast Friends

The Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens will face off in Sunday's AFC Divisional Playoff game, presumably with every intention of beating each other into a pulp. Arian Foster and Ray Lewis, especially, will likely butt heads more often than any other opposing pair of players on the field. Despite their diametrically opposed positions on the field, however, the two have actually become very tight friends this season, the New York Times reports.

The relationship began in the second quarter of the 2010 meeting between the teams, according to Lewis.

"I walked up to him and said: ‘I love the way you play this game. You have a very, very bright future,' " Lewis said last week, adding:

"I just think he has all of the tools. And then he's driven by a different burner inside. He was an undrafted guy with a lot of talent, so he is fueled by something different. Anytime you add that type of fuel with talent, you get Arian Foster."

The two have remained close since that moment, hanging out the ESPY's and talking and exchanging texts over the last week. Foster didn't skip on the high praise for Lewis, either.

"Those kind of moments are just priceless to me because he's just a great human spirit, and anytime that you can be around people like that that inspire you, that's what life's about is being inspired," said Foster, who was also named to the Pro Bowl this season.

Find out whether or not the pair will actually hit each other when the Texans and Ravens kick off in Baltimore at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.

For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beat Down and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Also be sure to visit SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoffs news.

Texans Vs. Ravens, NFL Playoffs 2012: Sunny And Crisp For Sunday Afternoon Game In Baltimore

The Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans will clash in Baltimore in the early game Sunday afternoon for a chance to play the New England Patriots in Foxboro, Mass. next week in the AFC Championship. Both teams' offenses feed off the running game, with two of the AFC's Pro Bowl selections in Ray Rice and Arian Foster, and the weather conditions won't be hindering that: Weather.com predicts the conditions will be sunny, near 35 degrees and winds between 10 and 15 m.p.h.

The only effect the weather figures to have is those winds on field goals. The Ravens and Texans both have reliable kickers, so chances are they know how to play the wind. The gusts aren't really powerful enough to have much effect on deep throws, which figure heavily into the Ravens' offense to rookie wide receiver Torrey Smith from big-armed Joe Flacco.

For continued updates and analysis for these two teams, visit Texans blog Battle Red Blog and Ravens blog Baltimore Beat Down. Also be sure to visit SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoffs news.

Texans Vs. Ravens, NFL Playoffs 2012: Greg Gumbel, Dan Dierdorf To Call Game For CBS

CBS has dispatched their "A" team of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms to Foxborough to cover Saturday night's prime time Denver Broncos-New England Patriots, leaving their No. 2 broadcast team of Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf to call Sunday afternoon's Houston Texans-Baltimore Ravens game.

Dierdorf gives the Texans little chance against the AFC North champs.

"Congratulations to the Texans for making the playoffs for the first time ever and winning a playoff game, but they are in for a rude awakening," Dierdorf said in a statement released by the network. "It is one thing to beat Cincinnati at home and quite another to go to Baltimore and play a rested, extremely balanced football team."

Dierdorf added the the Texans running game and defense gives them "a puncher's chance", though running the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals is different than running the ball against the Ravens. On the season, the Bengals allowed 12.1 more rushing yards per game than the Ravens.

For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on theTexans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Texans Vs. Ravens, NFL Playoffs 2012: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The Houston Texans head into the second playoff game in franchise history looking to pick up another playoff win and avenge a regular season loss to the Baltimore Ravens. This Texans team is a bit different than the first matchup however, as quarterback T.J. Yates is now under center and the Texans will have star wide receiver Andre Johnson back in the lineup. "All I am thinking about is what is next for this organization," said Johnson. "So we go to Baltimore (this) week, and we are going to try to go up there and do what we did (Saturday)." Getting Johnson back should be a boost to the offense and running back Arian Foster, who the Ravens held to just 49 rushing yards in the first matchup.

The Baltimore Ravens on the other hand got to watch the playoffs from home, as they won their first AFC North title since the 2006 season and the No. 2 seed in the playoffs earning a first round bye week. The Ravens haven't won a home playoff game since the 2000 season, when the team beat the Denver Broncos 21-3, a win that propelled the Ravens to go on to win Super Bowl XXXV. "We have the team to do it now. We don't have too many more excuses," Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said. "Let's go do it right now. Then whatever else comes after that for all of your careers, you go enjoy it, but go win a championship." The Ravens have won 10 straight home games recently however, dating back to the 2010 season and beating the opponent by an average of 11.2 points.

Date & Time: Sunday, January 15th, 1:00 p.m. ET

Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

TV: CBS

Announcers: Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf

For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beatdown and for more on theTexans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

AFC Divisional Playoffs, Texans Vs. Ravens: Both Teams Enter Sunday's Game Relatively Healthy

The Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans are both relatively healthy heading into Sunday's AFC Divisional Playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium. For the Texans, "relative" is the key word, considering they will be without the likes of Mario Williams and Matt Schaub due to season-ending injuries. Outside of those on IR, no one on Houston's roster is listed as anything worse than "probable."

That includes wide receiver Andre Johnson, who should see an increased workload as he works his way back from a knee injury. He caught five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown during last week's win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Only Brendon Ayanbadejo and Jameel McClain are listed as questionable this week for the Ravens. According to Ravens blog Baltimore Beat Down, there should not be any concern with any of the five players listed as "probable" on the injury report, however, including Anquan Boldin (knee) and rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith (head).

For more on the Ravens, check out SB Nation's Baltimore Beat Down and for more on the Texans check out Battle Red Blog. Here's a look at the complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.