The Houston Texans have been eliminated from the ongoing 2023-24 NFL Playoffs as they went through the raging hot Baltimore Ravens, who boast the best record in both the AFC and the entire NFL.
Under the leadership of 2023 NFL MVP favorite Lamar Jackson, the Ravens convincingly defeated the Texans at home with a final score of 34-10 in their Divisional Round showdown, ending what had been a remarkable season for the Texans.
This season marked a significant turnaround for Houston, considering their struggles just a year ago when they finished with a dismal 3-13 record, placing them at the bottom of their AFC South division and ranking as the worst in the entire AFC.
The sensational campaign was spearheaded by rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, who pulled off one of the best rookie seasons of all time, and the mentorship of first-year head coach DeMeco Ryans.
"It's not a moral victory, just being here. It's not what we set out to do. But we accomplished a lot this year. I am looking forward to the future," Ryans said.
Despite the loss, the Texans exceeded every bit of the expectations handed to them, although they could have gone further if some of their players had performed better.
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3 Houston Texans players to Blame for Playoff loss vs Baltimore Ravens
1. Devin Singletary
Texans running back Devin Singletary carried the ball nine times for 22 yards. One of those runs accounted for 16 yards, while the rest of his carries averaged less than a yard per attempt.
In addition to his rushing efforts, the 26-year-old contributed in the passing game with five receptions on six targets, accumulating 48 yards.
Singletary, lacking the burst for explosive plays and the strength to impose his will on defenses, couldn't alter the course of the game.
Aside from his meager personal numbers, the whole Texans squad was massively dominated in the running game. Houston managed 38 rushing yards, while the Ravens significantly outperformed with 229 rushing yards.
2. The whole Texans defense
The Texans had performed well all season long but failed to deliver during the season's biggest game.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson delivered a spectacular performance, dispelling any narrative of playoff failures by recording four combined touchdowns and 152 passing yards.
The Texans struggled to contain the 27-year-old's ground game as he accumulated an additional 100 rushing yards and scored twice on the ground in the contest.
The 2019 NFL MVP winner achieved these remarkable statistics against a Texans defense that concluded the regular season ranked sixth in the NFL for rushing yards allowed per game (96.6).
3. C.J. Stroud
Stroud played a pivotal role as the driving force behind the Texans' historic season, but his luck seemed to have run out in his second career playoff game.
The former Ohio State star and Heisman Trophy finalist struggled to find effectiveness against Baltimore's relentless, aggressive, and hard-hitting defense.
During the Divisional Round matchup last Saturday, Stroud completed 19 out of 33 passes for a modest 175 yards.
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