NFL Week 14 – Recap: Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans
The Baltimore Ravens won by 34-28 over the Houston Texans (5-8). The Ravens (9-4) hung on for yet another squeaker of a victory needing overtime to hold on to their wild-card playoff spot.
Cornerback Josh Wilson intercepted Matt Schaub's pass and returned it 12 yards for a touchdown to keep the Ravens ahead of the postseason contenders
"I still can't believe that really happened," Wilson said. "I was in man-to-man and it turned into a little bit of a scramble. He ran out and ran in and went back out. Quarterback threw it inside and I said this can't be happening.
I was saying, 'Catch the ball, catch the ball, and catch the ball.' And game over."
The Ravens lost 4th quarter leads in each of their 4 losses and had to punt after their only offensive series of overtime. The Texans started from their 12, and Schaub was trying to connect with Jones on second down
when Wilson picked it off and ran to the end zone.
"I still kind of can't believe that really happened," Wilson said.
The Texans (5-8) have lost 6 of their last 7 games.
On the opening kickoff of the 2nd half, Baltimore’s rookie David Reed returned it to 103 yards for a touchdown, a franchise record, and then the Ravens seemed to have the game well in hand. It was the longest return
in Baltimore’s history.
In the 3rd quarter, the Texans mounted two time-consuming drives, but only came away with field goals. Although the Texans' defense is ranked among the worst in the league in every category, still they kept Baltimore
from increasing its lead in the 2nd half and kept the Texans comeback hopes flickering. Although they once again gave up a game-winning play after an amazing comeback, they were down by as much as 21 and didn’t give up, even if their fans already
had.
The Houston's offense at last came alive after a dispirited 1st half. Schaub went 24 for 41 in the last 2 quarters after going 7 for 21 in the 1st half. He threw a 7 yard touchdown pass to Jones with 6 minutes
left to finish a 99-yard drive, the longest in team history.
The Houston’s defense forced another Baltimore punt with 2:54 left, and Schaub launched the tying drive with a 16 yard to Kevin Walter. Schaub went 8 for 10 in the 95-yard march, and also scrambled for a 1st down.
When the Baltimore’s defense blustered from their extended time, the Texans took yards, whether it was running back Arian Foster, who logged 20 carries for 100 yards, or Schaub hitting on middle routes during coverage.
Hence, the Texans moved slowly closer with 24 and 42 yard field goals from kicker Neil Rackers and a late touchdown catch by Jacoby Jones.
In the end, Johnson became the Texans' hero, getting open in the back of the end zone for the grab of tying the game.
As Mason dropped on the Baltimore's opening offensive possession, Baltimore took their next possession 52 yards in 8 plays and got help from 2 penalties on Texans’ linebacker Brian Cushing.
That set up Willis McGahee's throw, his 2nd score of the season.
Baltimore turned Lardarius Webb's 22 yard Kick in the 2nd quarter into a 9 yard touchdown, moving very quickly to Mason, who ran to back line to make a remarkable grab.
When Mason hung on a 26 yard touchdown catch, the game should have been over. He doubled back to protect the ball, assuring the victory across the goal line.
Even after Reed broke numerous tackles with the 2nd half kickoff and zigzagged through defenders and kicked into extra gear once he saw daylight, the Texans kept pushing back.
Now after this win, the Ravens are one game behind the 10-3 Pittsburgh Steelers and they moved into the No. 5 spot in the AFC playoff picture.
"Our guys overcame a tough situation and found a way to win," said Head Coach John Harbaugh. "Do we have things we have to work out? Absolutely But at this time in the season, you are what you are and got to find a way to win.”
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