Texans Vs. Ravens 2012: Baltimore Hosts AFC Divisional Round Matchup

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

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.

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

Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

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.

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 complete 2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

“I just think he plays with a very, very, very high motor,” Lewis told the Houston Chronicle. “It’s one special thing that every linebacker, a good linebacker, has to have. And that is one thing that I appreciate about the way he plays football.” Cushing took the compliment highly, since he idolized Lewis coming up in football. “[Lewis] told me to stay healthy and to keep doing what I’m doing,” Cushing told the Houston Chronicle. “Any chance I get to talk to him and pick his brain, I do. ... He’s the No. 1 guy I watched. I’ve always looked up to him.”

Both players certainly play with a relentless attitude and with violence. Both are the tone setters for their respective defenses.

The only team in the NFL to have made the postseason in each of the past four years, the Ravens went 6-0 against playoff teams this season and have won their last 10 home games. They are looking to advance to the AFC Championship for the third time in team history and for the first time since 2008.

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

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 complete2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

More: Texans Out For First Victory Over Ravens | NFL Playoff Power Rankings

The rest of the CBS panel also agrees with Prisco about the Ravens winning on a straight pick’em, but Prisco and Dave Richard don’t believe the Ravens will cover the 7.5 points spread.

According to Nick Scurfield of HoustonTexans.com, Johnson showed no ill-effects in his second game back from the injury.

Johnson being fully healthy will be a big key for the Texans if they want to upset the Ravens and pick up their second playoff victory in franchise history.

Harbaugh said on Wednesday that it’s not an easy rushing attack to stop. Via CBS Sports:

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.

The two franchises have played three games against one another under current head coaches Gary Kubiak (Texans) and John Harbaugh (Ravens). In those games, the Ravens are averaging 34.7 points per game to the Texans’ 18.3 points per game average. Perhaps that explains why the opening line of Ravens -7 has increased this week.

Houston looks to get revenge in the rematch and they will try to do it on the road once again. The Ravens however are 8-0 in M&T Bank Stadium this season, so it won’t be easy.

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 complete2012 NFL playoffs schedule.

Now, in a rematch of two of the NFL’s top-rated defenses, with the Texans ranking 4rth in the league in rush yardage allowed and 3rd in pass yardage allowed and the Ravens ranking 2nd in rush yardage allowed and 4rth in pass yardage allowed, big plays in the passing game might once again be crucial.

We now know one of next weekend’s NFL playoff matchups after the Houston Texans put away the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday afternoon, 31-10. With the win, the No. 3 seed Texans already know their fate, and will face the Baltimore Ravens for the right to play for the AFC Championship. The Ravens, as the No. 2 seed, held a first-round bye, and were set to face the highest-seeded team to emerge from the wildcard matchups.

As noted earlier, the Ravens and Texans will meet in Baltimore at 1 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. The game is set to be broadcast live on CBS. The other AFC team with a bye this week, the New England Patriots, will face either the Denver Broncos or Pittsburgh Steelers. Those two teams face off on Sunday in the final AFC wildcard matchup of the weekend.