Ebony Bird
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Ravens vs. Texans picks and predictions from Ebony Bird

By Chris Schisler

CINCINNATI, OHIO - NOVEMBER 10: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 10, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO - NOVEMBER 10: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium on November 10, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 15: Marquise Brown #15 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates a catch with teammate Mark Andrews #89 against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Dan Kubus/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 15: Marquise Brown #15 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates a catch with teammate Mark Andrews #89 against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Dan Kubus/Getty Images) /

Darin McCann makes his pick:

Buckle up your seat belts, Ravens fans. This should be a fun one.

Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson are grabbing all the headlines, and with merit, but this should be a compelling matchup all around. And with one game separating the teams in the AFC’s hierarchy, there are ramifications in potential playoff seedlings and byes down the road.

The Ravens are currently second in the NFL with 421.7 yards of offense per game, and lead the league in scoring, putting up 33.3 points per game. The Texans rank fourth (396.7) and 10th (26.4). That is two teams that are effective on that side of the ball, with a slight edge to the Ravens. Obviously, competition and other aspects come into play (defensive touchdowns, pulling starters in blowouts, etc.), but with more than half the season in the books, there are certain trends to infer from the raw numbers.

On the defensive side of the ball, both teams rank in the middle of the league in yards allowed (Ravens are 15th, and Texans 19th), and scoring (Ravens at 13th and Texans at 15th). Again, those numbers point to some levels of equality to the teams, with a slight edge to the Ravens.

One factor in Houston’s favor is their rush defense, ranked third in the league, allowing only 84.1 yards per game. The Ravens, obviously, rely quite a bit on their own run game.

To me, the game comes down to big plays. Quick strikes on offense, turnovers on defense and something on special teams to tip the scales. I think the Ravens win that battle at the end of the day.

Bold predictions
• Marquise Brown takes one to the House from 60-plus yards.

• Hayden Hurst catches passes for more than 70 yards.

• Earl Thomas gets two interceptions.

Final score
Ravens 34 Texans 30

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