A 44-10 beatdown against the Houston Texans was arguably the low point of the Baltimore Ravens' disastrous 2025 season. Frankly, it was one of the worst Ravens' performances I can remember. The Ravens gave up 417 total yards and 250 passing yards to the Texans. Backup quarterback Cooper Rush threw three interceptions. And ultimately, this led the Ravens to a 1-4 start, a hurdle that crushed their playoff dreams.
However, these dark days are behind us, Ravens fans, and 2026 offers new hope. A Week 12 rematch with the Texans is a game that the Ravens should have circled in red on their calendar. In particular, members of the Ravens defense who were on the team last year should play this game with an extra sense of pride and focus.
Not only will it be nice to fully forget about last year's disastrous performance, but the Texans are one of the better teams in the AFC. As such, this game offers the Ravens a perfect chance to measure up against a top-end team. It will also kick start their gauntlet of death to close out the season (though there's a bye week mixed in).
The Baltimore Ravens must capitalize on a crucial Week 12 test
Now, it's worth noting that the Ravens dealt with numerous injuries when they played the Texans last year. Lamar Jackson, Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, and Marlon Humphrey were all sidelined. Regardless, a loss like that is embarrassing, no matter who is playing.
Young defensive players, including Malaki Starks, Nate Wiggins, and Mike Green, were central to the Ravens' shortcomings against the Texans last year. They are all expected to play big roles this year, making a Week 12 game against Houston a perfect chance to showcase their improvements.
In general, the Ravens' defense (especially their pass rush) has improved immensely this offseason. While the Ravens' secondary was subpar in this game and throughout the season, the root cause was nonexistent pressure.
The addition of Trey Hendrickson and Jesse Minter's coaching should help transform this unit and ensure we'll never see an embarrassing performance to the level we saw against Houston last year. And against the Texans, the Ravens must be out for blood next year.
A strong performance defensively against Houston will be especially vital, considering that they have a formidable defense. Overall, by all accounts, Week 12 against the Texans will be one of the Ravens' biggest games in 2026, and they must rewrite the script after last year.
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