ExtremeRavens Posted Friday at 11:20 PM Posted Friday at 11:20 PM Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s Week 5 game between the Ravens and Houston Texans at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore: Brian Wacker, reporter Texans 20, Ravens 17: The Ravens will get a couple of players back from injury for this critical showdown against the likewise 1-3 Texans, but with so many key players still missing on defense, it’s hard to imagine that even a modest Houston offense won’t find some degree of success. Add in not having Lamar Jackson against a Texans defense that leads the NFL in points per game allowed (12.8) and that will likely key on Derrick Henry and this just feels like too big of a hill for the Ravens to climb. Coach John Harbaugh has generally navigated these storms well in the past, but this one feels a little different with so many key players not available. Sam Cohn, reporter Texans 21, Ravens 13: Cooper Rush can’t win the Ravens this game and Derrick Henry can’t run amok against a Texans defense that allows the fewest points in the NFL. The injury report will, in many ways, decide this game. That doesn’t bode well for a Baltimore team with 11 starters dealing with some kind of injury. With the run defense forced to rely on a rookie and practice squad elevations, expect Texans rookie running back Woody Marks to be the difference maker. He recorded 119 total yards and a pair of touchdowns against Tennessee, the other worst run defense in the NFL. By Sunday night, this season will be on life support (if it wasn’t already). Mike Preston, columnist Ravens 21, Texans 17: It really comes down to how many injured players might be on the field for the Ravens. In addition to quarterback Lamar Jackson being ruled out, cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Chidobe Awuzie and middle linebacker Roquan Smith won’t play. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley and safety Kyle Hamilton are questionable. In this game, injuries become the great neutralizer. Houston has a terrible offense, ranked No. 25 in the league, but the Texans have a strong, mobile defense that is allowing only 12.8 points per game, tops in the NFL. The Ravens are at home and still might have too much firepower for Houston. Josh Tolentino, columnist Ravens 24, Texans 21: The Ravens enter Sunday against Houston battered and bruised, with more than a quarter of the active roster listed on the injury report and Lamar Jackson sidelined. Even so, Baltimore, with its backs truly up against the wall, should have enough offensive firepower to scrape out a narrow victory if the defense finally resembles the unit it was billed to be. One might argue that the defense is without All-Pro talent at all three levels, but was it even a formable unit when the Ravens were healthy? Any improvement from the poundings Baltimore has taken the past few weeks will be welcomed, even if those contributions come from depth pieces waiting for their shot. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken must lean into tailback Derrick Henry instead of overthinking his usage. Expect an ugly game, but one the Cooper Rush-led Ravens manage to survive. If not, things could get pretty ugly at The Castle before Jackson returns to the field. C.J. Doon, editor Texans 19, Ravens 16: As bad as the Ravens’ defense has been, the Texans’ offense might be worse. Surely this is the moment for Zach Orr’s unit to rally and turn its season around … right? But what should really make Ravens fans nervous is the pass-rushing duo of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter teeing off against a struggling offensive line and a statuesque pocket passer in Cooper Rush. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is still dealing with an ankle injury, too. If Lamar Jackson can get sacked 15 times in four games behind this line, how often will Rush get hit? Offensive coordinator Todd Monken will have to find creative ways to get the ball to his playmakers in space, which is easier said than done against Houston. This one feels like a coin flip, and with the Ravens’ luck of late, I’m betting that it doesn’t go their way. Bennett Conlin, editor Texans 20, Ravens 17: Neither of these teams are as bad as their records suggest. The Ravens are still a Super Bowl threat at 1-3, and the Texans can still make a playoff push after narrow losses to the Rams, Buccaneers and Jaguars — three good teams. With Lamar Jackson available, I’m not sure this pick would even be a debate given Houston’s inconsistent offense. Without Jackson, this matchup becomes fascinating. Well, competitive, at least. “Fascinating” probably isn’t the right word to describe what’s likely to be a grind of a game. I’ll take the team with a healthy starting quarterback and a competent defense. The Ravens are staring a 1-5 record in the face with a game against the Rams next weekend. Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 24, Texans 23: This has to be the Derrick Henry game. Cooper Rush is going to start under center for an injured Lamar Jackson, and the Ravens simply need him to manage the game — hand the ball off to their star running back (and a healthy dose of Keaton Mitchell, too, please) and avoid turnovers. Do that, and they have a chance. Do that and get a defensive performance that even closely resembles the unit we expected to see this season, and Baltimore should win. Houston is not a very good team, though its defense is fifth in yards allowed and its 11 sacks are tied for seventh most. C.J. Stroud has looked average, if not worse, over the past year or so, and isn’t off to a hot start. He’s beatable. This is as big of a must-win a game for the Ravens as I can remember. Patrice Sanders, FOX45 Morning News anchor Ravens 24, Texans 20: The Ravens are in unchartered territory losing two in a row. This game will certainly be tougher because of all of the injuries, but losing three in a row is just unheard of for the Ravens’ organization. They need this home game, and they need a win. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article Quote
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