 John Harbaugh Ravens head coach. He said that they started studying film on the Texans right after they beat the Browns the other night So, you know what? I'm gonna try to follow in his footsteps and in today's video We are gonna try to look at some possible ways that the Baltimore Ravens can Exploit the Houston Texans some different ways that they can pick them apart some huge advantages that go in the Baltimore Ravens Favor, but I couldn't do that alone. I couldn't do it alone So I had to bring on a very special a very knowledgeable and a very reputable guest to help me figure this thing out Team keep it clean very very special guest in the building It is my guy KO Kevin Ostrichter from locked on Ravens before we get into it. I appreciate you coming on I appreciate just everything that you do for locked on Ravens Shout out to you. You always put out banger tweets literally every single day every single tweet You put out got like 50,000 likes and 3 million views and whatnot You'd be having the Ravens fans going crazy, which we love and we appreciate So I appreciate your time coming through on the channel KO You know, you know the respect is mutual engraven. I uh, you know, it's been a while We've been collaborating on these things now and you know every single time we do it's it's but now We're talking about a good thing Ravens into playoffs and you know got their divisional opponent But you know it's it's been a long time since we started this and I'm Really grateful for how you know, we've done things and how our relationship has grown too. Oh, yeah for sure for sure And I want your relationship with team period clean and grow even more So everybody make sure you subscribe to his YouTube channel locked on Ravens The link will be down below in the description and I know a lot of y'all subscribed already But we need even more y'all to subscribe and leave a like on all all of his videos as well Man show that love and support that I know y'all are great at doing now Somebody who we got we got a love for we ain't gonna have love for them this weekend is CJ Stroud and in the Houston, Texas It is official that the Baltimore Ravens will be going against them on Saturday at 4 30 p.m Just give us a brief overview of how you're feeling about this game I'm feeling good about it and Couple of reasons why I think you know if you want to start off with the actual stats You want to run some numbers quickly here the Texans in the regular season? They had the 8th best passing offense But they were one of the worst rushing offenses in the league at 29 and they look at their defense Passing wise they were towards the bottom of League 27th, but they had the second best rushing defense now for me This is a different Texans team than we saw in week one, but it's also a different Ravens team I think both teams have grown and it's further better I think we're gonna see a match up here where CJ Stroud and we talked all about how top two defenses in this league It was probably Ravens one and Browns two and CJ Stroud made that Browns defense look like they were the worst defense in the entire NFL On wildcard weekend. I mean credit to the offensive line for them. Let me tonsil and all those guys But one area I'm looking at right now in Raven. It's the receivers for Houston They've lost a couple of guys over the course of the final part of the season here Tankdale Electric rookie and South Florida guy He's somebody that is now done. He was done about what week 14 weeks 15 can't remember exactly when but he's not coming back They also just placed Noah Brown on injured reserve. So that's about 1,200 to 1,300 yards It's now gone for Houston. So the main guy got to focus on his Nico Collins That's the big guy and it's funny said so high-state quarterback to Michigan wide receiver and CJ Stroud and Nico Collins So it's funny rivalry between those two although their teammates now, but other than that. I mean, it's John Mechie and Robert Woods Steven Sims I guess Dalton Schultz if you want to throw in all the past catchers from me and you look at the Ravens secondary Ravens are really deep. I mean Marlon Humphrey. Hopefully coming back. We know what Brandon Stevens has done This is Martha Millette has been awesome in the slot for them Ronald Darby has been I think one of the better corners in the league this year in limited action So to me I just it's almost like Tyree killer Miami because Jaylen Wildman playing week 17, you know Tyree It can beat you put all the attention there and make somebody else beat you like make someone else make the play for me It's the same thing with Nico Collins Defensively, I look in the trenches for the Texans with their defense John Grenard is awesome 12 and a half sacks this season. Will Anderson was a beast in that Cleveland game I mean he was all over the place Derek Barnett, but to the Ravens credit, they're offensive line I mean, I know there were questions about Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses and those guys in the middle of the year But I think the tackle rotation has really worked for them. There's a question. Are they gonna keep doing it for me? I mean if it's not broken, you don't fix anything I mean, I would just keep doing keep doing it and it's worked But I think if you talk about who did the by-benefit the most Ronnie Stanley I think is definitely I think that at the top of that list as opposed to other guys to Hamilton and Players like that but I think for me I don't want to say the Texans are inexperienced, but you look at the rest of the AFC playoff teams They're the most inexperienced team left in the AFC because you have the bills you have the chiefs and you have the Ravens This is kind of a weird comparison and it's not exactly on point But I see a lot of the 2019 Ravens and it's different circumstances But I think the 2023 Ravens are a more mature version of what 2019 was that 2019 team was young They were historic. They were great, but I think this 2023 team, you know, they've gone through the failures They've adjusted for Houston. The thing for me is they have nothing to lose at this point Right, they're playing with house money because what if they lose the Ravens in a division around? It's they had a great season went far Anybody thought they were gonna go great year if the Ravens lose this game The world's on fire. Everything's falling down because they were the best team in the regular season So I think they match up well against Houston. I think honestly out of all these teams I would have only taken Pittsburgh over Houston. So I think it'll work out for. Oh, yeah That's some good points. You made a really good point that I think is a very very big advantage For the Baltimore Ravens going into this game because you talked about Texans rush offense But you said it hasn't been hasn't been that good, right? No 29th in the league this year. Oh So that I think that that makes life easier for the Baltimore Ravens because their past defense Overall has been really good the Baltimore Ravens if they can make this a one-dimensional game for the Houston Texans Obviously easier said than done You got to get out get out there on the field and prove it But if you can make this a one-dimensional game for the Texans that can make life a lot easier for you And something else that you mentioned you talked about their past defense. They were ranked low as well Yeah, 27 27. Okay. So yeah, those are things that could really play Into the Ravens favor and I think a big thing with this game Obviously those passing yards through the air, but also the yak The yards after the contact the yards after the catch that could be big for those Baltimore Ravens just to get those nice chunk plays as well and especially to because This and you mentioned it too. This is a much different team both teams are much different than they were Previously earlier this year because that was literally the very first game of the season both teams were brand new They were fresh. This was a new system for CJ straddles a new system for Lamar Jackson And both quarterbacks have grown a lot throughout the year made leaps and bounds But this Ravens team would be one twenty six to nine something like that Again completely different teams though completely different teams And while both teams have certainly grown both teams got the issues as well But the Ravens their offense has just been rolling when when Lamar plays obviously not in that stealers game He didn't play but when Lamar plays their offense has been rolling and the defense They've been doing that thing as well What advantages again just talked about them having a bad run run defense Excuse me run offense in a bad pass defense But what other advantages do you see the Ravens being able to possibly take advantage of well? I think just physicality too. I think these are actually two physical teams But something I've identified and I know you've talked about it I've talked about it is how this defense they made the personnel changes I think physicality in depth of the two things aside from the stars Obviously you have guys like Roquan and Kyle Hamilton, but the Ravens impose their will and part of this is I think The Ravens are so locked in right now I'm not sure anything could take them out of this mode. They're in talk about rest versus Rustin in the bye week and everything Again, this is this is a more mature Ravens team They have been through that and I just think the motivation factor where again the Ravens have everything to lose in this game The Texans do not not saying the Texans are going to play hard and try to win the game But they understand what's at stake here and part of this is Who knows what happens when this season is over Mike McDonald's getting coach interviews left and right Are they gonna be able to retain just some out of beat gay and Patrick wean And I think the locker room just likes each other so much and again You don't have to like everybody at your workplace, right? And maybe there's a little crazy relationship here or there, but John Harbaugh has these guys going and When you talk about the experience John Harbaugh does have in playoff moments again Is the track record been great recently? No, I think I think we can all admit that but he's one of Super Bowl and Part of it too is another advantage is you mentioned the receivers for Baltimore going up against that Houston past defense I alluded to Zay flowers. Hopefully coming back healthy in this game Oh Dell with rest or shot Bateman Isaiah likely is is Mark Andrews going to make a return Who knows at this point, but to me? I think that you can exploit that part of it because there are some players on that defense from a secondary perspective Derek Stingley is awesome. I'm a big Derek Stingley fan You know Jalen Petrie from Baylor. He's kind of a do-it-all safety But I just think Zay flowers one-on-one One thing I noticed in that Houston game you mentioned it in Graven 20 25 to 9 was the score One thing David a job. Oh had a sack. I think everybody was so excited about that is what he was gonna do But Lamar threw the ball 22 times in this game completed 17 of Zay flowers had 10 targets No other Raven had more than three a couple of them had three what we've seen this Raven's offense evolve to Is the more Jackson establishing connections with? Multiple multiple multiple receivers. So we know Zay can do his thing We know he can get his but Isaiah likely stepping up and Odell and Lamar connecting your shop Bateman makes a play here or there He can check it down out of the backfield I think that there's just so many multiple looks as Raven's offense can give where I think we're past the days of it Only being Zay and double-digit targets and nothing else Plus you have a guy like Dalvin Cook now who I would assume plays in this game He can work off of Gus Edwards work off of Justice Hill I'm not sure we see Melvin Gordon after uh after the fumble he had in week 18 against Pittsburgh But to me, I just think if you can establish an early lead get out to that and Make the Texans offense one-dimensional because you're out of that early make him abandon the run game early It works for your offense and it works for your defense and the thing this Raven's offense does into what Greg Roman era That offense would hold the ball for eight minutes nine minutes ten minutes. It'd be ball control offense Todd Munkins offense. They don't care about that They'll go 75 yards and five plays in two minutes and 35 seconds and score that ball Efficiency's been the name of the game for Todd Munk And I think how efficient this Raven's offense has been all season if you want to talk about a fish see defensively Third down defense and red zone defense have been the Ravens to calling cards this season I don't expect that to change here in the division around and I like what you talked about efficiency and just the different ways to get it and just really the overall evolution of this Todd Munkin offense early on in the season something that you brought up in reference to Zay flowers and his targets early on this season like that he would get a crazy amount of Touches and it was like it was nothing wrong with it because it's a flowers You want the ball in his hands you want because you can you can tell you can make some plays But while they flower still has been making his plays Yeah, Lamar and that Ravens offense. They really been spreading his ball out even more and funny You mentioned Mark Andrews He didn't play in the first Texans game and it's still as of right now It's still up in the air to see if he ends up playing in this second one Marlon Humphrey was somebody else who missed that first Texans game Marcus Williams. He left in the middle of the Texans game JK He uh, yeah, that's the game that ended his season prematurely But yeah, these Ravens they just much much much different and they have evolved a lot especially on Offense and I really like the way that they can get it in so many different ways They can score like you mentioned in so many different ways before it's so many different people So while Zay flowers, he may not get 10 targets all the time like he used to but other guys are getting involved And that makes it harder for opposing defenses to just focus on one person to be like, all right You know what Zay flowers? That's a number one guy. I will take him out of the game Oh, you still got to worry about bait You still got to worry about Beckham agolo and likely everybody you still have a lot that you have to take care of Even if you decide all you're gonna take out one person so this Ravens offense has just leaps and bounds much better and much more evolved and you've seen so much growth from Week one all the way up until now now I'm gonna put you on the spot and let me know if you decide to accept this challenge or not No, I'm not you know, I'm not a big score prediction guy, but Would you like to give a score prediction for this Ravens and Texans matchup? I will accept your challenge I will accept it now. I like this match up a lot for the Ravens. I think they're gonna win this game I think it'll be close. It's funny whenever I say it's gonna be close At least when I've done it this season the Ravens was blown their opponent out of the water So hopefully I say it's close now and what happens the Ravens go out there and blow out the Texans But I do look at the way the defense has played all season the Ravens have not given me a reason to pick against them Right that their defense is played great all season. They're offenses found their stride I think CJ shot does make a couple of place. I think he's he's playing it too high of a level right now Not to I actually like the Texans in their direction this year But I just think that the Ravens are further along in the process Which means I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt here and say they're gonna continue I'll say something along the lines of 27 to 18 27 to 17 something in that range not a complete blowout But I think the Ravens will probably have control for most of the game here and again Just make Houston play from behind right see how it goes eliminate their running game and play with that physicality Ravens fans. I expect to show up louder than the T banks stadium on Saturday you gotta be plays a factor and Ravens are built for this right there built for that physical cold weather smash mouth football both offensively and defensively and That to me is one of the many reasons. I'm gonna give them the win here Oh, that's something that I didn't even think about because Texans they had I know we have a retractable roof I believe but a lot of times they close it so the weather is not even a factor there But in Baltimore. Yeah, it should be cold and it's gonna be one of those hard-hitting very physical games I mean for Ravens defense. That's usually how every game goes is hard-hitting and very physical So this should be a good end and with it's a sort of special game You know, yeah, it's a different regime a different team But I still like to make it a little more special than it might be for Judea being clown because you know That's the Texans and they drafted him what number two overall that year So, um, I'm looking forward to Judea being clown. He finishing some of the sex that he missed in week one and making up for that Because he did miss a couple of But yeah, I expect the Ravens to take care of business in this game as well And regardless of whatever the score is gonna be Ravens like you you heard the man He said it's gonna be a close game But whenever he says it's close it don't end up being closer Ravens you if you want to blow them out Hey, no problem if you end up making it in a close game, okay It'll be a problem. We'll have a little heart attacks throughout the game But we used to that as Ravens fans, but as long as they leaving out of there with a win That's the only thing that matters and these Baltimore Ravens. They just everything is right there in front of them This is exactly what they play for what they earned throughout this season They won enough games and put themselves in a position to where they did have this by week to where all these teams are Battling going back and forth and whatnot and the Ravens just chillin. They send back watching watching everybody beat themselves up beat up each other While they wait for to the beat for it to be determined Whoever their next opponent was gonna be and it did take a little took a little extra time Then and originally anticipated, but we finally got to know who their opponent ended up being so I'm looking forward to this game KOI appreciate you as always coming through before we get out of here Let everybody know where they can find you and everybody know what what you got going on over there I was appreciating gravy naked find me over locked on Ravens were a five day a week Ravens podcast over there So we are on YouTube if you want to subscribe for the channel if you like to listen to your podcast and audio form anywhere I get your shows you can do that as well as the same show you're not missing out on any content there as well I also working with the Ryan Ripken show now That's a two-time a weaker over on YouTube, which we're we're doing over there So locked on Ravens Ryan Ripken show you can find my writing over on Ravens Why you can find me over on Twitter at chaos tracker 34 we put out constant over there on social media all the time So very Raven centric very Baltimore centric here and hopefully looking forward to a long playoff run here You know we can talk all the time about how after a close Ravens win They got to go find and figure out how to how to you know make this thing better make that thing better It doesn't matter anymore. Just win the game. It's the playoffs got to go do that So appreciate you as always in great straight up man. Just like that So y'all make sure y'all check out my guy KO from locked on Ravens I think he just did an interview recently with with with Zay flowers and Devon cooks agent So y'all check that out on his channel appreciate you The links to everything will be down below in the description and team keeping clean subscribe to the channel Make sure you leave a like on the video cuz y'all know it helps out a whole whole lot. I love y'all appreciate y'all and we out