The 2024 NFL Playoffs will continue this weekend. In the first game of the four that will be played, the Houston Texans will be on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. The Texans vs Ravens injury report has been finalized following practice on Thursday for both teams. Baltimore did not have to play during the Wild Card Weekend games, which means that they are in great shape heading into the NFL Divisional Round.
Houston Texans: Injury Report in the 2024 NFL Playoffs
The Texans had a lot of names on their injury report this week. 15 different players were listed on the report. That's not to say that they were all on the report all week. But the team does have some issues heading into the NFL Divisional Round of the 2024 playoffs.
Robert Woods and Denzel Perryman were among the players who were limited after Thursday's practice. However, according to the team's depth chart at ESPN, these players are now active for the game. You have to think that neither of them will want to miss the game for the world. Perryman is 31 with hardly any playoff experience. Woods is the same age and has to know that his chances of getting another Super Bowl are closing.
The Texans don't look like they are in terrible shape when you look at their depth chart. But you have to wonder how many of the players that were on the injury report are playing simply because of the occasion.
Baltimore Ravens: Injury Report in the 2024 NFL Divisional Round
The Baltimore Ravens listed ten players on their half of the injury report. But the big majority of them were FP as of Thursday's practice. Furthermore, the Ravens look like they are in great shape on paper when you review the team's depth chart with ESPN.
The team didn't have to play last week but that's only part of the story. This a team that did not have to contest their final week of the regular season with intensity. They lost in NFL Week 18 accordingly but they should be in great physical shape for the upcoming game.
Texans vs Ravens injury report: NFL Divisional Round
The balance of the injury report favors the Ravens. Their home-field advantage is also a factor to consider. Baltimore went 6-3 from home this season but one of the losses was when they were indifferent to their Week 18 game. The defense still showed up as they held the Pittsburgh Steelers to just 17 points in the loss. Bettors using home records should treat Baltimore like a 6-2 team for a winning percentage because the third loss was due to indifference.
The Texans have a rookie quarterback heading into his second NFL playoff game. The Texans went just 4-4 on the road, including a 25-9 loss to Baltimore in a game the Ravens hosted. That result should be taken lightly in previewing their NFL playoff game because it was way back in Week 1. CJ Stroud was making his NFL debut in the game and has improved over the season.
Houston Texans vs Baltimore Ravens betting tips
Houston's 45-14 win over the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Wild Card playoffs is hard to look past. No one is expecting that kind of score in Houston's favor for the divisional round on the road against Baltimore. However, with Houston's ability to score, they should not get blown out in this game. That they scored a season-high 45 points in their last game makes a +9.5 handicap look very large.
Bettors should be happy with that line, noting that CJ Stroud was excellent in the team's last game. He had the best passer rating of his career at 157.2. To do that in his playoff debut is strong evidence that we are watching the emergence of one of the better QBs of similarly aged players.
Moneyliners cannot be going with Baltimore in this game. Lamar Jackson is a playoff underachiever who has never had a playoff game even close to the one Stroud just had.
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