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Archives for December 25, 2024

Ravens Look Sharp with Jackson

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HOUSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson set an NFL record, RB Derrick Henry achieved a single-season franchise mark and the visiting Ravens moved into first place in the AFC North with a 31-2 rout of the Houston Texans on Wednesday.

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Jackson rushed for 87 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, to give him 6,110 rushing yards for his career. That’s one more than Michael Vick, making Jackson the all-time leader in career rushing yards by a quarterback. Henry rushed for 147 yards and a score on 27 carries, giving him 16 touchdowns for the year, the most for a single season in team history.

His performance helped Baltimore (11-5) take a one-game lead on Pittsburgh with one week left in the season. The Ravens can clinch the AFC North title next week with a home win over Cleveland.

Jackson completed 10 of 15 passes for 168 yards with two touchdowns and another 87 yards on the ground with the score as Baltimore earned a 432-211 advantage in total yardage. The Ravens collected five sacks and came up with a goal-line stand in the second quarter with the game still up for grabs.

C.J. Stroud hit 17 of 31 attempts for 185 yards with an interception for Houston (9-7), which lost its second straight game and is now locked into the No. 4 spot for the AFC playoffs.

Henry initiated the scoring at the 10:08 mark of the first quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run, capping a 75-yard drive. Baltimore made it 10-0 the next time it touched the ball as Justin Tucker drilled a 52-yard field goal with 2:47 to go in the first.

The Texans got their only points with 10:09 left in the first half when Kamari Lassiter tackled Henry in the end zone for a 4-yard loss and a safety. Houston had a chance to score a touchdown on the ensuing possession but Joe Mixon was stopped at the 1 on a fourth-and-goal pass.

Baltimore sailed 99 yards down the field on its next possession, with Jackson throwing a 9-yard strike to Isaiah Likely with 1:51 remaining for a 17-2 halftime lead.

The Ravens made it a rout in the third quarter on Jackson’s long scoring run and his 1-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews at the 5:50 mark.

–Field Level Media

Chiefs Lock AFC No. 1 Seed

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PITTSBURGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns and the Chiefs clinched home field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a 29-10 victory over the host Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday.

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KC’s Travis Kelce became the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions and also took over the franchise lead with his 77th career touchdown catch. Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson also caught scoring passes and Kareem Hunt rushed for a touchdown for the Chiefs (15-1) during the Christmas Day affair.

Pittsburgh’s Russell Wilson completed 23 of 37 passes for 205 yards and one interception as Pittsburgh (10-6) failed to clinch the AFC North for the second straight game. The Steelers have lost three consecutive games.

Mahomes was 29-of-38 passing while helping the Chiefs win their sixth straight game. Kansas City also set a franchise record with its 15th victory.

Kelce had eight catches for 84 yards to raise his career receptions total to 1,004. Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez (1,325) and Jason Witten (1,228) are the only two tight ends with more catches.

Ironically, it was Gonzalez’s franchise record for receiving scores that Kelce broke. He celebrated by doing Gonzalez’s signature dunking of the football through the uprights. Gonzalez was a college basketball player in addition to being a star football player.

The Chiefs racked up five sacks and thrived defensively without star tackle Chris Jones (calf).

Kansas City led by six at halftime and increased the lead to 16-7 on Harrison Butker’s 32-yard field goal with 12:21 left in the third quarter.

The Steelers responded with Chris Boswell’s 36-yard field goal to move back within six with 5:45 left in the quarter.

Kelce’s 1,000th grab was a 19-yard gain late in the third quarter and helped set up Hunt’s 2-yard touchdown run to start the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion pass failed and the Chiefs settled for a 22-10 advantage.

On the next possession, Kelce caught a 12-yard scoring pass with 12:38 remaining in the game to increase the margin to 19.

Mahomes threw two first-half touchdown passes as Kansas City held a 13-7 halftime lead.

On the first one, Worthy lined up in the backfield and flared into the left flat to catch a 7-yard scoring pass. His celebration drew a 15-yard penalty, and Butker’s ensuing 48-yard extra point was wide right.

Later, Mahomes tossed a 11-yard touchdown pass to Watson with four minutes left in the opening quarter. Mahomes also teamed up with Watson on a 49-yard play earlier in the drive.

The Steelers got on the board with 10:28 left in the half when Wilson scored from the 1 by barely getting the ball across the goal line at the left pylon.

–Field Level Media