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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Graham Searles

NFL divisional round predictions: Stroud and Texans to upset No 1 seed Ravens

CJ Stroud has been a revelation in his rookie season
CJ Stroud has been a revelation in his rookie season. Photograph: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens (Saturday 4.30pm ET/9.30pm GMT)

What the Texans need to do to win: Head coach DeMeco Ryans has to be aggressive on defense. The Ravens’ last defeat, a 33-31 loss to Cleveland in November, provides the blueprint. Given time, Lamar Jackson will pick teams apart. But the Browns blitzed him 33.3% of the time on passing downs as they knocked him out of his comfort zone. Cleveland forced him into the only game this season in which he has thrown multiple interceptions, and he completed just 56.5% of his passes. Houston need to up their current blitz rate of 15.4%, otherwise Jackson will take everything they give him.

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