Baltimore Stay Alive Behind Henry’s Four-Touchdown Performance, Houston Secure Postseason Spot

Derrick Henry rushed for a season-high 216 rushing yards and tied a personal best with four touchdown runs as the Baltimore Ravens staved off elimination by defeating the Packers 41-24 on Saturday night.

Henry had three touchdown runs in the first half and then found the end zone once more on a 25-yard dash with under two minutes remaining in the game. His seventh 200-yard rushing performance surpassed two legendary runners for the most in league history.

His 36 rushing attempts represented a personal record.

The Baltimore Ravens, now 8-8 now must hope the AFC North-leading Steelers lose at the Browns on Sunday. A Steelers victory in Cleveland would end Baltimore’s playoff hopes. If the Browns win that game, the could capture the division title by beating the Steelers on the road next week.

The Packers, falling to 9-6-1 lost their third straight, allowing the Chicago Bears to secure the NFC North title. The Packers had already clinched a postseason spot earlier in the week.

Both squads were without their starting quarterbacks as the Ravens' star QB deals with a back injury while Green Bay’s Jordan Love is in the league's head injury program. The two backup quarterbacks – Tyler Huntley and Green Bay’s Malik Willis – were both productive in a contest that saw only a single punt.

Willis went 18 of 21 for a career-high 288 yards and one touchdown, and he also ran for 60 yards and two scores before exiting after re-injuring a shoulder injury. The Ravens' backup was 16-for-20 for 107 yards with one touchdown.

The deciding factor in the matchup was the Packers' failure to slow down Henry, who helped the Ravens outrush the Packers by a wide margin.

The star running back was not utilized in Baltimore’s last two possessions the week before in a costly loss. The veteran running back’s absence in the final period was a hot topic locally all week.

The coaching staff made sure he got the ball frequently from the outset. Henry’s dominance allowed the offense to score on their initial five drives and build a 13-point lead at the break.

He totaled 15 rushes in Baltimore’s opening two drives and capped each of them with touchdown runs. He tacked on a further three-yard touchdown just before the end of the half.

The Packers made it competitive by outplaying the Ravens 10-0 in the third period.

After a field goal, the Packers elicited the first punt of the night. The QB then ran for an 11-yard score to cut the deficit to 27-24.

But the Baltimore squad answered on their next series.

Henry ran for a crucial first down on a third-and-5. He closed the third quarter with a 30-yard burst. Those two plays set up a scoring strike from Huntley to his receiver.

The Packers' quarterback led the offense into Ravens' land before injuring his shoulder and departing for the locker room. His replacement threw an interception on his only pass.

Texans Lock Up Postseason Berth With Victory Over Chargers

CJ Stroud threw for two long touchdowns on the team's opening possessions, and the Texans went on to beat the Chargers 20-16 on Saturday to clinch a third consecutive playoff berth.

The Texans (11-5) extended their winning streak to eight games, their best run in several seasons.

The Chargers (11-5) had their four-game winning streak snapped and ceded the division crown to their rivals.

The young QB's pair of quick strikes stunned the Chargers and gave the Texans a 14-0 lead. On his initial throw of the game, he hit a wideout for a 75-yard score. He later threw a 43-yard TD on the following possession.

Stroud completed his first six throws of the game. He ended the day with 244 yards.

The Texans' defensive unit forced key sacks on the opponent's opening drives. The Los Angeles offense were held to three-and-out on multiple early drives.

The Chargers' quarterback, competing with a hand injury, was brought down on five occasions.

An early pick of Stroud in the second quarter only produced a field goal for the offense. Another interception did not yield any scores.

The Chargers were stopped on the goal line by a crucial interception. The intended receiver saw the ball bounce away, leading to the turnover.

The placekicker failed to convert a kick from short range just before halftime and later pushed wide an PAT attempt on the team’s final drive after a score.

The Houston specialist made field goals from 41 and 44 yards to contribute to the victory.