After not hosting a home playoff game since 2019, the Baltimore Ravens proved why they were worthy of having home-field advantage throughout the NFL playoffs with their 34-10 victory over the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round.

The Texans came into Baltimore riding a hot streak after surprising the entire AFC by winning the South division over the Jacksonville Jaguars with rookie head coach DeMeco Ryan in his first season, along with rookie first-round quarterback CJ Stroud. Of course, to get to the Ravens, they had to get through the Cleveland Browns, which they took care of handily. But Lamar Jackson and the Ravens simply outmatched the young team from Houston.

With the win over the Texans, the city of Baltimore will now host its first AFC Championship Game since January of 1971. Then it was the 1970 Baltimore Colts and Johnny Unitas, who would go on to win Super Bowl V. Will the same be said for the 2023 Ravens?

Not that anyone was doubting that the Ravens were one of the best teams in the NFL, but no one truly believed they could be the best in the league until they handed the San Francisco 49ers a 33-19 loss on the road. Then routing the Miami Dolphins the week after 56-19 at home further solidified that. However, it was Saturday evening's win over the Texans in a playoff matchup that makes the Ravens a clear Super Bowl favorite.

Lamar Jackson played his best NFL playoff performance

Lamar Jackson, running, throwing

Entering the AFC Divisional Round game, quarterback Lamar Jackson was well aware of the pressure that was on him and the Ravens to not let another postseason slip past them in an upsetting manner. Jackson was 1-3 in the postseason at the start of Saturday's game and was completely absent in last year's playoffs with an injury. He wasn't about to let Baltimore's first home playoff game since 2019 end with a loss.

Back in 2019, Jackson was 14-for-24 with 162 yards and one interception in a 17-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills. On Saturday against the Texans, he was 16-of-22 for 152 yards passing, with another 100 yards for two touchdowns. Needless to say, Jackson was electric, proving why he's the league's likely MVP with his performance against the Texans.

You really have to look at not just Jackson's first playoff performance but his entire body of work to understand just how important his performance was on Saturday. In his previous four playoff appearances, Jackson had a total of five touchdowns, but conversely had 10 turnovers. Those turnovers kept the Ravens' offense stifled and severely underperforming, averaging 13 points per game, nothing like the 34 they scored against Houston.

Jackson simply played his game, and by doing so, he and the NFL's sixth-ranked total offense wore the Texans' defense down by the end of the third quarter, where after a long and grueling 12-play drive was finished off with Jackson finding Justice Hill on a 3-yard touchdown reception to make it 24-10.

Jackson looks calm, cool, and is competing at a high level at the moment. He knows this is his moment to shine, to prove he was worth his record deal he signed during the offseason.

Ravens defense keeps CJ Stroud and Texans in check

After Saturday's game, the Ravens have now held the Texans to just 19 points in two games this season. Their previous matchup was back in Week 1, a 25-9 beating. In the AFC Divisional Round, the Ravens' defense didn't allow the Texans to score after the first half and only allowed a single touchdown all game. Of course, this is a Ravens total defense that ranks sixth in the NFL, allowing a league-best 16.1 points per game.

The Ravens dominated the Texans defensively, albeit without making a turnover or a sack. However, they still kept the Texans' rookie sensation quarterback in check most of the day. Stroud connected on just 19-of-33 passes for 175 yards and no scores. Even better was that they held the Texans to just 38 total yards rushing.

Next up is Patrick Mahomes. He's definitely no rookie but this defense is good enough to keep him in check.

Justin Tucker continues to be the best kicker in the league

This Ravens team is just good all the way around, with very few shortcomings. Even though they allowed a special teams punt-return touchdown against the Texans, their kicking game, all thanks to veteran Justin Tucker, still proves why he's a valuable asset. On the day, Tucker went 2-for-2, with a 43-yard and a 53-yard field goal.

Whether it's offense, defense, or special teams, the Ravens have multiple ways to beat you. That's what makes them so dangerous in this year's playoffs, and a Super Bowl favorite.