Texans clinch play-off spot and Ravens beat Packers

The Houston Texans hit nan Los Angeles Chargers 20-16 connected Saturday to clinch an NFL play-off spot for a 3rd consecutive year.

Despite a precocious fightback from nan Chargers, CJ Stroud's 75-yard touchdown walk to Jayden Higgins and 43-yard scoring walk to Jaylin Noel successful nan opening six minutes yet proved to beryllium nan quality arsenic nan Texans made it 8 consecutive wins.

The consequence keeps nan Texans' hopes of winning nan AFC South live and besides eliminates section rivals Indianapolis Colts, who started nan play 7-1, from play-off contention.

Defeat for nan Chargers, who were already done to nan play-offs, guarantees nan AFC West title for nan Denver Broncos.

Elsewhere connected Saturday, Derrick Henry rushed for a season-high 216 yards and 4 touchdowns arsenic nan Baltimore Ravens kept their hopes of making nan play-offs live by beating nan Green Bay Packers.

In Los Angeles, nan Texans raced into a 14-0 lead erstwhile Stroud connected pinch Higgins and Noel connected their 2 opening drives.

A section extremity from Cameron Dicker sewage Los Angeles connected nan committee and nan kicker had a chance to eat into nan lead further earlier nan break but missed from 32 yards - his first miss from wrong 40 yards successful his career.

The Chargers improved aft nan break and yet sewage into nan endzone precocious successful nan 3rd 4th done Oronde Gadsden but 2 section goals from Ka'imi Fairbairn took nan Texans 2 scores clear.

Rookie moving backmost Omarion Hampton made it 20-16 pinch a rushing touchdown precocious successful nan 4th fourth earlier Dicker compounded his uncharacteristic time pinch a missed other point.

The Texans big nan Colts successful nan last crippled of nan regular play connected Sunday, 4 January, while nan Chargers recreation to Denver to return connected nan Broncos.

NFL 2025 season: Week 17

28 December 2025

Live matter commentary connected Sunday's games connected nan BBC Sport website and app, positive unrecorded power commentary of Philadelphia Eagles astatine Buffalo Bills connected BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds. The Whole 10 Yards, BBC Sport's play NFL programme, besides focuses connected nan league's large stories

In nan precocious game, Henry group an NFL grounds pinch his seventh profession 200-yard crippled arsenic nan Ravens hit nan Packers 41-24 astatine Lambeau Field.

The Ravens (8-8) play astatine nan Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6) successful week 18 and nan title will beryllium for nan AFC North title if nan Steelers suffer to nan Cleveland Browns connected Sunday.

Henry group nan reside connected Baltimore's opening drive, rushing successful from 3 yards earlier nan Packers responded pinch a 39-yard Malik Willis touchdown walk to Christian Watson.

The moving backmost was successful nan endzone again early successful nan 2nd 4th earlier section goals from Tyler Loop put nan visitors successful a beardown position.

Willis scored for nan Packers connected a 22-yard tally but Henry completed his hat-trick to put nan Ravens 27-14 successful beforehand astatine half-time.

Green Bay responded aft nan break and pulled wrong 3 aft Willis' 2nd touchdown tally of nan time was followed by a Brandon McManus section goal.

But nan Ravens were capable to propulsion retired of show successful nan 4th fourth arsenic Tyler Huntley threw a 10-yard touchdown walk to Zay Flowers and Henry added a 25-yard touchdown tally for his 4th people of nan night.

The Packers' 3rd consecutive nonaccomplishment ensures they will beryllium nan NFC's seventh seed successful nan play-offs and that nan Chicago Bears will triumph nan NFC North.