Tempers flared ahead of the Christmas Day clash between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens. According to NFL Network’s Steve Wyche, a heated argument occurred during warmups between Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon and a Ravens player after an errant punt struck a Texans assistant coach.
Clearly frustrated, Mixon picked up the ball and punted it into the stands, leading to a heated exchange with Ravens punter Jordan Stout. The situation quickly escalated, drawing in several Ravens players, including backup quarterback Josh Johnson, who exchanged words with Mixon. Officials and team staff eventually separated the parties, but tensions lingered as the game approached.
While the game did not continue to deteriorate, it established the tone for what would be a fierce contest between two teams vying for playoff spots. Baltimore came into the game with a 10-5 record, while Houston sat at 9-6, so this contest was critical for postseason positioning.
Joe Mixon and Josh Johnson had to be separated… pic.twitter.com/deETggQiJw
— Cincinnati Sports Clips (@AllBengals) December 25, 2024
Derrick Henry Breaks Ravens’ Single-Season Touchdown Record
Adding to the drama was Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry as he put up a record-breaking performance. On opening drive of the game, Henry scored on a 2-yard touchdown, scoring his 16th overall touchdown for the season, breaking a franchise record formerly held by Ray Rice in 2011 and Mark Ingram in 2019.
Henry’s touchdown also ended a personal four-game scoring drought, the third-longest of his career. Known for their slow starts, the Ravens scored an opening-drive touchdown for the first time since Week 5 against Cincinnati.
AFC North Title Race Intensifies
With the loss by the Pittsburgh Steelers over Kansas City Chiefs earlier on in the day, it left the Ravens in complete control of their destiny. Winning today against Houston would send Baltimore into next week’s matchup against the Cleveland Browns to seal back-to-back division titles.
In addition to the pre-game scuffle, Henry added some drama to what had already been a high stakes game as the Titans produced a postseason atmosphere on Christmas Day.
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