Houston Texans vs Baltimore Ravens

The game is scheduled for Sunday, October 5, 2025, with kickoff at 1:00 p.m. ET. It will be played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, the home venue of the Ravens. Both teams enter this contest with 1–3 records, making it a critical early-season matchup for momentum in the AFC.

The Ravens are notably hampered by injuries. Their star quarterback Lamar Jackson is ruled out with a hamstring injury and will miss this game. Backup Cooper Rush is expected to start under center, with Tyler Huntley elevated as the second-string option. On defense, Baltimore also loses Chidobe Awuzie, Marlon Humphrey, Roquan Smith, and Patrick Ricard to injury. Some others, like Kyle Hamilton (groin) and Ronnie Stanley (ankle), are listed as questionable. Meanwhile, Houston enters with a healthier roster overall but still has a few key absences: Denico Autry (knee) and Folorunso Fatukasi (shoulder) are officially out. Others such as Jaylen Reed (knee) are also out, and Harrison Bryant is limited.

Houston is coached by DeMeco Ryans (in his third season) with staff changes this year, as Nick Caley now serves as offensive coordinator. Ryans has already relinquished defensive play-calling duties to his defensive coordinator Matt Burke, which allows him to focus more on the overall team balance. Offensively, Houston’s line remains a point of concern; the team overhauled its offensive line in the offseason, but questions linger about cohesion and protection. Houston is expected to try to lean on its passing game with C.J. Stroud and exploit the Ravens’ weakened pass defense, while also attempting to establish a run threat to keep Baltimore’s defense honest. For Baltimore, with Jackson out, the coaching staff will likely lean more heavily on Derrick Henry and Justice Hill in the ground game to ease pressure on Cooper Rush. Defensively, Baltimore will have to adjust given key losses in their secondary and linebacking corps — they may simplify schemes, rely on zone coverages, and try to generate pressure with what remains of their healthy front line.

Media previews focus heavily on Baltimore’s injury crisis and the uncertainty at quarterback. Reports emphasize that the Ravens have allowed a high rate of offensive success and are vulnerable without Jackson. Betting lines give Houston a narrow edge, with point spreads typically around Texans –1.5, and totals (over/under) near 40.5. Analysts point out that Houston’s defense has been strong so far, while Baltimore’s defense has allowed a league-high yardage in recent weeks. Some press coverage frames this as a rare opportunity for Houston to claim their first-ever road win against Baltimore given how depleted the Ravens are.

In studio panels and expert models, there is general consensus that Houston holds a slight advantage given the Ravens’ injuries. CBS’s model assumes the Texans are modest favorites (around –1.5) and projects a tight game, sometimes with Baltimore covering. Some predictions lean toward an upset by Baltimore if Cooper Rush can manage the game efficiently and Derrick Henry dominates the ground attack. Others argue that Houston’s defense could force mistakes and disrupt the makeshift Baltimore Ravens offense. Bold predictions from outlets like Baltimore Beatdown express skepticism about the Ravens’ capacity to respond under duress, suggesting Houston could win convincingly. Overall, the expectation is for a close, physical game, but analysts tend to lean toward Houston controlling the pace and exploiting mismatches, while Baltimore must rely on resilience and opportunism to stay competitive.

NFL 2025-26 Week 5 – Sunday, October 05, 2025, Houston Texans vs Baltimore Ravens Full Game Replay

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