Ravens Remain in Contention Thanks to Derrick Henry's Four Scores Performance, Texans Clinch Postseason Spot

Derrick Henry accumulated a season-high 216 rushing yards and tied a personal best with four rushing scores as the Baltimore Ravens staved off elimination by toppling the Packers by a score of 41-24 on Saturday evening.

Henry had three touchdown runs in the opening two quarters and then found the end zone once more on a 25-yard dash with 1:56 left in the game. His seventh 200-yard rushing performance overtook Adrian Peterson and OJ Simpson for the highest total in league history.

His 36 carries represented a personal record.

The Baltimore Ravens, now 8-8 now must rely on the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers fall at the Browns on Sunday. A Steelers victory in Cleveland would extinguish Baltimore’s postseason dreams. If the Browns win that game, the could win the division title by beating the Pittsburgh on the road next week.

The Packers, falling to 9-6-1 dropped their third consecutive game, allowing the Bears to clinch the division crown. The Packers had already clinched a playoff berth earlier in the week.

Both teams were without their starting quarterbacks as the Ravens' star QB is sidelined by a back issue while the Packers' signal-caller is in the league's head injury program. The two replacement starters – Baltimore’s Tyler Huntley and Green Bay’s Malik Willis – were both effective in a contest that saw only a single punt.

Willis went 18 of 21 for a personal-best 288 yards and a TD pass, and he also rushed for 60 yards and two scores before leaving after aggravating a shoulder injury. Huntley was 16-for-20 for 107 yards with one touchdown.

The deciding factor in the game was Green Bay’s inability to slow down Henry, who helped the Baltimore outgain on the ground the Packers 307-79.

The star running back didn’t touch the ball in the Ravens' final two series the previous week in a costly loss. The veteran running back’s absence in the final period was a major point of discussion around Baltimore all week.

The Ravens made sure he got the ball frequently from the outset. Henry’s dominance enabled the offense to put points on the board on their initial five drives and build a 27-14 halftime lead.

Henry totaled 15 rushes in the team's first two series and finished each of them with scores. He added a further short TD run just before the second quarter ended.

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

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

But the Ravens answered on their ensuing drive.

The workhorse back ran for a crucial first down on a third-and-5. He ended the period with a long run. Those key runs paved the way for a touchdown pass from the quarterback to his receiver.

The Packers' quarterback led the offense into Baltimore territory before hurting his shoulder and heading to the sideline. His backup threw an pick on his only pass.

Houston Texans Lock Up Playoff Spot With Victory Over Chargers

The Texans' quarterback connected on a pair of deep scores on the team's opening possessions, and the Houston went on to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-16 on Saturday to clinch a third consecutive playoff berth.

The Houston Texans, now 11-5 extended their winning streak to eight games, their longest such streak in several seasons.

The Los Angeles Chargers, also 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 two-score advantage. On his initial throw of the game, he found a wideout for a long touchdown. He later tossed a deep scoring pass on the next drive.

He completed his first six throws of the game. He finished with 244 passing yards.

Houston’s defense recorded third-down sacks on the opponent's first two possessions. The Chargers were held to three-and-out on three of their first four possessions.

The LA signal-caller, playing with a hand injury, was sacked five times.

An interception of the Texans' QB in the first half only resulted in a field goal for the offense. Another takeaway did not yield any points.

The Chargers were stopped on the goal line by a key defensive play. The intended receiver saw the pass pop off his hands, leading to the turnover.

The Chargers' kicker missed a field goal from short range just before the break and later missed an PAT attempt on the team’s final drive after a score.

The Texans' kicker made kicks from beyond 40 yards to contribute to the win.