THE TEXANS…

• Outrushed the Ravens 131 to 87. It was the second consecutive postseason game in which Houston outrushed its opponent and the 14th game overall this year.

• Limited Baltimore to 227 yards of total offense and an average of 3.6 yards per play. Houston gave up only 11 first downs in the game, which is tied for the second-fewest given up in a game this year. Houston held Cleveland to 10 first downs on 11/6.

• Scored first for the first time in the postseason and the 13th time overall this season. Houston fell to 9-5 in those games this year and 0-1 in the playoffs.

• Trailed after each of the first three quarters. It was the first time this postseason that Houston trailed in each instance. Overall, Houston has trailed after one quarter four times, with a record of 1-3 in those games, and has trailed at halftime and after three quarters five times each and is 1-4 in both instances.

• Team captains were WR Andre Johnson and C Chris Myers on offense; ILB Brian Cushing, ILB DeMeco Ryans and DE Antonio Smith on defense; and K Neil Rackers representing the special teams.

• The Ravens won the toss and deferred the option to the second half. The Texans elected to receive the opening kickoff.

RB ARIAN FOSTER

• Rushed for 132 yards on the day, giving him a two-game total of 285 this postseason. That is the most by any running back in NFL history in his first two playoff games, surpassing Dallas RB Duane Thomas’ total of 278 yards in 1970.

• His 132 rushing yards were the sixth-most by a player against Baltimore’s defense in a game, regular season or postseason, since 2000 and the most since 9/26/10 when Cleveland RB Peyton Hillis rushed for 144 yards against the Ravens.

• Rushed for 95 yards on 15 carries in the first half. His 95 yards are most that Baltimore’s defense has ever surrendered to a single player in a postseason game. The previous high was 91 yards by Eddie George for Tennessee on 1/7/01.

• Scored on a 1-yard run in the second quarter. Foster has scored a rushing touchdown in four consecutive games and in back-to-back playoff games.

• Became the 17th player in NFL history to rush for more than 100 yards in back-to-back postseason games. He topped the century mark on his first carry of the second half, his 16th of the game.

• Has topped 100 rushing yards in four consecutive games dating back to the regular season.

WR ANDRE JOHNSON

• Surpassed 100 receiving yards for the first time in his postseason career. He topped the century mark on his eighth catch of the day, a gain of 16 yards late in the fourth quarter. Johnson has 38 career 100-yard games in regular-season play.

• Topped 100 receiving yards for the second consecutive game against Baltimore. He caught nine passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns against the Ravens on 12/13/10.

FS DANIEAL MANNING

• Returned the opening kickoff 60 yards to the Baltimore 41-yard line. The return was his longest of the season, bettering a 46-yard return in the season opener vs. Indianapolis (9/11).

OLB JESSE NADING

• Forced a fumble on a kickoff return in the first quarter. It was Nading’s first career forced fumble in either regular season or postseason action.

K NEIL RACKERS

• Connected on his second field goal of the game when he hit a 33-yard field goal in the second quarter. It marked Rackers’ second career playoff game with multiple field goals. He made four-of-five field goal attempts in a Divisional Playoff at Carolina on 1/10/09 as a member of the Arizona Cardinals.

OLB BROOKS REED

• Was credited with his second sack and his first forced fumble of the postseason when he stripped the ball out of Baltimore QB Joe Flacco’s hand in the first quarter. It was Reed’s first career forced fumble.

• Notched his second sack of the game when he dropped Flacco for a 5-yard loss in the third quarter.

• Teamed with DE J.J. Watt to sack Flacco for a 12-yard loss in the fourth quarter. It gave Watt and Reed each 2.5 sacks on the day, which is a career high for both.

DE J.J. WATT

• Registered his second sack of the postseason when he tackled Baltimore QB Joe Flacco for an 8-yard loss in the second quarter.

• Made his second sack of the game when he dropped Flacco for an 8-yard loss in the third quarter, tying his career high. He had 2.0 sacks at Jacksonville (11/27).

• Teamed with OLB Brooks Reed to sack Flacco for a 12-yard loss in the fourth quarter. It gave Watt and Reed each 2.5 sacks on the day, which is a career high for both.

• Led the team with a career-high 12 tackles, including nine solo stops, three tackles for loss and three quarterback hits.

Texans inactives
7 QB Jeff Garcia
15 WR Jeff Maehl
26 CB Brandon Harris
33 FS Troy Nolan
61 G Thomas Austin
66 T Andrew Gardner
88 TE Garrett Graham

Texans starting lineup changes
None

Ravens inactives
17 WR Tandon Doss
23 CB Chykie Brown
25 CB/RS Chris Carr
35 RB Anthony Allen
49 LB Josh Bynes
67 G/C Justin Boren
94 OLB Sergio Kindle

Ravens starting lineup changes
None

Tate is from Salisbury, Md., about a two-hour drive to the southeast of Baltimore. He played at Stephen Decatur High School before transferring as a senior to Snow Hill High, where he led his team to the 2005 state championship game at M&T Bank Stadium.

“It’s very exciting to go back home,” Tate said on Thursday. “Of course, all my friends that I grew up with there, they’re a fan of me but not necessarily the team, so they’re all rooting against us. They’re just hoping that I play well.”

Tate said he got about 30 tickets for the Texans’ Oct. 16 game at Baltimore and will be getting plenty again this weekend. He was one of the best players in Maryland high school history, setting state records for career rushing yards (5,920), career offensive yards (6,123) and single-season rushing yards (2,886). He was the Maryland Gatorade State Player of the Year as a senior.

In his second season out of Auburn, Tate ranked seventh in the NFL with 5.4 yards per carry, just 0.2 yards off the league lead. He and Arian Foster were the only NFL running back tandem to both rush for more than 900 yards.

“You can’t even really say he’s a number two back,” said Lewis, the Ravens’ 16th-year veteran and future Hall of Fame inside linebacker. “You got to say that he’s a 1A and 1B, because he comes in and he gives a different kind of slash than Arian does. Arian is a sleek cruiser, and Ben is more of a downhill, quick burst, really get downhill and fight for some tough yards.”

Stephanie Stradley of Chron.com offers a “Battle Red Plan” for Texans fans making the trip. The helpful weekend guide includes watch party plans for Saturdays’ Patriots-Broncos game, pregame get-together locations for Sunday and suggestions for those fans who will be at the game itself.

Safe travels to all who are going.

Since becoming a starter in the final week of his rookie season in 2009, Foster has had less than 60 rushing yards in just six of 30 games. He has averaged less than 3.5 yards per carry in a game eight times. He hit both of those lows against the Ravens on Oct. 16, gaining 49 yards on 15 carries (3.3 average). It was one of four games all season in which he did not score a touchdown.

This will be the fourth time in Foster’s career he gets a rematch against a team that held him to less than 60 rushing yards. In each of the first three instances, Foster ran for at least 115 yards in the second go-round. That includes his 153-yard, two-touchdown effort last Saturday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Ravens ranked second in the NFL this season with 92.6 rushing yards allowed per game. Foster ranked second with 94.2 rushing yards per game. He ran for 100 yards on 20 carries (5.0 average) against the Ravens at Reliant Stadium in 2010. If the brief history of his NFL career is any indication, he isn’t likely to be shut down by the Ravens again on Sunday.

Arian Foster vs. opponents who held him to less than 60 rushing yards

Jacksonville Jaguars (15 carries, 56 yards (3.7 avg.), 1 TD on 11/14/10)
Next game (1/2/11): 31 carries, 180 yards (5.8 avg.), 2 TDs

Tennessee Titans (11 carries, 15 yards (1.4 avg.), 0 TDs on 12/19/10)
Next game (10/23/11): 23 carries, 115 yards (4.6 avg.), 2 TDs

Cincinnati Bengals (15 carries, 41 yards (2.7 avg.), 0 TDs on 12/11/11)
Next game (1/7/12): 24 carries, 153 yards (6.4 avg.), 2 TDs

Baltimore Ravens (15 carries, 49 yards (3.3 avg.), 0 TDs on 10/16/11)
Next game (1/15/12): ?

HOUSTON TEXANS

Probable
LB Mister Alexander (Shoulder/Full), CB Jason Allen (Thumb/Full), LB Bryan Braman (Neck/Full), G Mike Brisiel (Ankle/Limited), DE Tim Bulman (Calf/Full), FB James Casey (Knee/Foot/Full), NT Shaun Cody (Knee/Full), TE Owen Daniels (Hand/Knee/Limited), TE Joel Dreessen (Knee/Full), WR Andre Johnson (Knee/Full), CB Johnathan Joseph (Hip/Full), CB Sherrick McManis (Ankle/Full), C Chris Myers (Knee/Full), S Troy Nolan (Ankle/Limited), LB Brooks Reed (Knee/Full), RB Ben Tate (Shoulder/Full), T Eric Winston (Calf/Full), QB T.J. Yates (L. Shoulder/Full)

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Questionable
LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (Thigh/Limited), LB Jameel McClain (Knee/Limited)

Probable
WR Anquan Boldin (Knee/Full), LB Dannell Ellerbe (Head/Full), CB Jimmy Smith (Head/Full), G Marshall Yanda (Chest/Full), S Tom Zbikowski (Head/Full)

HOUSTON TEXANS

Limited Participation in Practice
G Mike Brisiel (Ankle), TE Owen Daniels (Hand/Knee), WR Andre Johnson (Knee), CB Johnathan Joseph (Hip), S Troy Nolan (Ankle)

Full Participation in Practice
LB Mister Alexander (Shoulder), CB Jason Allen (Thumb), LB Bryan Braman (Neck), DE Tim Bulman (Calf), FB James Casey (Knee/Foot), NT Shaun Cody (Knee), TE Joel Dreessen (Knee), CB Sherrick McManis (Ankle), C Chris Myers (Knee), LB Brooks Reed (Knee), RB Ben Tate (Shoulder), T Eric Winston (Calf), QB T.J. Yates (L. Shoulder)

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Limited Participation In Practice
LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (Thigh), LB Jameel McClain (Knee)

Full Participation In Practice
WR Anquan Boldin (Knee), LB Dannell Ellerbe (Head), CB Jimmy Smith (Head), G Marshall Yanda (Chest), S Tom Zbikowski (Head)

Here are some highlights of my 14-minute interview with him:

On rookie defensive end J.J. Watt: “I thought he would actually be a factor immediately, and he has been. He’s really been the key to this thing… Watt is so fast and so athletic and he’s got such a high motor. I’d probably put him right now as one of the top 2-3 rookies this season.”

On the difference in the Texans’ defense from last season: “First of all, the speed in the front seven is outstanding… I voted for Wade Phillips to be the assistant coach of the year. He’s done a great job… The athleticism of this front seven is just astounding. I would say it’s probably one of the top two or three (most) athletic front sevens in the National Football League.”

On cornerback Johnathan Joseph: “I know (Darrelle) Revis is still the best man-cover corner, but I’ll tell you, Joseph’s right up there. He’s had a great season.”

On the Texans’ offensive line: “Mike Brisiel’s kind of the unsung hero here. Chris Myers is one of the more underrated centers in the National Football League. Duane Brown is – it’s funny, when you go back to the ‘08 draft, the Texans were criticized for reaching; well, as it’s turned out he’s one of the better young left tackles in the league.”

On why Arian Foster struggled to run against the Ravens last time: “The Ravens penetrated the gaps very, very well. They were taking away the zone cut for Foster, the linebackers were reading their keys very well… Foster had nowhere to go.“

On the Ravens’ defense: “They mix up their blitzes, but they have such an active front. Terrell Suggs is one of the better outside linebackers in the National Football League. They’re not going to ask these guys to cover. They’re going to rush. Jarrett Johnson on the other side is very, very underrated. And Haloti Ngata is arguably the best defensive lineman in the National Football League. It’s crazy; they line him up at nose, end, outside linebacker, he’ll drop into coverage. They do a lot with him.”

On the Ravens’ secondary: “In that San Diego game, where they really struggled on defense (giving up 415 yards in a 34-14 loss), the Chargers attacked (cornerback) Jimmy Smith, their first-round pick. So when he’s out on the field, that’s the guy you want to go after. They really could go four or five deep at corner. None of them are shutdown guys… but there’s a lot of talent there.”

On the upcoming game: “It’s going to be a close game… I’m going to pick the Ravens 17-13, but one of the things that you have to be is a good road team to beat a team like the Ravens who are 8-0 at home. The Texans are a good road team. It’s really about (T.J.) Yates handling the pressure on the road. If he does that, they’re going to be in this football game.”

Check out the podcast for plenty more, including Caplan’s analysis of Yates, rookie linebacker Brooks Reed, free safety Danieal Manning and Ravens running back Ray Rice, left tackle Bryant McKinnie and tight end Ed Dickson, who he calls a key player to watch on Sunday.

“I feel like, at times, that I’ve gained some explosiveness back,” Johnson said. “At times, I don’t. I think it’s just going to come back over time, but like I said after the game, I haven’t been feeling anything as far as my hamstring, so that’s a good thing. Hopefully, everything can keep going the way it’s going.”

Johnson missed three games with the injury before returning in Week 17 to face the Tennessee Titans. He played about 15 snaps in the regular-season finale and caught two passes for 21 yards. Six days later, he played about 40 snaps in the Texans’ Wild Card playoff victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, catching five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.

Johnson was listed as limited in Wednesday’s practice with a knee injury, but he is fully expected to start against the Ravens on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. He was inactive with a right hamstring injury when the Texans lost 29-14 at Baltimore on Oct. 16.

“I just think he has all of the tools, all of the tools,” Lewis said of Foster in a conference call with Houston media. “He catches out of the backfield, reads coverages, blocks in the backfield and then one-on-one makes him a very hard tackle, makes him a very hard man to match up one-on-one. And then he’s driven by a different burning inside. He was an undrafted guy with a lot of talent, so he’s fueled by something different. Anytime you add that type of fuel with talent, you get Arian Foster.”

Foster was clearly humbled when told of Lewis’ comments.

“That’s, like, more than any accolade you can get from the media or anything,” Foster said, “because that’s, like, a man who’s played in this league, who’s respected by everybody who plays this game and who’s ever played this game and so for him to say that, it just, I don’t know. It’s kind of like, vindicating for everything that I’ve worked for just to be respected by your peers and not only your peers, but one of the greatest defensive players to ever play the game.”

Foster, who has been named to two Pro Bowls in three NFL seasons, and Lewis, a future Hall of Famer, met at Reliant Stadium in 2010 when the Texans and Ravens played on Monday Night Football. The Texans lost 34-28 in overtime, but Foster ran for 100 yards against Baltimore’s vaunted rushing defense. In the middle of the game, Lewis walked up to Foster and said, “I love the way you play this game. You have a very, very bright future.” Foster remembers it vividly, recalling Wednesday that it was in the second quarter and calling it “kind of surreal.”

The two quickly became friends, bonded at the 2011 Pro Bowl in Honolulu and 2011 ESPYs in Los Angeles and now stay in touch via phone and text message, with the most recent communication coming earlier this week.

“That’s one of my next young ones that whatever I can do for him, I’m going to do for him,” Lewis said. “The thing that I kind of got caught with was his humility and who he is as a young man and just the thing that drives him. When you get into his story and really listen to his story, it’s almost remarkable to listen a young man go through all the things he’s been through and still be here today.”