HOUSTON -- Historically, the Houston Texans have struggled against the Baltimore Ravens, and under third-year coach DeMeco Ryans, the struggles haven't been much better.
Since Ryans arrived in 2023, the Texans are 0-3 against the Ravens and have been outscored 90-21. In short, they have struggled in various facets.
The offense has failed to score a touchdown against the Ravens, and quarterback C.J. Stroud, who also arrived in 2023 after being drafted No. 2 overall, has only thrown for over 200 yards against them once. The defense has struggled against Baltimore, too, allowing 31, 34 and 25 points, respectively, in those matchups.
Now, the Texans (1-3) travel to Baltimore (1-3) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) in hopes of beating the Ravens for the first time since 2014.
The Texans are 2-13 (including playoffs) all-time against Baltimore and have lost six straight in the series. Ryans, who went 0-2 as a player against the Ravens, knows better than most about the challenge ahead.
"We understand where we've been in that battle," Ryans said on Wednesday. "It hasn't been good, but that doesn't matter. The past is the past. It's all about these teams, this year, at this specific time. How do we go out and do what we need to do to execute, to play complementary football, play as a team, play together? How do we need to finish? We finish the right way; we can go win the football game."
The most troubling outing under Ryans came last December on Christmas Day when Houston lost 31-2. The Texans came out flat and never found their rhythm.
The defense allowed Derrick Henry to rush for 147 yards and a touchdown, and the unit gave up a 48-yard rushing touchdown and two passing touchdowns to quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Stroud threw for 185 yards and an interception, and he was sacked five times. It's a performance the leaders of the organization remember thoroughly.
"We got killed on Christmas on Netflix on our home field," wideout Nico Collins said. "That was crazy. It was not the way we wanted it to turn out. But turn the page. You got another opportunity this week to go on the road again in Baltimore and go out and just be ourselves, an opportunity to go out and compete against some boys."
That Christmas game was the the last of three in a 10-day stretch.
"We're a new team," Stroud said. "It's a new season not having to play three games in 10 days. So, it's just new."
This season, the Texans have averaged 16 points per game (29th), but they scored a season-high 26 against the Tennessee Titans in their Week 4 shutout win. Injuries have begun to mount for the Ravens' defense, and they enter Week 5 allowing a league-high 33.3 points per game.
Jackson, who is 4-0 against Houston with a passer rating of 122.8, 763 yards passing and seven touchdowns, is also dealing with a hamstring injury that he suffered against the Chiefs in a 37-20 loss in Week 4. His status is in question as he didn't practice Wednesday or Thursday, and Houston enters the game allowing a league-low 12.6 points.
If he can't go, the Ravens would turn to Cooper Rush, but regardless of whether Jackson plays or not, Ryans is on alert for the Ravens offense that averages 32.8 points (third most).
"They still have explosive players who Lamar is getting the football to, so that doesn't change," Ryans said. "If Cooper Rush has to come in and play, he still has very capable guys he can get the ball to. So, it really doesn't matter to us. We just have to be on the details when it comes to the defense and how we play. We have to play our style."