Happy NFL offseason, Baltimore Ravens fans. At this point, everybody is once again 0-0, so fans of all teams can now dream about what the best-case scenario might be for their side in 2025.

With that in mind, we look back at the game where the Ravens achieved their full potential, played their best, and thus set the bar for next year. If Baltimore can more consistently play like they did on Christmas Day, in the 31-2 win at the Houston Texans, then next season could be special.

We’re not saying this game was the season’s highlight, as that would be the 28-14 wild card round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ending the postseason for the arch-rivals, in a year where the feud ramped up considerably, was undoubtedly the high point of 2024.

Even more so than winning the AFC North division title again. And the win over the Texans wasn’t even the most lopsided victory of the campaign. That honor belongs to the 41-10 rout of the Denver Broncos at Mile High on November 3.

However, the Texans won a playoff game convincingly, while Denver just missed out on the postseason. Plus, the Christmas triumph included history, as the game saw Lamar Jackson surpass Michael Vick for most career rushing yards by a quarterback.

It also produced the first-ever 17-2 halftime score in NFL history. Overall, the Ravens played a total, complete game that afternoon. Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is a bona fide superstar in the making, but the Ravens defense kept him out of the end zone and held him to just 192 yards of total offense.

While Stroud has put up some gaudy statistics this season, his passer rating for that game was just a paltry 59.2.

Speaking of impressive statistics, the Texans’ defensive end, Will Anderson Jr., had 11 sacks during the season, which was good for the top ten in the NFL. But he only had a half of a sack against the Ravens and just two solo tackles.

And although Anderson can change the game in other ways beyond registering sacks, he was a non-factor against the Ravens.

“I know the stats are great, but, with him, you don’t even see some of the stuff,” Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said in an exclusive with RG. “The sacks are amazing, but does a lot of other things in the structure of the defense to really help out. He’s fun to be around, for sure.”

The Ravens offensive line figured out how to keep Anderson from making a significant impact, as they limited the star edge-rusher to only two TFLs. The Baltimore OL also dictated the tempo and tone of this game as the Ravens won the rushing yardage battle by a whopping difference of 251-58.

The Ravens also dominated time of possession, with the final reading showing 35:21 to 24:39. Both Ravens coordinators brought their A-game on Christmas Day. The visitors came in with a game plan to own the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and they did just that.

The Ravens won the total yardage battle 432-211 as Derrick Henry ran wild for 147 yards and a touchdown. Overall, they put in a great day’s work, which should be how they aspire to play in 2025.

The Christmas domination at NRG Stadium is the paradigm of what Ravens football should be.