Hobbled Texans will try to deal blow to Ravens' AFC North title hopes

HOUSTON — For a second straight season, the Houston Texans will be without Tank Dell to end the regular season and for the playoffs after the dynamic receiver suffered another major injury.

Coach DeMeco Ryans revealed the details of the injury Monday before announcing that Dell (torn ACL, dislocated kneecap) would have season-ending surgery for a second straight year. As insurance, the Texans claimed former Steelers receiver Diontae Johnson off waivers from Baltimore.

The AFC South champion Texans will have to regroup quickly with a visit from the Baltimore Ravens coming on Christmas Day. Dell’s injury is another blow to a team that was already missing Stefon Diggs after the four-time Pro Bowl receiver suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 8.

Dell ranks second on the team with 51 receptions for 667 yards and three touchdowns behind Nico Collins, who has 909 yards receiving and six scores.

Tight end Dalton Schultz has 482 yards receiving and two touchdowns, and running back Joe Mixon 291 yards receiving and a touchdown grab. But with Dell and Diggs out, the Texans are thin at receiver.

Houston is looking for its first win over Baltimore since 2014.

The Ravens, meanwhile, are coming off a 34-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers that clinched a playoff spot and pulled them into a first-place tie with the Steelers in the AFC North.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson threw touchdowns to three players against the Steelers, and Derrick Henry ran for 162 yards.

Of some concern is the secondary, which, despite a pick-6, allowed Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson to throw for 217 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

The Ravens showed much better discipline on defense in Saturday’s win. Baltimore was flagged only twice for 10 yards in the game: a couple of false starts on offense.

“We covered better. They had a couple downfield throws that we defended without grabbing,” coach John Harbaugh said. “So I thought we did a good job.”

Baltimore fumbled three times but was lucky to recover them all. Two of those miscues were by Desmond Kane, who appeared to have taken over the punt returning duties after a good performance the previous week but looked shaky against the Steelers.

Baltimore’s running back depth took a hit when Justice Hill left the game because of a concussion. Rookie Rasheen Ali had 2 yards on his only carry.

If the Ravens (10-5) win Wednesday, they can take the division outright by beating Cleveland in their regular-season finale coupled with the Steelers losing one of their final two games.