Moments after the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Houston Texans 34-10 on Saturday, Ravens coach John Harbaugh told the media about what was most important to him.
“I just want to start off with this, this was something that was said to me before the game and it is meaningful to me, so I’m going to share it with you because I think it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
“It’s a verse: ‘Greatness, power, glory, victory and honor belong to You, because everything in heaven and on earth belongs to You. The kingdom belongs to you, Lord. You are the head and the ruler over everything,” Harbaugh said.
After clinching a spot in the AFC Championship game, #RavensFlock Head Coach John Harbaugh started his postgame press conference by reading 1 Chronicles 29:11 👏 pic.twitter.com/u9bb3SIpv8
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) January 21, 2024
The verse is a version of 1 Chronicles 29:11.
Harbaugh referenced a “mighty spirit” on the Ravens, adding “I just want to kind of give honor and glory where it’s due.”
Harbaugh also drew widespread attention Saturday for his post-game dance in the team locker room.
John Harbaugh showing off the dance moves 😂pic.twitter.com/tnuLSpayMY
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) January 21, 2024
The Ravens relied on Lamar Jackson who threw two touchdowns and carried the ball for two more, according to Fox News.
At halftime, Jackson spoke to the team to fire up the Ravens, who ended the half tied 10-10 with Houston, according to CBS.
Baltimore outgained Houston 234-68 in the second half, outrushing them 134-24, leading to questions about what Jackson said to inspire the team.
When Lamar Jackson spoke at half, his teammates listened. Patrick Queen talked about the impact it had on the game.
“Lamar, who’s upset about that kind of stuff, usually don’t tend to talk that much, but when he does, it’s very vocal. You have to sit up and listen.” #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/znRFlKYIdU
— Rocco DiSangro (@RoccoDiSangro) January 21, 2024
After the game, Jackson declined to talk about his halftime speech.
“It’d be inappropriate if I said it,” Jackson said, according to CBS Sports.
“We really wasn’t doing anything to that defense,” he said.
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“They was playing great and the offense was playing great as well, but we wasn’t doing our job. In the second half, we went and put points on the board. We started moving the ball, moving the chains, and started looking like ourselves.
Baltimore will host the winner of Sunday night’s game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs.
As noted by the New York Post, whether the opponent is the Bills or the Chiefs, the game to come will be the first time the Ravens have hosted an AFC Championship game in the team’s history.
The game will also be the first AFC championship in Baltimore since the 1971 victory by the Baltimore Colts, since moved to Indianapolis, over the then-Oakland Raiders.
The Colts went on to win the Super Bowl V over the Dallas Cowboys at the Orange Bowl in Miami.