NFL playoffs: The Baltimore Ravens beat the Houston Texans to reach the conference championships

Baltimore's poor postseason record stretched back to before Jackson was drafted in 2018, when they won just two of their seven playoff games after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 47.

Jackson was briefly the NFL's highest-paid player after receiving a new five-year contract last April, and after another impressive regular season, the Ravens and their longtime coach John Harbaugh were under pressure to finally deliver again in the playoffs.

The defense led the way in the first half as the two teams traded field goals in the first quarter before Jackson made a three-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor.

Houston, the AFC Conference's fourth seed after a much-improved 10-7 season, forced the Ravens to punt on their next possession and Steven Sims got them back into the game by returning the kick for a 67-yard touchdown.

But in the third quarter, the Ravens came out with new urgency as Jackson stormed down the middle for a 15-yard touchdown with three minutes left.

Baltimore then secured a berth in the AFC Championship Game next Sunday when Jackson threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely early in the fourth quarter before pouncing for an eight-yard score.