HOUSTON - In football, shootouts are dangerous enterprises. They have a tendency to leave both defenses riddled with holes.

The Baltimore Ravens (8-4) are looking to avoid such a scenario tonight against the Houston Texans (5-7) at Reliant Stadium.

"If it's going to be a shootout, that means our offense is doing their thing," safety Ed Reed said. "We're planning to hold up more than their defense if it's going to be a shootout."

Despite the Ravens' recent struggles on offense with only 27 points over the past two games and only three points in the final three quarters of their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, a high-scoring game could be in the offing from both sides.

The Texans have the worst pass defense in the league, allowing 287.4 yards per game. And their defense is 29th overall, allowing 388.8 yards per game. They're giving up 26.8 points a game to rank 27th overall.

The Texans have allowed 30 points or higher and 400 yards of total offense in five games this season.

"It's score, and hopefully, the defense does their job," wide receiver Derrick Mason said. "Honestly, I'm not looking at this like a shootout. I'm looking at it as an opportunity for our offense to go out there and start playing like a great offense.

"I'm not knocking Houston because they have scored a lot of points and have a very high-powered offense, but I'm expecting our defense to do what they do and shut them down and I expect us to score a lot of points."

As far as the Ravens are concerned, the Texans are one of the most formidable offenses in the league. They are ranked seventh overall in total offense, averaging 373 yards and 24 points per contest.

Running back Arian Foster has emerged as a surprise MVP candidate, surfacing as the favorite to become the NFL rushing champion with a league-high 1,230 yards and 13 touchdowns.

There aren't man y wide receivers as prolific and imposing as All-Pro Andre Johnson, a big, strong, fast and nasty 6-foot-3, 223-pounder who leads the Texans with 71 receptions and 1,018 yards despite a painful high-ankle sprain.

"He's a force to be reckoned with," Reed said of Johnson, his friend and former University of Miami teammate. "He's a great athlete. It's going to be tough."

Since entering the NFL, he has 643 career receptions for 8,761 yards and 46 touchdowns. Since 2006, he's the most productive receiver in the game with a 91.1 receiving average per contest.

"I think he's open a lot of times because people do bring a safety down in the box to stop the run, so he's single-covered out there," defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said. "I think that's what makes it difficult with him because he does demand double coverage by his instincts and by what he's shown."

And quarterback Matt Schaub has completed 64 percent of his throws for 3,089 yards, 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions for a 93.2 passer rating.

The Texans also have a scheme that thrives on exploiting defenses' weaknesses.

"I always thought that this was one of the best playbooks, offensively, in the league," Reed said. "It's a very good offense. Of course, it's all about having the players in the system and they have the players."

With the Texans, it's not just Foster, Johnson and Schaub. It's also a matter of defending wide receiver Kevin Walter and tight ends Joel Dreessen and Owen Daniels.

"Our coaches have said they are a very good offense in that they've really put in what's good for their talent," Mattison said.

The Texans like to use three-step drops to move the ball quickly. They also can throw deep with Schaub.

And the play-action pass has become a big weapon because teams have to respect Foster's running capabilities.

The Ravens scored 37 points against the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 21 and averaged 31.5 points during a four-game stretch prior to scoring only 17 points against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 10 points against Pittsburgh.

The offensive line has allowed 17 sacks in the past five games, eight in the past two. And the running game ranks second-to-last in the league in yards per carry with a 3.6 average, averaging a full yard less than last season.

The Ravens' offensive depth chart is loaded with talent, but the results and the personnel aren't matching up.

"I think we have that ability," wide receiver Anquan Boldin said. "When we falter, it's because everybody takes turns making mistakes. That's something that can't happen on offense. On defense, sometimes one guy can just make a play, but we have to have all 11 guys doing their job."