Joe Mixon confronted the Ravens player after hitting the Texans assistant coach

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon wasn’t feeling particularly holly or happy before the team’s Christmas Day game against the Baltimore Ravens. As NFL Network’s Steve Wyche reported before the game, Mixon, on the field for warmups, took exception to an errant punt that hit a Texas assistant coach.

Mixon took the ball and put it as far into the stands as he could, then confronted the player, prompting several Ravens players, including backup quarterback Josh Johnson exchange words with Houston back.

Mixon was eventually led away, but you can bet that if emotions run high during the Ravens-Texans game, this pregame incident will be pointed to as the catalyst.

The Boxing Day game features a matchup between two playoff teams in Baltimore (10-5) and Houston (9-6), and if this meeting was any indication, the contest will have the intensity of a postseason environment.