Will the Ravens Make the Titans Pay for Their Recent Taunts?
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Titans have enjoyed taunting the Ravens over their past two meetings.
Following last season's 28-12 win in an AFC Divisional playoff game, Tennessee players made fun of the Ravens' catchphrase "Big Truss," which was used to describe the trust among the players.
Titans safety Kevin Byard chanted "Big Truss" as he walked back into the locker room following the game.
Wide receiver Tajae Sharpe later mocked Ravens running back Mark Ingram to introduce running back Derrick Henry in the postgame news conference. Henry ran for 195 yards and threw a 3-yard touchdown in the game.
If that wasn't enough, the Titans players gathered on the Ravens logo prior to their Week 11 matchup this past season. Baltimore coach John Harbaugh immediately confronted Tennessee cornerback Malcolm Butler and coach Mike Vrabel.
"It's disrespectful," Harbaugh shouted.
Tennessee won the game 30-24 in overtime.
The Ravens have traditionally taken the high road when it comes to other teams making disparaging remarks. Under Harbaugh, the players have traditionally done their talking on the field.
We don’t need that type of motivation," tight end Mark Andrews said. "This team is already extremely motivated and hungry, and [there is] a fire under us. If you’re not, and it takes that to get you going, then you’re kind of doing the wrong thing. We’ve got all our goals ahead of us.
"We’re not worried about them; we’re worried about us – doing our job. And if we do that, hopefully, it will be enough.”
Last week, the NFL posted a stat about the Ravens' playoff chances on Twitter heading into the regular-season finale against Cincinnati. Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt responded, "Nope over for them."
Baltimore then completely dismantled Cincinnati 38-3 and clinched the fifth seed in the AFC playoffs.
Following the game, Ravens rookie linebacker J.K. Dobbins was asked about Pratt's comments.
“No comment on that. We just let those guys do the talking on the Internet, and we’re going to go play ball," Dobbins said.
There have not been any inflammatory comments from the Titans so far this week.
However, that could change over the next couple of days.
The Ravens players might be listening, but they likely won't respond.
Action is always louder than words.
"We’re focused on the game, and playing the game between the lines, between the whistles and between our ears – that’s what we’re focused on," Harbaugh said. "Anything else, we’re not going to … It’s the same thing we say every week; we’re not going to get baited into things. We’re going to play the game to win the game.
"That’s going to be our focus no matter who we’re playing, or how the game goes, or whatever. However the game goes, we’ll just deal with it as we find it when we get there.”
