Five Pivotal Ravens Matchups to Watch vs. Titans

The Baltimore Ravens' AFC clash might come down to one or more key battles between singular players or entire units.

Sep 13, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons (98) during warmups before the game against the New York Jets at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Baltimore Ravens' Week 4 bout against the Tennessee Titans could ultimately be decided by battles between specific position groups or individual players outperforming their counterparts on the other side of the ball.

It'll take place back in Baltimore, where the Ravens haven't won a game since Nov. 23, 2025, against the New York Jets before Thanksgiving. The Titans have returned home victorious from their last two trips to M&T Bank Stadium, dating back to their infamous 2019 Divisional Round upset.

If the Ravens prevail, they will improve to 3-1 and could be in a three-way tie for first in the AFC North standings, depending on how the Cincinnati Bengals fare at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars this week. Here are the five matchups that can either make or break this game.

Ravens interior offensive line vs. Titans defensive front

Even before they lost their top two centers on the roster to long-term injuries within a handful of plays of each other, the Ravens were struggling to consistently hold up in pass protection. It was especially evident when opposing teams sent additional pressure through the A-gaps with blitzing off-ball linebackers.

The Ravens' reshuffled interior will feature first-rounder Olaivavega Ioane making his first career start at center after starting the first three games at right guard, which will be filled in by either a rotation or one of fourth-year pro Andrew Vorhees and second-year pro Emory Jones Jr. Those three, along with veteran left guard John Simpson, will have their hands full with the disruptive defensive tackle tandem of Pro Bowler Jeffery Simmons and John Franklin-Myers. Behind them is an up-and-coming young linebacker in rookie Anthony Hill Jr., who is the NFL's leading tackler through three weeks with 34. The second-rounder has reached double figures in total tackles in back-to-back games and will likely be aiming to do that and record his first career tackle for loss going up against a living legend like former Titans star running back Derrick Henry, who spearheads the Ravens' rushing attack.

DB Kyle Hamilton vs. QB Cam Ward

Sep 13, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton (14) takes the field to face the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Ravens are going up against a young signal caller who can sling the ball around when kept clean or on the move, but struggles mightily when under pressure. With four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Trey Hendrickson out for this game after undergoing finger surgery, head coach and defensive play-caller Jesse Minter could lean more on his three-time All Pro Swiss Army Knife to muddy up the pre- and post-snap picture for Ward.

Hamilton can wreak havoc on blitzes, even if he doesn't get home for a sack, and Minter can use the threat of him coming off the edge on simulated pressures to create favorable matchups for others to bring the heat off the opposite edge or up the middle. The Ravens could also look to use more of Hamilton's range in the backend to make some plays in coverage in traditional safety alignments, especially with some of the tackling struggles his fellow safeties have had as the last line of defense.

OC Declan Doyle vs. HC Robert Saleh

Sep 27, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh looks on from the sideline before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This matchup pits one of the league's most prolific offenses against one of its stingiest defenses. Baltimore's first-year play-caller has been the orchestrator of a unit that averages 30-plus points per game, hunts and hits on explosive plays at a high rate, both through the air and on the ground, and excels at putting second- and-third-level defenders in conflict.

Saleh is an experienced defensive playcaller whose unit ranks in the top 10 in fewest points allowed per game (19.7), yards per play allowed (4.9) and passing yards allowed per game (189). However, where they've been susceptible to giving up yards is on the ground, where they rank in the bottom 10 in yards allowed per game (126.3). On Sunday, the Titans will face not only their own former franchise legend in Henry, but also the best quarterback they've seen this year, with the best dual-threat at the position in NFL history lining up next to him in the backfield with Lamar Jackson. It's pretty clear which play-caller has the tougher test in this matchup.

Ravens run defense vs. RB Tony Pollard

Football - NFL - Baltimore Ravens v Dallas Cowboys - Estadio Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - September 27, 2026 Dallas Cowboys' Javonte Williams in action with Baltimore Ravens' Nnamdi Madubuike and Roquan Smith REUTERS/Sergio Moraes | REUTERS

Minter's unit ranks in the middle of the pack in run defense, almost by design since the Ravens are among the league leaders in deploying light boxes. They pretty much dare opposing teams to run the ball at a decent clip instead of trying to push the ball downfield through the air. While that strategy has somewhat worked at times through the first three weeks, when their opponents have committed to the run, the Ravens have been gashed and pushed around on the ground.

Last week in Brazil, the Cowboys went from one of the worst rushing teams to looking like one of the best, averaging nearly five yards per carry and moving the ball at will at times, but they didn't stick with it and got pass-happy in the wrong moments. Coming in with one of the most inept and least productive offensive units in the league, the Titans might feature their Pro Bowl running back and leading rusher more heavily in this game to take some pressure off Ward to have to carry them on that side of the ball.

WR Zay Flowers vs. Titans cornerbacks

Sep 27, 2026; Rio De Janeiro, BRA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) runs with the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the game at Maracana Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When he's been on the field and healthy this year, the Ravens two-time Pro Bowler has been the most unstoppable and unguardable pass catcher in the league. Flowers leads the NFL with 9.0 yards per route this season, the highest mark in the first three weeks of a season in the Next Gen Stats era, with a minimum of routes. He leads the team with 234 receiving yards and is a big play waiting to happen anytime he touches the ball.

Since Doyle lines him up from all over, including the backfield at times, the responsibility of guarding him will be an all-hands-on-deck situation for the Titans corners, especially now that his so far removed from his hamstring injury that he wasn't even given a status designation on the final injury report.