Know the Foe: Five Questions About the Ravens
The Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens have not been division rivals since 2001, which means they don’t know each other the way they once did.
In the 18 years since the old AFC North was eliminated as part of the NFL’s most recent expansion and realignment, they have met 11 times (eight in the regular season, three in the playoffs).
While Titans fans remember well all the misery Baltimore has inflicted upon them over the years, they might not be as familiar with the current version of that team. With that in mind, we asked Todd Karpovich of Ravens Country (part of the SI.com NFL network) five questions about the 2020 Ravens and what the Titans are up against Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.
1) Lamar Jackson was the NFL MVP in 2019. Have there been any noticeable differences in his performance -- for better or worse -- thus far in 2020?
Jackson has taken some criticism because of an inconsistent performance this season. There have been questions about his mechanics, such as not stepping into his throws or throwing sidearm. Jackson is on pace to throw for 3,132 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Last year when he was named NFL MVP, he threw for 3,127 yards with 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He's also being more selective when he runs the ball but still leads the team with 524 yards rushing. Opponents are doing a better job spying him and making him throw outside the numbers — an area where he tends to struggle.
2) Are the Ravens dealing with any significant injury issues that could have an impact on this contest?
Defensive end Calais Campbell missed the previous game against the Patriots because of a calf injury and he will be day-to-day going forward. Nose tackle Brandon Williams left the Patriots game with an ankle injury that could possibly take a week or more to heal. This makes this matchup with Titans running back Derrick Henry even more troublesome. New England's running back Damien Harris, who is only starting because of an injury to Sony Michel, managed 121 yards once Williams left the game Henry is a much more powerful runner and capable of doing much more damage with Campbell and Williams out of the lineup.
3) Baltimore's defense leads the NFL with 10 fumble recoveries and forced at least one fumble in each of this season's first eight games. What makes that unit so good in that regard?
The Ravens, particularly in the secondary, are looking to take away the ball on every tackle. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey is especially adept and has four forced fumbles that changed the complexion of several games. Fellow cornerback Marcus Peters (three forced fumbles) has also been effective in stripping the ball away from opponents. The Ravens will look to do the same against the Titans because the team that wins the turnover battle will likely win the game.
4) Running backs Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins have combined for 910 rushing yards but none has more than 370. Is there one the Titans should expect to see more of than the others on Sunday?
Ingram is coming off an ankle injury and still might not be able to fully carry the load. He missed practice on Thursday, but it was non-injury related. Edwards and Dobbins will evenly split the carries this week. Edwards is a solid downhill runner, while Dobbins can get outside to try and stretch the field. Baltimore will run the ball about 40 times if they have the lead or the game is close.
5) How much is what happened last year in the playoffs a motivating factor for the Ravens players this week?
The Ravens players and coaches have repeatedly said there is no extra motivation from that lopsided loss in the playoffs last season. However, the embarrassment of that game still resonates among the team. The injuries on the defensive line and the inconsistency with the offense will make this a difficult game for Baltimore to win. As a result, the storyline with last year's playoff game has been downplayed this week.
