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Titans vs. Ravens: Live Updates, Analysis

Tennessee will try to take advantage of what homefield advantage it has in Sunday's wild card matchup with Baltimore.
David Boclair|
Titans vs. Ravens: Live Updates, Analysis
Titans vs. Ravens: Live Updates, Analysis

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Titans will enjoy the best homefield advantage of any team on the opening week of the NFL playoffs. The key will be to take advantage of it.

Attendance at Nissan Stadium for Sunday’s wild card contest against the Baltimore Ravens is limited to 21 percent of capacity, which is roughly 14,500.

That is still more than twice as many fans as any other NFL team will welcome this weekend. Two of the three games on Saturday – at Seattle and at Washington – took place in empty stadiums. Buffalo had 6,772 people in the seats. The Bills were the only home team that won.

After the Titans (11-5) and Ravens (11-5) play, Pittsburgh and New Orleans will host games with no fans allowed.

“It’s always great to be able to play a playoff game at home so the fans can be a part of it,” running back Derrick Henry said. “We definitely want to have this opportunity and I’m glad that we have it and get to play at home, the first time [for me] being in playoffs playing at home as well. It will be great to have the fans in the stands.”

During the 2020 regular season home teams were 127-128-1, the first time in NFL history that visiting teams won more often than not.

In the world of sports gambling, playing at home typically is worth 2.5 points to a team. This season, that has been reduced to 1.0.

Still, Tennessee players and coaches insist there is no place they would rather be.

“I know that the records are going to be about 50/50 with the home games and the road games,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “I think it’s an idea that you earned it, that you earned the right to play games at home, that you don't have to travel. You don't have to come in, get going on a Saturday at one o'clock to get out at the airport, that you can be here, prepare, and continue to work up until you check into the hotel on Saturday afternoon.”

The last time the Titans hosted a playoff game was 12 years ago to the day, Jan. 10, 2009. That day, they lost 13-10 to Baltimore before a full house of 69,143.

On to kickoff.

FIRST QUARTER

The Ravens won the coin toss and deferred their option until the second half. The Titans will get the ball first.

It’s a touchback. Tennessee starts at its own 25.

(13:36) The Titans go three-and-out after two runs and an incomplete pass. The Ravens came after Ryan Tannehill with a blitz on third-and-4. Tannehill had A.J. Brown working one-on-one down the right sideline but could not connect with him.

(12:00) Tennessee’s defense forces a three-and-out after two runs and an incomplete pass. Kevin Byard broke up the throw to tight end Mark Andrews on third-and-5.

(11:50) The Titans will start their next drive at their own 30.

(10:38) Tannehill goes to A.J. Brown again on third down, this one a third-and-3, and this time Brown catches it against cornerback Marlon Humphrey. It’s a gain of 28, the game’s first first down and puts Tennessee in Baltimore territory.

(5:44) Brown caps the drive with a 10-yard touchdown reception. Tannehill was 6-for-6 for 70 yards on that possession. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 6:11. TENNESSEE 7, BALTIMORE 0

That is Brown’s first career touchdown catch in the playoffs. He has 19 in 30 regular-season contests.

Not surprisingly, Baltimore’s defense is paying a lot of attention to Derrick Henry. The two-time rushing champ and 2,000-yard rusher has seven yards on five carries. He had one gain of six yards.

(4:28) After a first down, the Ravens take a deep shot. It doesn’t work as Lamar Jackson’s throw to Miles Boykin flutters, falls well short of the mark and into the hands of cornerback Malcolm Butler. 

(4:20) It is Tennessee’s ball at its own 28.

(3:15) A 35-yard completion to Anthony Firkser gives Tannehill 105 passing yards, which already is more than he had in last season’s divisional playoff victory over the Ravens (88 yards).

(1:43) The drive stalls and the Titans are forced to attempt a field goal. Stephen Gostkowski’s 45-yard kick is good and the offense turns the game’s first takeaway into three points. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 45 yards, 2:42. TENNESSEE 10, BALTIMORE 0

Ten points in the first quarter match the most the Titans have scored in their six playoff games from 2017-2020. The only other time they scored 10 was last year's loss at Kansas City.

(0:00) The first quarter ends after Lamar Jackson avoids a near-sack by Adoreé Jackson and completes a pass to Mark Andrews for 17 yards on third-and-7. The Ravens will start the second quarter with a first down at their own 45.

Tennessee outgained Baltimore 126-36 in the quarter.

The Titans defense only held three opponents scoreless in the first quarter during the regular season. Tennessee won all three games.

SECOND QUARTER

(10:02) The Ravens drive to the Titans’ 10, but Brooks Reed’s sack on third-and-6 forces a field goal attempt. Justin Tucker’s 33-yard kick is good, and the Ravens are on the board. Scoring drive: 12 plays, 60 yards, 6:39. TENNESSEE 10, BALTIMORE 3

(7:27) Tannehill is sacked for the first time, a seven-yard loss on third-and-5 from the Tennessee 36. Titans have to punt.

(2:45) Three plays after he was sacked for the second time (Matt Dickerson got him), Lamar Jackson avoids the pass rush and then the rest of Tennessee’s defense on a 48-yard touchdown run. Just like that, it’s a tie game. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 82 yards, 4:03. TENNESSEE 10, BALTIMORE 10

Remember, Baltimore gets the ball to start the second half. Tennessee’s offense needs to do something with this possession, which will start at the 25 after a touchback. Titans have all of their timeouts and 2:32 on the clock.

(2:32) The drive starts with Tannehill completing a pass to himself. Defensive end Jihad Ward deflected the attempted screen, and the ball went back to Tannehill, who caught it. Ward then tackled him for a 10-yard loss.

Tennessee lets the clock run to the two-minute warning in order to regroup.

(1:55) After an incomplete pass on second down, the Titans handoff to Jeremy McNichols for a four-yard gain on third-and-20. No doubt, that was meant to force Baltimore to use its first timeout, which it does. Titans will punt with 1:55 on the clock.

(1:44) The Ravens will start from their own 31 with two timeouts courtesy of a 51-yard Brett Kern punt that went out of bounds along the Titans’ sideline.

(0:29) Baltimore uses its second timeout. It still has a way to go. When play resumes, it will be second-and-16 from its own 44.

(0:19) DaQuan Jones’ sack makes it third-and-23 – and Tennessee uses its first timeout.

Now it is Baltimore that runs it -- a 7-yard gain by J.K. Dobbins -- that forces the Titans to use a timeout. A personal foul against wide receiver Dez Bryant, the Ravens will punt on fourth-and-31 from their own 29. 

(0:11) The Titans are called for defensive holding prior to the kick, which means five yards against Tennessee and an automatic first down for Baltimore. Darren Bates was called for the penalty.

The Ravens take a knee and we go to halftime tied. Derrick Henry has 18 yards on 10 carries. Ryan Tannehill is 9-13 for 100 yards with one touchdown. Harold Landry has five tackles and a sack.

Baltimore has outgained Tennessee 170-119.

THIRD QUARTER

(14:55) The Ravens will open the second half with the ball at their own 23.

(9:01) Baltimore scores for the third time in four possessions. This time a 4-yard touchdown run by Dobbins caps a possession that included a 23-yard run by Jackson third down. Scoring drive: 10 plays, 77 yards, 5:59. BALTIMORE 17, TENNESSEE 10

The Ravens have scored 17 straight points and the Titans trail for the first time. Jackson has 91 rushing yards on 11 carries.

(8:55) Darrynton Evans’ first kickoff return of the day goes for 25 yards and means the Titans will start at the own 23. That’s their worst starting field position thus far.

(5:16) On third-and-2 from the 44, Tannehill throws incomplete to Corey Davis and the Titans are forced to punt. Kern forces a fair catch at the 7.

Tennessee’s defense needs a stop here in the worst way – and quickly, in order to get the ball back to the offense with good field position.

(3:55) The Titans force a three-and-out when they stop Jackson on a read option for a loss of two yards on third-and-3.

(3:11) Tennessee’s offense will start at its own 42 following the punt and a two-yard return by Kalif Raymond.

(0:00) The drive started with an 18-yard completion to A.J. Brown with an extra 15 yards for roughing the passer that got the Titans to the Baltimore 25 after one play. The quarter ended with Tannehill avoiding a sack and getting the ball to Henry for a loss of two on third-and-goal from the Baltimore 5.

The Titans look as if they will kick a field goal to start the fourth quarter.

FOURTH QUARTER

(15:00) Gostkowski’s 25-yard kick is good, and the Titans cut the margin to four points. Scoring drive: 7 plays, 51 yards, 3:15. BALTIMORE 17, TENNESSEE 13

(12:16) Justin Tucker misses a 52-yard field goal attempt to the right. Baltimore’s offense crossed midfield, mostly on two completions to Marquise Brown for 37 yards before Tennessee’s defense held.

The Titans have the ball at their own 42 with a chance to take the lead.

(10:06) Mike Vrabel’s decision to punt on fourth-and-2 from the Baltimore 40 is met with some boos. Nonetheless, Kern forces a fair catch at the 15, and the pressure is back on Tennessee’s defense.

(4:23) Tucker makes a 51-yard field goal and pushes the lead back to seven. Baltimore converted a fourth-and-2 with a short completion to Dobbins, but the play was negated by offensive pass interference, which prompted the kick. Scoring drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 5:41. BALTIMORE 20, TENNESSEE 13

The time off the clock on that possession might have been more damaging than the points off the board. This could be the final drive for the Tennessee offense.

(2:00) Two-minute warning. The Titans needed a fourth-down conversion (a 2-yard sneak by Tannehill on fourth-and-1) to get to their own 37. After the break, it will be second-and-5. Tennessee still has all of its timeouts.

On the first play after the break, Tannehill is intercepted when intended receiver Kalif Raymond slips as the ball arrives. The ball ends up in the hands of Marcus Peters, who returns it 13 yards.

Baltimore is flagged for taunting after the play. That 15-yard penalty means the Ravens get the ball at their own 38. 

(1:45) On second-and-10, Jackson keeps it for 33 yards to the Tennessee 29. He now has 137 rushing yards on 15 carries. Tennessee uses its first timeout.

(1:37) A five-yard run by Gus Edwards uses up five seconds and forces the Titans to call their second timeout.

 

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David Boclair
DAVID BOCLAIR

David Boclair has covered the Tennessee Titans for multiple news outlets since 1998. He is award-winning journalist who has covered a wide range of topics in Middle Tennessee as well as Dallas-Fort Worth, where he worked for three different newspapers from 1987-96. As a student journalist at Southern Methodist University he covered the NCAA's decision to impose the so-called death penalty on the school's football program.

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