Baltimore Ravens (11-5) at Tennessee Titans (11-5)
- Time: 10:05AM PST | 12:05PM CST | 1:05PM EST
- Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN
- TV: CBS
Titans Boast Razor Thin Series Margin
Tennessee has an 11-10 all-time ledger in matchups with Baltimore as the Titans have taken two of the last three in the series, including a 30-24 overtime win in Baltimore in Week 11. The two teams have met four times previously in the playoffs as they have split the four contest at two each. The latest playoff meeting was last January when Tennessee upset Baltimore 28-12 behind 195 yards on 30 carries from Derrick Henry.
Vs. The Spread
The Ravens:
- Are 12-2 SU in their last 14 road games
- Are 12-5-1 ATS in their last 18 road games
- Are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games this season
The Titans:
- The total has gone OVER in 7 of Tennessee’s last 8 games
- The UNDER has been the play in 10 of the last 14 Ravens-Titans matchups
- Are 3-9-1 ATS in their last 13 games against the AFC North
Titans Slid Past Ravens in Week 11
Henry scored on a 29-yard touchdown run with 5:21 remaining in overtime as the Titans passed the Ravens, 30-24, in Week 11. Baltimore led 21-10 midway through the third quarter when quarterback Lamar Jackson hit Mark Andrews with an 11-yard touchdown pass which completed a 7-play, 74-yard drive. This was an even game with two balanced offenses as the Ravens were able to offset Henry somewhat with the running attack of J.K. Dobbins (15-70) and Jackson (13-51).
On the Injury Front
Tennessee guard Rodger Saffold is the most watched person on the Titans’ injury report as he did not participate in practices on both Wednesday and Thursday. Wide receiver A.J. Brown was limited on Wednesday and did not participate on Thursday due to knee and hand ailments. Safety Kevin Byard went to full participation after being on the non-injury related list
The Ravens have more key injuries as corner Marlon Humphrey and defensive end Calais Campbell highlight the defensive side of the ball where Humphrey had limited practice Thursday and Campbell’s absence was non-injury related. Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue was limited with a thigh injury. Key offensive pieces in wide receiver Willie Snead (ankle) and offensive tackle D.J. Fluker (knee) did not practice Wednesday, but Snead was limited Thursday while Fluker continued to rehab.
| Teams | Spread | Money Line | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ravens | -3 (-125) | -177 | O 54.5 (-111) |
| Titans | +3 (+105) | +157 | U 54.5 (-109) |
When the Ravens Have the Ball
After rushing for 404 yards last week against the staggering Bengals, the Ravens are coming into this matchup with the Titans in a great rhythm with Dobbins and Jackson mixing it up in the offensive backfield. In three of four games before last week, Baltimore had posted three of four games where the Ravens’ ground game put up 234 yards or more. In addition, the 3,071 rushing yards on the season was the best in the NFL. Jackson became the first NFL quarterback with two seasons of rushing for over 1,000 yards.
Of course, Tennessee’s defense is on alert as the Titans check in at 19th in the NFL at taking away the run in allowing 120 yards rushing per game. They held the Ravens to 129 yards in the early meeting, but had a tougher than expected matchup with the Lions’ DeAndre Swift in Week 15 before a cold trip to Green Bay turned out a Packers’ rushing effort of 234 yards.
Byard must be int he equation as the Titans’ leading tackler (111) and he has six pass deflected and four interceptions in four games against Baltimore. Tennessee only has 14 interceptions on the season, so Malcolm Butler and the secondary have to make sure they are aware of the play-action to Hollywood Brown, Andrews, and potentially Snead.
When the Titans Have the Ball
Henry’s presence is felt every time you check Ryan Tanneyhill’s stats and see the 33 touchdown passes against only seven interceptions while completing 65.5 percent of his passes. The passing game with A.J. Brown (70/1,075/11), Corey Davis (65/984/5), and tight end Jonnu Smith (41/448/8) does get over looked as they guys put up solid numbers beside of Henry, who is as dominant as any runner we have seen in quite a while.
On the flip side, the Ravens are No. 8 in the NFL against the run although Henry has had his way with Baltimore over these last two meetings. How physical the defensive front-seven can play in this game will go a long way in telling who wins. The Titans’ passing game could come into play even more, so a healthy Humphrey is a must as well as Jimmy Smith who can work in with Marcus Peters on those corners. Baltimore has a tough pass rush as 16 Ravens combined for their 38.5 sacks.
Winner: Ravens (-3) 28, Titans 24
Over-Under: Take UNDER 54.5
