It’s nearly time for the Baltimore Ravens to get back on the field and prove their worth this season. They’ll take on the hot Tennessee Titans in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs as both teams vie for a spot in the AFC Championship Game.
The Titans are fresh off their win over the New England Patriots, while the Ravens got a relaxing week of vacation as the No. 1 seed. Baltimore is a heavy favorite in this game and for good reason. They had the best record in the league and have toppled many of the best teams behind them this season.
With the playoffs being a win-or-go-home endeavor, the writers here at Ravens Wire put together our bold predictions for this week. We all picked things that we think could actually happen but would be the talking point of the weekend if they come true. So take a look at our six bold predictions for the Ravens vs. Titans playoff matchup.
Matthew Stevens:
Ravens win by 14-plus points
Baltimore has been dominant during their 12-game winning streak, and Tennessee simply isn’t better than those teams. The Ravens will outmuscle and outrace them to a quick 14-point lead before coasting the rest of the way, as they’ve done so often this season.
Neil Dutton:
Ravens hold Derrick Henry to 50 yards rushing
The NFL’s leading rusher has had his way with pretty much anyone he’s faced recently. However, a stout Ravens front, plus a need to play catch up on offense, will lead to the Titans having to put the ball in the hands of Ryan Tannehill more than Henry would like. He’ll flash his dominance, but a lack of opportunities will keep his production down to a level that really doesn’t hurt the Ravens.
Joe Serpico:
Lamar Jackson throws 4 touchdown passes
There is a lot of talk of Jackson getting more carries in the playoffs than the regular season for some reason. The Ravens are going to stick with their strong ground game this week, but it will set up the play-action pass and Jackson will find his receivers open in space.
Look for Mark Andrews to have a big game and Jackson silencing some of the critics that say he cannot push the ball downfield. Jackson will account for five touchdowns total, but the four through the air will be the highlight of the postgame discussion.
Alex Bente:
Ravens intercept Ryan Tannehill 3 times
Who is this version of Tannehill? Certainly not the one who played in Miami, is it? One thing’s for certain: He’s taken the floundering Titans and turned them into a playoff team (a place they earned somewhat by default). But Tannehill and the AFC team that essentially backed into those playoffs at 9-7 (and overcame a shadow of the vaunted Patriots) may be in for the rudest of awakenings when they take on the best team in the league.
With the Ravens offense picking up right where they left off and steamrolling the Titans defense early, Tennessee will be forced to abandon the run and rely heavily on Tannehill’s arm. Cue the Ravens’ elite secondary, who take full advantage of the situation, not to mention Tannehill’s inexperience as a playoff quarterback.
Kevin Oestreicher:
Ravens hold Derrick Henry to under 60 total yards
This might be as bold as you can get when the Titans are your opponent. Henry was the league’s rushing leader in 2019 and ran all over the Patriots in the wild-card round to the tune of 182 yards on 34 attempts while also contributing 22 yards through the air.
However, I believe Baltimore matches up much better against Henry than New England did. The Ravens have a big defensive front led by Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce, as well as a physical secondary that includes Marlon Humphrey and Chuck Clark, meaning Baltimore will have a better tackling performance than the Patriots did. I also believe Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense will control the game and force the Titans to abandon the run.
If all of that happens, Baltimore should cruise to a victory.
Vasilios Nikolaou:
Marquise Brown has his first 100-yard game as a receiver since Week 1
Brown, though effective this season, hasn’t put up the yards to match his record-tying touchdown total. It’s been 17 weeks since Brown has topped the century mark, and it’s about time the Ravens take advantage of his speed again after he’s had three weeks to rest.
