After a loss in Cleveland to Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns, the Baltimore Ravens continue their road trip in Nashville. The loss to the Browns put a thundering halt to the hype train that came after the Ravens handily took care of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week Four. The single loss may not seem like a huge deal just five games into the new season but staying above .500 should be a must for the Ravens. Over their past two seasons, Baltimore has also started 3-2 but failed to win in their sixth game of the year and subsequently ended up at 3-4.
The Tennessee Titans currently sit first in the AFC South but have been a tough opponent to read so far in 2018. Baltimore fell into the trap last week in Cleveland and can not do the same in Tenessee.
Baltimore Ravens-Tennessee Titans: Baltimore’s Biggest Game of 2018
Don’t Get Hung Up on the Loss to the Browns
The Ravens matchup against the Browns was the definition of a trap game and Baltimore suffered the consequences. However, the game itself was not an accurate representation of the team the Ravens have. Baltimore’s offense sputtered throughout the game and looked a lot closer to the one that gave away in 2017 than the revitalized one that currently ranks 11th in total offense per game. The biggest problems were that these mishaps came in key moments as well.
Joe Flacco threw a game-altering interception halfway through the second quarter on the Browns two-yard line with a chance to put the Ravens up 10. A field goal was blocked before the half and Michael Crabtree dropped the would-be game-winning touchdown with just a minute left in regulation. They were also an awful four of 16 on third down.
Despite the loss and overall sloppiness of the game, there were some positives to come out of the matchup in Cleveland. The defense still looked stout, allowing under 15 points for the third straight week, racked up five sacks, and didn’t allow a run of over 17 yards. Mayfield was under pressure the entire game and the Ravens pass rush looked a lot hungrier with the return of Willie Henry on the defensive line and Jimmy Smith (though limited) back in the secondary. The Ravens have also still not surrendered a touchdown in the second half of any game in 2018.
It was an unusual game in Cleveland but there is no reason for the Ravens to panic.
The Matchup in Tennessee
The Ravens travel to Tenessee to face a Titans team that already has victories over the Jacksonville Jaguars and the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. None of Tennessee’s results have been completely convincing as each game they’ve played in has been decided by just one score and the Titans backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert featured in two of the five games. Marcus Mariota dealt with injury problems early in the year and has only thrown for over 130 yards in one of his four starts. He has also thrown four interceptions to just two touchdowns on the year. This is something the Ravens will pray he continues to do against their fully charged secondary.
Coming into week six, the Ravens and Titans share a couple things in common. Their secondaries are both playing extremely well, both teams are keeping opponents out of the end zone, and their offenses have both been inconsistent. The Ravens and Titans both sit in the top three for points allowed and top seven in yards against, meaning that Sunday’s matchup will likely come down to whose offense can have the most success. For the Ravens, they have to correct the fundamental mistakes they made against the Browns.
One of the biggest keys to the Ravens claiming a win in Tennessee will be their ability to establish a running game. Lead back Alex Collins has only run more than 12 times in a single game once to this point and he is yet to eclipse 70 yards in a single game. If Collins is to breakout this season, this will be the game to do it. Tennessee’s defense has been abysmal against the run, allowing an average of 123.2 yards on the ground per game. Notwithstanding, they’ve only given up one score on the ground all year.
.@Budda03 talks about the running game. pic.twitter.com/GlLRWS2Jmo
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 10, 2018
Keys to a Ravens victory: win the turnover battle, establish a run game, dominate the trenches
Why This Is a Must Win
Even if the trend of the Ravens going 3-3 the last two seasons and missing the playoffs is a coincidence, it will not be easy to stay .500 in the games that follow. After Tenessee, the Ravens get a gauntlet of playoff teams: New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, bye week, and Cincinnati Bengals. None of those four teams is sub .500 on the season, three are home games, and two are against division rivals. They share five losses between the four of them. It is entirely possible the Raven’s could sweep this series of games (though unlikely) but each of these teams provides a tough, unique challenge and will not roll over.
If the Ravens overcome the Titans and go 1-3 in their next four games, they would still end up at 5-5 with six games left in the season. That’s not optimal, but a lot stronger of a position than being 4-6.
The matchup in Tennessee is not so important because it is a statement game for Baltimore but because it will dictate how the Ravens have to approach the hardest chunk of their schedule for the remainder of the season. Win and you can most likely play from a position of strength for the rest of the regular season and into the playoffs. Lose and they will be fighting to remain at .500 or slightly above. It is also looking like they will have to jockey with the Bengals for the rest of the season. With a Cincinnati win against Pittsburgh and a Baltimore loss on Sunday, the Bengals would move a full two games up on the Ravens with a 2-0 record in the division.
The difference in the percentage of teams that make the playoffs at 4-2 as opposed to 3-3 is a whopping 23 percent.
Last Word
Baltimore has had to fight to get into the playoffs late in each of the past two seasons and have come up short both times. Even in 2014 – the last season Baltimore qualified for the postseason – it took a Week 17 win to get them into the playoffs after going 3-2. Though the Ravens won the Super Bowl as a four seed in 2012-13, it’s no secret that home-field advantage typically translates to playoff success in January. It’s time for the Ravens to make qualifying for the playoffs easier on themselves and it starts with a win against the Titans in Week Six.
