Titans vs Ravens: Crucial Game For Different Reasons

As the Tennessee Titans are on the road this Sunday taking on the Baltimore Ravens, this is a crucial game for both teams, if for different reasons.

For the Ravens, who are 5-4 and currently sitting dead last in the AFC North, a win against the 2-6 Titans is crucial if they hope to have much of a chance for the playoffs this season. They’ve lost the last two games in a row, and there is a definite sense of urgency in Baltimore.

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That urgency is even more of a reason when playing a team like the Titans, who cannot seem to do much of anything right. A loss for the Ravens wouldn’t devastate their plans mathematically, but it would be a huge mental let-down.

Raven’s GM Ozzie Newsome has proved quite adept in the past at making last-minute moves, and moves at just the right time with people to help the Ravens snap back and play competitively when it matters.

They’ve had super bowl success in years where they’ve struggled, but where they’ve made key player changes to turn the tide. In short, no team should rule out the Ravens as a definite threat.

After the Pittsburgh Steelers smoked the Titans last Sunday 43-23, Newsome and Co. made some immediate player changes.

Newsome replaced Cornerbacks Dominique Franks and Chykie Brown with Tramain Jacobs and Danny Gorrer. That may not matter against the Titans, but it could make a huge difference against tough passing attacks going forward for the Ravens defense.

For Tennessee, every game is crucial, but not for playoff hopes. Every game is crucial to fully test Zach Mettenberger to see if he is the future for this Titan’s rebuilding effort. That’s about as plain as it gets!

I don’ t personally expect Mettenberger to ever play really well, but I will allow he can play well with the right coaching, right mental tweaks, and if he can just grow up!

Also, with adequate protection, he’s certainly capable of playing as well as anyone else on this Titans team. This and every remaining game is crucial for those tests.

Keys For Baltimore

Secondary Defense: The Ravens play well against the run, and that will be no mean feat against the Titans, but they have had major issues stopping the pass.

The recent changes the Ravens made at cornerback could pay dividents, but if not, Titans fans could see Zach Mettenberger have a deceptively good game.

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Zach hasn’t been stellar so far, but his arm is good. If he can get good protection, he can have good passing success, especially with receivers like Justin Hunter, Kendall Wright, and Delanie Walker.

Keep Up The Ground Game: Despite some defensive weakness, the Raven’s ground game has been much improved, and Justin Forsett has been a breath of fresh air, rated 5th in the NFL in rushing.

The Titans are capable of stopping the run, but have shown glaring weakness at that this year, and so the Ravens need to run Forsett right at the Titan’s O-Line. If Forsett can run down hill all day, it will be a long one for Tennessee.

Don’t Change Your Routes: One of the Titan’s few strengths is in the secondary, so the Ravens need to keep doing what they’ve done this season – going with mostly short passing routes for Joe Flacco.

Baltimore now runs a nice zone blocking scheme combined with short to intermediate routes that has made Flacco better, helped protect him more, and it’s working, despite their deceptive 5-6 record.

You’ll hear people criticize Flacco’s lack of big numbers this year, but this Raven’s offense is more balanced than it has been in years, and are just adjusting to some changes. They need to stay the course, and not change much offensively!

Keys For Tennessee

O-Line Must Step It Up: While Taylor Lewan has been good, Michael Oher, Chance Warmack, and Andy Levitre have not.

They’ll need to play better today not just to protect Zach Mettenberger and allow him to have some success against a shaky Raven’s secondary, but also to open up holes for the Titan’s ground game.

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None of that will be an easy task against Baltimore defensive players like Terrel Suggs and Elvis Dumervil.

Dual Ground Threat: Bishop Sankey will have to have an above average game today, even if the Titan’s O-Line is again mediocre. He’ll need to be proactive in looking for open holes, keeping his feet moving, and making opportunities.

Coach Ken Whisenhunt has said that Shonn Greene will be back in the lineup as well, and if they can set up any degree of a dual threat, that will make things a touch easier against a Ravens team that tends to shut down running games.

Zach Has To Be Good: You know Zach Mettenberger will get pressure all day long, and he’ll have to play better. It may not be fair to say that with his O-Line, but he needs to realize every snap for him is a test. Play like it.

Final Truth

Even though this is a crucial game for both teams, I don’t expect the Titans to win this one.

Despite some shakiness in their secondary, the Ravens are making changes. They are good at that when it counts, and they will play like a team itching to erase those last two losses. It’s crucial for them, and I expect them to come through.

The Titans will want to play better, and I hope they will, but I don’t honestly think they have it in them.

I have the Ravens winning this one, 28-17.

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