Titans vs. Ravens: Complete Week 10 Preview for Baltimore
The Baltimore Ravens will look to rebound in Week 10 when they play host to the Tennessee Titans. Currently on a two-game losing streak, Baltimore is in desperate need of a win to stay in the hunt in the AFC North.
Sitting at 5-4, the Ravens are still within striking distance of the 5-2-1 Cincinnati Bengals atop the division. However, recent losses to the Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers have the Ravens in last place in the division.
Baltimore is coming off a 43-23 loss at Pittsburgh in Week 9, a game that saw the Steelers go on a 29-3 run after Baltimore took an early 7-0 lead in the game.
That was also the Ravens' third division loss this year, putting them at 2-3 in AFC North play. With just one game left against the Cleveland Browns, the best Baltimore can finish is .500 in the division.
That's not what the Ravens were hoping for when they began the year 5-2 and looked like the best team in the division. Injuries, poor play and struggling on the road have been the primary culprits for Baltimore's skid.
Thankfully, a team that is struggling much more than the Ravens is coming to town when the 2-6 Titans visit Baltimore on Sunday.
Here is my preview of the game.
Week 9 Recap
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When the Steelers hosted the Ravens in Week 9, Baltimore was just mere percentage points behind the Bengals for the lead in the AFC North.
However, after a blowout loss to Pittsburgh, the Ravens left Week 9 in last place in the division. The two teams faced off in Week 2 on Thursday Night Football, where Baltimore won a 26-6 defensive struggle.
Like in Week 2, the Ravens got off to a fast start after Joe Flacco hit Torrey Smith for a 53-yard touchdown to put Baltimore ahead 7-0 on just its second offensive possession.
The game would turn, however, when rookie running back Lorenzo Taliaferro fumbled the ball as the Ravens were driving into Pittsburgh territory in the middle of the second quarter.
Steelers cornerback Brice McCain recovered the fumble and returned it to the Ravens 30-yard line. Just like that, momentum had swung in favor of Pittsburgh. Ben Roethlisberger would eventually hit running back Le'Veon Bell for a five-yard score to tie the game at 7-7.
On the ensuing Ravens possession, Flacco threw an interception. Big Ben then hit Martavis Bryant for a 19-yard score to put Pittsburgh up 14-7. The Ravens would respond with a drive that ended in a Justin Tucker field goal to put the score at 14-10.
On the ensuing drive, Roethlisberger hit Markus Wheaton for a 39-yard touchdown throw to put the Steelers up 21-10, which would be the score going into halftime.
From there, Pittsburgh would take command of the game after receiver Antonio Brown caught a 54-yard touchdown from Roethlisberger to put Pittsburgh ahead 29-10. The Steelers would go on to win the game 43-23 after both teams traded scores in the third and fourth quarters.
The closest Baltimore ever got was 29-17, as the Ravens were thoroughly whipped once Pittsburgh took control.
News and Notes
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Jimmy Smith out for Season
The Ravens will be without their No. 1 cornerback for the remainder of the 2014 NFL season. That's because Jimmy Smith suffered a foot injury in Week 8 that will require surgery to repair.
“The plan for Jimmy was to do more testing once swelling subsided. With this exam, doctors decided he needed surgery,” head coach John Harbaugh said, via Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.
Smith took over as the No. 1 cornerback for Baltimore during the preseason, and he was thriving in that role before his injury. In eight games, Smith had just 20 passes completed against him for a mere 163 yards, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
Without Smith in the lineup against the Steelers in Week 9, Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw six touchdowns. Though Smith can't cover the entire field, he would have helped limit the Steelers passing game.
As it is, the Ravens are left with Lardarius Webb and Asa Jackson, once he returns, to start at cornerback.
Asa Jackson Return Nears
As for the aforementioned Jackson, the veteran cornerback is set to come off the injured reserve-recall list after spending the past two months there with a severely sprained toe.
His return is approaching, and the Ravens desperately need him for their depleted cornerback unit.
"I'll be out of the boot soon," Jackson said, via The Baltimore Sun. "I'm looking forward to that and getting back into game shape. I've been doing a lot of pool work and a lot of riding the bike right now. I'm trying to stay in shape. I'm feeling better every day. I've been lifting five days a week. I'm getting stronger."
Jackson isn't eligible to return to practice until Week 13. He can then play in Week 15 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, followed by games against the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns.
He's played in five games this year with four starts, notching 19 tackle and one pass deflection. At this point, he would be a huge boost to the pass defense.
Injury Report
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Name | Position | Injury | Wed | Thu | Fri | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Campanaro, Michael | WR | Thigh | DNP | DNP | - | - |
Daniels, Owen | TE | NIR | - | DNP | - | - |
Smith, Daryl | LB | NIR | - | DNP | - | - |
Smith, Jimmy | CB | Foot | DNP | Out | - | - |
Smith Sr., Steve | WR | NIR | - | DNP | - | - |
Yanda, Marshal | G/T | Knee | DNP | FP | - | - |
Zuttah, Jeremy | G/C | Ankle | DNP | FP | - | - |
DNP = Did not participate in practice
LP = Limited participation in practice - Less than 100 percent of a player's normal repetitions
FP = Full participation - 100 percent of a player's normal repetitions
As mentioned before, cornerback Jimmy Smith will not play this week, as he's expected to have surgery that will cause him to miss the rest of the season.
Receiver Steve Smith didn't practice on Wednesday, but it was just a veteran's rest day. He's expected to suit up this week and start versus the Titans.
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Matchups to Watch
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WR Steve Smith Sr. vs. CB Jason McCourty
The Ravens' top receiver will get a good challenge this week when Steve Smith goes up against Titans cornerback Jason McCourty.
Smith, in his first year with Baltimore, leads the team in receptions (46), yards (711) and first downs (28). He's been the MVP of the offense, and Baltimore's passing game has relied heavily on him.
The Titans will look to stop that with McCourty lining up against Smith. However, McCourty has struggled this year as the team's No. 1 corner, and he'll have a tough day covering Smith one-on-one.
According to Pro Football Focus, McCourty has surrendered 43 catches for 615 yards but has yet to give up a touchdown. He's also picked off two passes.
Smith vs. McCourty will determine how well the passing game does in this game and could go a long way in determining the winner as well.
RT Michael Oher vs. OLB Elvis Dumervil
The Ravens lost starting right tackle Michael Oher in free agency this offseason after he signed with the Titans. This will be the first time he faces his former team, and he could be key to Baltimore controlling this game.
Oher has struggled for Tennessee this year, allowing 19 quarterback hurries and four sacks, according to Pro Football Focus. The Ravens will look to expose him with linebacker Elvis Dumervil coming off the edge.
Dumervil leads the Ravens in sacks (10) and is second in QB hurries (16), according to Pro Football Focus. The fact that Dumervil and the Ravens are familiar with Oher should help them to capitalize on his weaknesses even more.
The Ravens can take control of the Titans if Dumervil can consistently pressure the quarterback and disrupt the offense.
Prediction
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The Ravens are tired of losing, and after a rough two-game road trip, they'll be back in the friendly confines of M&T Bank Stadium this week, hosting a Titans squad that has lost two straight and six of seven contests.
Baltimore is still very much in contention for the AFC North or, at the very least, a spot in the NFL playoffs. The Ravens will take command of this game early and won't allow Tennessee any breathing room.
The Ravens go with a run-heavy attack versus Tennessee's 28th-ranked run defense to control the clock and time-of-possession battle.
On defense, Baltimore terrorizes rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger, who is making just his second career NFL start. The Ravens account for more than 400 yards of total offense, while Tennessee barely reaches 200 total yards in a game that Baltimore leads wire-to-wire.
Prediction: Ravens 34, Titans 13
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