Titans vs. Ravens: TV Schedule, Odds, Ticket Info, Game Time and More
January 9, 2020
For all those NFL fans who love the ground-and-pound, the divisional-round game between the Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans on Saturday is must-see TV.
The Titans are riding high on their upset 20-13 wild-card win over the New England Patriots, while the Ravens should be well-rested after a bye week.
Both teams are known for running the ball, and both can be electric while doing so. Baltimore boasts a dual-threat quarterback in the dynamic Lamar Jackson, while Tennessee's Derrick Henry has been hard to stop or bring down out of the backfield.
With the defending champs out, the path to the Super Bowl is wide-open, and the Ravens and the Titans will be out to prove they deserve their shot at the big time.
Titans vs. Ravens Information
Date: Saturday, January 11
Start Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Ticket Info: Available tickets for Saturday's game can be found on StubHub.
Odds (via Caesars): Baltimore -10; Over/Under: 46.5
Keep Running Away?
Both of these teams know how to run the ball.
During the regular season, the Ravens lead the league with 206 rushing yards per game. That was largely because of Baltimore's dynamic tandem of Jackson and Mark Ingram II.
Jackson ran for 1,206 yards and Ingram ran for 1,018, good for 6th and 11th best in the NFL, respectively.
Not to be outdone, Titans running back Henry claimed this year's rushing title with 1,540 yards.
Henry is coming off of an impressive playoff performance, punishing New England with 182 total yards and one touchdown on 34 carries.
Fun fact: those 182 rushing yards were the most ever recorded against the Patriots in a playoff game during the Bill Belichick era.
The Ravens had the fifth-best defense against the rush this season, allowing just 93.4 yards per game, but they will have their hands full with Henry. At 6'3", 247 pounds, he's a huge back and, once he gets going, he's like a battering ram.
If Baltimore wants to punch its ticket to the AFC Championship Game, it will have to thwart Henry and make Ryan Tannehill an inefficient passer.
For Tennessee, stopping Ingram and Jackson has to be paramount.
That could mean forcing Jackson to throw, but he's improved steadily over the course of the year as a passer, increasing the chances that that game plan could backfire.
The Ravens also led the league in time of possession (34.47), so the Titans will have to keep Baltimore's offense off the field for as long as possible. Jackson has a penchant for misdirection plays, so if Tennessee can't keep up, it'll be a long game.
Ingram missed practice on Tuesday and is listed as "day-to-day" because of his calf injury but still has a chance to play Saturday, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport.
If he doesn't suit up, expect Gus Edwards, who carried the ball 133 times for 711 yards and two touchdowns, to get the start.
"I'm prepared for whatever they give me," Edwards told Ryan Mink of the team's official site. "I'm hoping it's a lot. I like to carry the ball. I've just got to get my mind ready, my body ready, and I'll be ready when my name is called."
Either way, this will be a game of runs, and the team that gains the most yards on the ground will advance.
Battle of the Heismans
This game will feature five Heisman winners: Ingram (2009), Robert Griffin III (2011), Marcus Mariota (2014), Henry (2015) and Jackson (2016).
The Ravens have three, and the Titans have two.
It remains to be seen whether Griffin and Mariota will play Saturday, but it's still worth noting the level of talent both teams will bring to M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
It's also worth mentioning that all three of the past winners who will most likely play the lion's share of minutes are known for running the ball.
Henry is outnumbered in this scenario, but he's enough of a force to make it a fair fight.
"I think I explained that after the [win over the Patriots] on Saturday," Henry told Jim Wyatt of the team website. "I just say, 'Why not us?,' and keep the underdog mentality and just keep pushing."
But if Ingram and Jackson erupt for massive gains, the Ravens will make the oddsmakers look very smart.
Follow Maurice on Twitter, @ReeseReport.