Opponent Profile: Ravens Head Back Home To Battle Titans
By Samuel Njoku
The Ravens lost a second straight game against a divisional opponent when they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 43-23 on Sunday night. Now they’ll focus to a matchup outside the AFC North when they go up against the Tennessee Titans.
Titans on Offense:
The Titans are still a young team looking for an identity. Their (2-6) record suggests they have a long way to go. The offense begins with their rookie QB Zach Mettenberger who has had a tough time against opposing defenses. The Ravens know this and will take advantage. Baltimore has had tough matchups against some pretty impressive signal callers. Because of this, they’ve been careful not to leave their struggling secondary in vulnerable situations.
But the Ravens likely won’t be able to pass up the opportunity to send the house against Mettenberger. So far, the Titans QB has struggled to be effective against the blitz. Some of that has to do with the limited number of weapons he has to work with. Regardless of this fact, if he doesn’t prove that he can handle the blitz, expect the Ravens to send it all game long. With Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs on the field, it could be a long day for the Titans offense.
Titans on Defense:
The Titans offense has struggled this season, but their defense hasn’t done the team any favors this year either. Headed by Michael Griffin and Kamerion Wimbley, the Titans boast a defense that ranks in the bottom half of the NFL. The Ravens won’t have quite the same problems they had against what appeared to be a rejuvenated Steelers pass rush, but it would be foolish to underestimate the Titans ability to get after the quarterback. Tennessee currently has 23 sacks in 2014 which is good for 8th best in the NFL. Baltimore will look to get back to running the football to control the time of possession. The Ravens know Flacco plays best when the run game is working. If Forsett can get things going early, Baltimore will have a much easier time moving the ball down the field. Both Steve and Torrey Smith will look to get back on track against a decent secondary. Expect Jason McCourty to spend most of the day on Torrey Smith as big plays down the field could end this one early.
Titans Coaching:
This is Ken Whisenhunt’s first year as the head coach for the Tennessee Titans. He was formerly the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2007 to 2012. He led the Cardinals to the Super Bowl in 2008 where they eventually fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ravens are tied with the Titans 10-10 which include 3 playoff games.
For more Ravens news and updates, visit Ravens Central.
Samuel Njoku was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Samuel has covered the Ravens for Examiner.com since 2010. Prior to 2010, Samuel was an avid blogger and radio personality in Salisbury, MD. Samuel Njoku is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.
