Team Grades: Ravens Defense Steps Up Against Titans
By Samuel Njoku
After two weeks of grueling division contests on the road, the Ravens could use some home cooking. They got it when the Tennessee Titans came to town on Sunday afternoon. The Raves continued their success at M&T Bank Stadium with a 21-7 victory.
Offense Grade: C
You’d think that the Ravens would have an easier time moving the ball against the Titans than the Steelers or Bengals. But you’d be wrong. The Ravens really struggled to move the ball against the Tennessee Titans. Baltimore receivers once again struggled to find separation from the opposing defensive backs. Steve Smith is starting to look every bit of the age of 37. Maybe he can’t perform at a high level for a full season, or maybe teams have figured out how to cover him. Regardless, his lack of presence on the field made it difficult for Baltimore on third down. Torrey Smith was the primary receiver on Sunday, but he had drops that kept him from really owning this game.
The right side of the Ravens offensive line had an uncharacteristic day against the Titans. Rick Wagner and Marshal Yanda struggled against the Titans front 7 and their play really made for an uneven performance by the offense. Justin Forsett did help make the run game a factor. He rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns.
Defense Grade: B
The Ravens secondary has been a cause for concern since the season started, but for at least one week, they came to play. Of course it came against the Titans offense, but it’s a start. Frankly, Baltimore’s defensive backs struggled early against Zack Mettenberger. He made some big time throws and took control of things in the first quarter. But the last three quarters belonged to the Ravens. Danny Gorrer sealed the deal with a pick in the fourth quarter. It’s only the second interception by a defensive back this season for the Ravens.
The Ravens front 7 were the real heroes in this game. They made life difficult for Mettenberger and the Titans offensive line. Elvis Dumervil continued his Pro Bowl campaign with 2.5 sacks that brought his total up to 10.5 on the season. Terrell Suggs had 1.5 sacks of his own making this tandem of pass rushers one of the best in the NFL. Haloti Ngata may have an uncertain future in Baltimore, but he’s played well in recent weeks.
Quarterback Grade: C-
To put it bluntly, Joe Flacco played some pretty bad football on Sunday. Tennessee came up with a plan to not only limit his time on the field, but also make life difficult for him when he did enter the gridiron. Some of that has to do with the struggles of his receiving corps, but a lot of it has to do with Joe’s issues moving the football down the field. His accuracy has really dipped over the last few weeks. Teams are starting to figure out how to attack Flacco in Kubiak’s new scheme. He’s tried to compensate by taking more shots down the field, but that approach has severely dropped his level of play. In today’s league, 169 yards of total passing is unacceptable.
During the bye, it’ll be interesting to see if the Ravens try to incorporate more shotgun formations into the offense. It will give Flacco a better view of the opposing defense and will lead to better decision making for the QB.
Special Teams Grade: B
Sam Koch was called upon to contribute in the battle of field position and he didn’t disappoint. Though he struggled a bit in the first half, his unorthodox punts pinned the Titans back on a few occasions. Jacoby Jones was a no factor and Justin Tucker connected on all 3 extra points.
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.
