The Tennessee Titans have arrived in London with just a few days to go before their Week 6 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The consistently inconsistent Titans are once again looking for a bounce-back win after suffering another disappointing loss in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts.
But this time, it isn’t just the offense that needs to recover.
Tennessee’s defense was a big issue last week, also, as the defensive front got no pressure and was torched by Indy’s rushing attack, and the secondary was an absolute mess.
The Ravens are looking for a bounce-back game of their own after a drop-filled loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Baltimore pass-catchers dropped 10 passes in total, including multiple in the end zone.
As both teams prepare to play their second international game in franchise history, let’s take a look at the Titans’ reasons for optimism and concern in Week 6 against the Ravens.
Concern: A sluggish start
While the Ravens have had the whole week to get themselves acclimated to the time change in London after leaving on Monday morning, the Titans will only have a few days after making their way across the pond on Thursday night.
As we’ve seen so many times over the years, teams tend to start out sluggish and sometimes never recover, which is usually blamed on jet lag and an overall break in routine because of the long travel.
We saw that with the Atlanta Falcons in Week 4 and the Buffalo Bills in Week 5, and both of those teams took the same approach Tennessee did.
There’s no real science behind when the right time to leave for a London game is concerned, but one would assume the team with less time to get situated might have a tougher time on Sunday.
Optimism: The bounce-back kids
The Titans bounced back with impressive performances after each of their first two losses, so with Tennessee coming off another disappointing loss in Week 5, that means they’re due for a good game in Week 6.
Of course, the potential effects from the travel is a wild card here, but the last few years have shown us that the Titans’ most consistent quality is recovering after a bad loss.
Concern: Ravens' defense
This isn’t the old legendary Ravens defense the team sported in the early 2000s, but the group is off to a great start to the season, with Baltimore ranking third against the pass and seventh against the run.
The Ravens also have the second-most sacks (18) and sport the lowest opponent success rate in the red zone in the NFL (25 percent), which is the last thing a struggling red zone team like Tennessee wants to see.
While Tennessee’s passing attack has no doubt shown flashes and is certainly capable, the offensive line remains a concern, especially in this matchup. The run game has struggled mightily, mostly thanks to poor blocking, and this is anything but a get-right spot.
Optimism: Return of Teair Tart (maybe)
Tennessee’s defense was gashed by the run in Week 5, and now comes a matchup against the No. 4 rushing attack in the NFL. The difference this week, however, is the possibility that Teair Tart plays.
Tart, who sat out last week with a toe injury, has not practiced the first two days of the week but he did make the trip to London while three others were kept home and ruled out due to injury, so he’s got a shot to play.
While Tart’s absence certainly wasn’t the only reason the Titans’ run defense was bad, his return will no doubt help after most of the Colts’ rushing yards last week were up the middle.
Concern: QB Lamar Jackson
The Titans are well-versed in understanding Jackson’s ability to extend plays and pick up yardage with his legs, with Tennessee having faced the star quarterback three times (including playoffs) since the 2019 season.
In those three games, Jackson is averaging a whopping 110 rushing yards per contest, including two in which he broke the century mark. Amazingly, the Titans won two of those games.
Tennessee’s defense has to make sure it doesn’t let Jackson escape the pocket and pick up first downs with his legs, and instead has to force him to win this game with his arm. Jackson extending plays will also force an already shaky secondary to cover for longer periods of time, which is a recipe for disaster.
Optimism: Ravens' turnovers
Earlier this week, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel challenged his defense to create more turnovers, with Tennessee averaging less than one takeaway per game over its first five.
The Ravens have been one of the more giving teams in the NFL, with their eight giveaways ranking tied for eighth. Baltimore also has a turnover differential of -3, tied for 12th-worst.
This is a spot for Tennessee to find its mojo in the turnovers department, which would no doubt go a long way toward helping to win this game.
