“This is the showdown that Ravens fans should want,” wrote Andrew Gillis of NBC Sports. “The Titans have by far the worst defense on the list, and with the Ravens’ attack improving each week, this can present confrontational problems for the Titans that allowed Baker Mayfield and Aaron Rodgers to handle them relatively easily.
“Coach Mike Vrabel will certainly have a plan for Lamar Jackson if the two meet, and [Derrick] Henry, paired with AJ Brown and Corey Davis, are not fun fights to deal with. But if the Ravens are healthy in high school, they must leave Nashville with a victory. It wouldn’t hurt the Ravens to avenge their defeat in last year’s playoffs. “
Experts believe the Ravens can exploit a defense of the Titans that allows a total of 394.4 yards per game and 122.5 run yards per game this season. Since Tennessee’s victory in overtime against Baltimore in week 11, they have allowed opponents to score 25 points or more in four of the last six games of the regular season.
“Tennessee is more of a pick your poison team than the one that won in Baltimore last year,” wrote Peter King of NBC Sports. “For the Ravens, one of the most prolific racing games in history (403 yards in Cincinnati) is a preview of how I think they are going to play. I will be surprised if Baltimore doesn’t try to keep its distance and execute it on 60 percent of the sockets . “
On the other hand, the Ravens are finding their pace offensively. They raced for a franchise record of 404 yards in the victory over Bengals. The combination of JK Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Mark Ingram II caused the greenhouse effect in the opposite defenses.
“The Titans narrowly defeated the Ravens in Week 11, but they shouldn’t be looking forward to a rematch,” wrote Kristopher Knox of the Bleacher Report. “With Jackson returning to MVP form, Baltimore is able to carry out a balanced offensive attack, which Tennessee has struggled with.
“… A Titans-Baltimore game can turn into a shuttle shootout. While this is not necessarily ideal for any team in the postseason, it can be totally disastrous for the Titans.”
In Week 11, the Ravens had a 21-16 lead with 2:18 remaining in the fourth quarter, before Brown broke free from several defenders to score in a 14-yard touchdown. Then Henry won for the Titans in overtime with a 29-yard touchdown run.
Despite the threat from Henry, Brown and the Tennessee attack, a vulnerable unit on the other side of the ball gives analysts confidence in a Ravens team that is peaking at the right time.
“Baltimore continues to win with his style, maturing from a team that was more concerned with overcoming his opponent and becoming one who stubbornly – and effectively – clings to what he does best: running football,” Nick Shook of NFL.com wrote . “Baltimore proved last month that it can and will exercise its will in the opposing defenses, and it is up to the opposition to stop the race and restrain Jackson. No one has done that since week 11 (Jackson lost week 12), and led the Ravens to an excellent position as a wild card team, with the chance to make a good move. “