No, I didn’t get the title wrong. From my observations of the Titans/Ravens showdown yesterday – granted, I’m no expert – it looked like the Titans stole the Ravens identity. They were as physical as the Ray Lewis Ravens of yesteryear. It showed in many ways.
Way #1: 0 for 3 in 4th down conversions (Was it 0-for-3 or 0-for-4?). That stat was a proxy for the Titan “D” line consistently stuffing the run and refusing to be blown off the line. Of course, it’s easier to do if your offense is constantly chewing 7-8 minutes of the clock at a time. Plenty of time for the “D” folks to rest, and the Ravens’ defense to tire from all the Henry pounding.
Way #2: 2nd-and-4 beats 2nd-and-8 anytime. Wow, Derrick Henry is a pure phenom. Cutback blocking, timely cuts, and monster size and speed creates havoc. The Titans forced the Ravens to the line of scrimmage leaving spot throws deep downfield. In that way, a journeyman like the Titans’ Ryan Tannehill would seem like an all-pro.
Way #3: Don’t rest your scatback quarterback in week 17. Such quarterbacks get off-stride and lose their rhythm and spontaneity after 3 weeks of … not much. In the game, Lamar Jackson was continually off-target. His on-the-cuff decisions were poor and lacked instantaneous recognition. These are essential attributes for an offense defined by all things Jackson.
Way #4: Was it me or did it seem like the Ravens were much more frequently on the ground with injury timeouts? The Titans hit harder and more consistently throughout the game. Mike Vrabel and staff had their guys ready. Indeed, what was to come appeared the week before when they dismantled the Patriots.
Just some passing thoughts on the game. What do you think?
RogerG