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Baltimore Is Unanimous Pick to Beat Tennessee
Derrick Henry facing his former team for the first time is the most obvious storyline for Sunday’s game between the Ravens and Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium, but it’s not the only notable subplot.
First and foremost, the Ravens are looking to end a four-game home losing streak. They haven’t won in Baltimore since before last Thanksgiving and have dropped seven of their past 10 games at home.
The Ravens’ injury-riddled offensive line has also been a talking point this week, as rookie right guard Vega Ioane is set to make his first start at center. The makeshift unit will go up against the Titans’ strong defensive interior, which is led by three-time All-Pro defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons.
Even with the Ravens’ offensive line issues, oddsmakers and pundits expect them to handle the Titans (0-3). Baltimore (2-1), coming off a thrilling victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil, is favored by 11.5 points, and all 52 of the pundits we sampled picked the Ravens to win.
Here’s what pundits are saying about the game:
The Ravens will finally protect their house.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: “If the Ravens can’t beat the Tennessee Titans at home, they may never win at M&T Bank Stadium again. They don’t do anything easily, but they should handle the Titans.”
The Ravens will win big.
USA Today’s Nicholas Brinkerhoff: “This shouldn’t be close. Baltimore is on another level and Tennessee must have some buyer’s remorse after a failed spending spree this offseason. Jesse Minter’s group will be eager to avoid repeating what happened last time in Baltimore when they collapsed in the fourth quarter against New Orleans. The Titans have no answer for Lamar Jackson or Derrick Henry and no ability to keep up if this turns into a shootout. The Ravens win this in blowout fashion.”
Then again, the game could be closer than expected.
The Athletic’s Vic Tafur: “The Ravens could easily roll over the Titans, but the combination of jet lag and the possibility of looking ahead to a Sunday night game gives us pause. Plus, the Titans are due to show up. In addition to not being any good, they were lifeless in Weeks 1 and 3 but had some pride in a close loss to the Eagles in Week 2.”
History suggests expectations for Henry in this game should be tempered.
NFL.com’s Jeremy Bergman: “Derrick Henry’s first meeting with his former team isn’t necessarily a ‘revenge game.’ After all, he left the Titans in 2024 as they downsized, and little of the regime that ‘shipped’ him out remains. That fact won’t stop Henry from trying to run all over Tennessee on Sunday afternoon. History, however, may be against Henry; no player has ever rushed for at least 100 yards against a team with which he recorded at least 9,000 career rushing yards. Plus, the Titans, for all their faults in this season’s early going, have been competitive against the run, allowing just 3.6 yards per attempt. When Henry plows into the teeth of the Titans front on Sunday, Jeffery Simmons has vowed to ‘hit his ass.'”
The Ravens defense could feast.
The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker: “This certainly feels like the type of game where the Ravens should be able to force turnovers and coax Titans second-year quarterback Cam Ward into costly mistakes. Through three games, the former No. 1 overall pick, already on his second coaching staff, has completed 62.5% of his passes for 504 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He has also taken five sacks and is at the center of an offense that ranks 30th in points and 31st in yards. Baltimore’s defense ranks 14th in yards, 21st in points and 15th in takeaways per game. But a struggling Tennessee offense should give Baltimore a chance to improve those numbers.”
The Baltimore Banner’s Childs Walker: “Put it this way: If Jesse Minter’s defense struggles to contain this offense for four quarters, then we know there’s something to worry about.”
Bold prediction: Henry will record at least 40 receiving yards.
ESPN’s Seth Walder: “The Titans play a very zone-heavy defense, which encourages more RB receptions. And though Henry isn’t known for his receiving prowess, when he does catch passes, they tend to result in significant chunks of yards.”
Here’s what pundits predicted for Ravens-Titans:
ESPN: 11 of 11 panelists pick Ravens / NA
Baltimore Banner: 5 of 5 panelists pick Ravens / “If the Ravens don’t get off to a fast start at home, they could be playing with fire against a double-digit underdog. The Titans have eight first-half first downs. Eight. After halftime, they’ve been a better-than-average offense. The last thing the Ravens want to do is trust this remade interior to hold up against Jeffery Simmons on a gotta-have-it third-and-long.” – Jonas Shaffer
USA Today: 6 of 6 panelists pick Ravens / NA
NFL.com: 5 of 5 panelists pick Ravens / “Tennessee’s main issue remains Cam Ward, the offense and its slow starts. The Titans should expect no relief against a Ravens outfit rejuvenated by its resounding win in Rio.” — Jeremy Bergman
NFL Network: 8 of 8 panelists pick Ravens / NA
Sporting News: Ravens 31, Titans 13 / “The Ravens are having some trouble finishing games. They survived the Cowboys after succumbing to the Saints. The Titans’ defense has played more inspired under Robert Saleh, but behind Jeffery Simmons there’s not enough to slow down Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry more than a handful of times.”— Vinnie Iyer
CBS Sports: 7 of 7 panelists pick Ravens / “This is the Derrick Henry Revenge game. The Titans let him walk three seasons ago, and Baltimore is glad they did. Look for Henry to be the focal point of the offense. The Titans are lifeless right now on offense and they are playing back-to-back road games. This won’t be pretty.” — Pete Prisco
Pro Football Talk: Ravens 30, Titans 17 / “Derrick Henry faces his former team for the first time. He’ll make them regret letting him go, if they don’t already. Making that task easier is that the Titans can’t get anything going. Coach Robert Saleh’s reference to quarterback Cam Ward’s sacks-induced PTSD means that the clock in his brain is running out before the walls close in on a given play. That likely won’t be cured against the Ravens’ defense in Baltimore.”— Mike Florio
Sports Illustrated: 8 of 8 panelists pick Ravens / NA
Derrick Mason Says Zay Flowers Will Go Down as Ravens’ Best-Ever Wide Receiver
Derrick Mason, who played for the Ravens from 2005-10, is widely regarded as the greatest wide receiver in franchise history. His 471 receptions and 5,777 receiving yards with the Ravens are second to only tight end Mark Andrews.
However, Mason believes Zay Flowers is on track to surpass him as the franchise’s top wide receiver.
“Honestly, if you’re talking about stats or anything, undoubtedly, he will be the best receiver that the Baltimore Ravens have had,” Mason said on “Glenn Clark Radio.” “I think he and I played the game the same way, an aggressive way. Played bigger than what you were, and just tried to do everything you possibly could on the field to make sure that you put the team in the best position to win.”
Flowers ranks second in career receptions (247) and third in career receiving yards (3,362) among Ravens wide receivers. He needs 230 yards to move past Torrey Smith into second place.
Mason also had high praise for Henry.
“He will probably go down as the greatest runner of the football,” Mason said. “Not necessarily the greatest running back, because that encompasses a lot of things, but I think he may go down as the greatest runner ever to play in the NFL.”
Mason can identify with how Henry is feeling playing against his old team for the first time. Mason spent eight seasons in Tennessee before signing with the Ravens.
“There’s this bittersweet thing going on,” Mason said. “But make no doubt about it. Once the coin is flipped and they kick that ball off, I’m sure for Derrick it’s all about the Baltimore Ravens and winning that game.”
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