Reasons the Titans Can Win Against Each AFC Playoff Team
By Brady Akins
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens earned the top seed in the AFC, putting together the best record in the NFL at 14-2 after winning 12 straight games. Nobody in football has been hotter than the Ravens, but that doesn’t mean they’re not without their weaknesses.
In fact, the Titans might be the best AFC playoff team to exploit the weaker elements of Baltimore’s game. The Ravens are probably the most “complete” team in football, but one area where Baltimore does struggle compared to their typical dominance is in their run defense.
Despite allowing the fourth-fewest total rushing yards in the NFL, the Ravens are allowing on average 4.4 yards per carry, the 12th most in the league. Most recently, Baltimore struggled to slow down the Pittsburgh Steelers’ second-string running back Benny Snell Jr, who managed 91 yards on just 18 carries.
It goes without saying for Titans fans, that the strength of the offense is in the running game. Since Week 10, Tennessee’s rushing attack has been one of the best in the NFL. Derrick Henry has re-established himself as a star, earning the NFL’s rushing title after a 211-yard game brought his season total to 1,540.
If Tennessee is able to get Henry going early and get him the ball often, it could give the Titans a real shot at being just the third team to beat the Ravens all season. Baltimore’s two regular-season losses have come in games where they allowed their highest and fourth-highest rushing yard totals of the season. A strong focus on establishing the run has been other teams’ best bet at beating the Ravens all year, and nobody establishes the run like the Titans.