The 11-5 Baltimore Ravens will travel to Nashville on Sunday to take on the 11-5 Tennessee Titans in what could turn out to be one of the most unpredictable matchups of the NFL‘s Wild Card weekend. The Titans beat the Ravens 30-24 in the regular season but the Ravens are peaking at the right time and Lamar Jackson is anxious to right the wrongs from his last playoff performance.
Ravens vs Titans Betting Odds
- Spread: Ravens -3 (-128) | Titans +3 (+104)
- Total: Over 44.5 (-110) | Under 44.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Ravens -184 | Titans +154
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook as of Thursday, January 7 (3:00 PM ET)
Tennessee Titans News & Notes
The Tennessee Titans are 3-2 straight up in their last five games, but their only big win in that stretch is a 45-26 blowout against the Lions. In their latest game, the Titans sealed their AFC South victory in a 41-38 triumph against the Houston Texans in which they were danger of losing after blowing a 20-point lead.
Baltimore Ravens News & Notes
As for the Baltimore Ravens, they’re riding the momentum of a five game-win streak, that oddsmakers are predicting they’ll run to six. The Ravens best performance during their winning run was a 47-42 battle with the Browns that tested both their offense and defense. Fortunately for Baltimore, they had a great running game that resulted in a combined five rushing touchdowns from three different players that day
The Biggest Factors for Ravens vs Titans
One big factor is the running game, which both teams have been known for throughout the regular season. For the Titans, they have Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill, who have combined for 11 rushing touchdowns in the last five games. Compare that to the tandem of Lamar Jackson and JK Dobbins, who have 10 rushing touchdowns between them.
This means that a lot of this matchup could come down to the running game, and who is able to impose their will on the other team. The last time these two teams played, though, it took a combination of Tannehill’s throwing and Henry’s running to keep the Ravens at bay. Whether this will happen a second time remains to be seen, but Jackson and Dobbins seem like a formidable duo as well.
Another big factor will be the passing game and who can be the more effective throughout the game. Despite Tannehill throwing a costly interception in their last meeting, he was still able to throw 2 touchdowns to Lamar Jackson’s 1 in that game. Jackson also didn’t manage a rushing touchdown, leaving everything on J.K Dobbins. if the Titans can force that situation again, they could come away with the win.
With the struggle that Lamar Jackson and the Ravens have had getting down the field against the Titans in mind, it looks like history could repeat itself. Of course, some will claim Jackson has gotten better since that last meeting, and he has, but not enough to beat the Titans. The tandem of Tannehill and Derrick Henry is just too much to handle, which could make this a win for Tennessee.
Ravens vs Titans: Final Thoughts
Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill are a dangerous tandem and could end up overwhelming the Baltimore Ravens. Although some might think the Ravens have fixed their defensive issues, especially with a scoring record of 186-89, they have not really been up against quality opponents Keep in mind they faced the Jaguars, Texans, Giants and Bengals, who are all some of the worst teams in the league.
In the end, you would be much better off going against the spread and investing in the Tennessee Titans defense. They already proved they can hold Lamar Jackson to subpar performances before, and very well could do so again. Beyond that, Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill are the best running combo in the game right now. Put your money on the Titans in this one.