The Baltimore Ravens need a clean one, and Week 4 sets up like the kind of game a struggling defense dreams about.
Baltimore has been stuck in a rough stretch, with the biggest issues showing up late in games. All week, the conversation around the defense has centered on composure in the fourth quarter, while head coach Jesse Minter and defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver have emphasized tackling. Against the Tennessee Titans, that talk has to turn into action.
The matchup could hardly be more inviting. Tennessee is 0-3, and the numbers behind that record are ugly. The Titans’ defense has held up, but the offense has been a mess from top to bottom, and Baltimore’s defense has to make sure it stays that way.
Talent hasn’t been the problem for the Ravens. Kyle Hamilton, Marlon Humphrey, and Nate Wiggins give them plenty to work with in the secondary, Roquan Smith and Trenton Simpson anchor the linebacker group, and there’s no shortage of ability on the defensive line. On paper, this should be one of the stronger units in the league.
That’s why the current level of play has been so frustrating. Jesse Minter is a defensive-minded coach, and at some point this group has to start translating that talent into consistent production. Week 4 is the obvious place to start.
The Titans’ offense has been one of the league’s weakest. Tennessee is averaging 249.3 total yards per game, which ranks 31st, along with 159.0 passing yards per game, 30th, and 90.3 rushing yards per game, 29th.
The protection numbers aren’t much better, with a 46% pass-block win rate that ranks 26th. The one relative bright spot is a 74% run-block win rate, good for 14th, but even that hasn’t turned into much because Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears have not done much with it.
That matters because Baltimore’s defense has been more average than awful against both the pass and the run. The real problem has been the late-game breakdowns - missed tackles, sloppy finishes, and drives that keep extending when they should be ending.
This matchup doesn’t look like one that should expose those flaws. Tennessee simply doesn’t appear to have the kind of playmakers needed to do it. Pollard is viewed as only slightly above average, Carnell Tate and Wan’Dale Robinson have not made much noise in 2026, and Cam Ward has looked like a bust at quarterback.
So this is the kind of game Baltimore has to control. If the Ravens’ defense can’t look sharp against this offense, there’s no hiding what comes next. If it does, Week 4 could be the reset button they’ve been waiting for.
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