The Ravens come home Sunday afternoon with a 2-1 record and a Tennessee team still searching for its first win, but this matchup carries a little more tension than the records suggest. Baltimore’s offense has some obvious pressure points, and Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons is the kind of disruptive force that can expose them.
That’s the main thread running through the predictions from The Banner’s sports staff: the Ravens should win, but the path there may not be smooth.
Kyle Goon sees the Ravens’ offense facing real questions, especially with rookie Vega Ioane stepping into a new role against Simmons. He pointed to Baltimore’s short-yardage issues and said Derrick Henry could be in for a difficult afternoon, which would put the burden on Lamar Jackson and the passing game.
Still, he expects the defense to be the difference if it can force mistakes from Cam Ward and get more out of a secondary that has not played up to standard. Malaki Starks and Jaylinn Hawkins, he wrote, need to be better.
His pick: Ravens 24, Titans 13.
Giana Han focused on the same interior matchup, noting that Simmons lines up across from the area that worries her most on the Ravens’ side. Even so, she sees this as the kind of opponent Baltimore can sort through its issues against.
She pointed to Tennessee’s quarterback not yet adjusting to the NFL and the lack of a running back in Henry’s class. If Henry finds some room outside the tackles, Han said, he could have a resurgent game against his former team.
She also sees a chance for Baltimore’s secondary to rebound, since this isn’t the kind of passing attack that can really pick it apart. Her score: Ravens 34, Titans 14.
Jonas Shaffer’s prediction leans on urgency. He called Tennessee the worst offense Baltimore has faced so far and, at the same time, the best defense it has seen.
His warning was simple: if the Ravens start slowly at home, they could be inviting trouble against a double-digit underdog. Tennessee has managed only eight first-half first downs, though Shaffer noted the Titans have been better after halftime.
He also flagged the risk of trusting Baltimore’s rebuilt interior against Simmons in a key third-and-long situation. His call: Ravens 23, Titans 14.
Childs Walker also landed on a comfortable Ravens win, but not without acknowledging the challenge Simmons creates for rookie center Vega Ioane. He described Tennessee’s defense as more respectable than its record might suggest, particularly against the run.
Even so, he sees Baltimore’s offense as the most explosive unit the Titans have faced and doesn’t think second-year quarterback Cam Ward can keep pace with Jackson. Walker noted that the Ravens average almost 2 yards per play more than Tennessee.
If Baltimore’s defense has trouble handling the Titans for four quarters, he wrote, then there’s a real reason for concern. His pick: Ravens 27, Titans 10.
Brandon Weigel expects the weather to muddy things up, with rain forecast through the morning and afternoon. That, he said, would normally push Baltimore toward a heavier rushing attack with Derrick Henry, but the Ravens’ interior blocking has made that hard to trust.
He also highlighted the injury-related shuffle that is expected to move Vega Ioane to center, calling the matchup with Simmons especially demanding in slick conditions. Still, he doesn’t think the game needs much overthinking: Tennessee’s offense is one of the league’s worst, and Baltimore’s defense should keep it under control.
His pick: Ravens 19, Titans 10.
In Other News...
Ravens Beat Dallas In A Game Bigger Than Anyone Realized
The Ravens trip to Rio de Janeiro ended up carrying far more weight than just an early-season win over Dallas. Baltimore came away with a 34-31 victory in a game that drew a massive audience on CBS, and Nielsens numbers made it clear this was not just another overseas showcase. It became the most-watched international NFL game ever, a reminder that when the Ravens are part of a big-stage matchup, the spotlight can be as much about the event as the result.
For Baltimore, the significance goes beyond the box score because this was one of those rare games that pushed the leagues global reach while also producing a tight finish against a team with a huge fan base. Dallas entered at 1-2, and its supporters showed up in force even far from home, which only added to the backdrop of a game that felt bigger than the standings. The Ravens left with the win, but the size of the audience suggested the league may have just found another international benchmark. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Face One Ugly Threat That Could Derail Lamar Jackson
The Ravens are walking into Sunday with a familiar kind of worry hanging over the offense: protection. Tennessees defense has long been built around Jeffery Simmons, and Baltimores line is still trying to sort through its own issues, including a rookie guard being asked to start at center. With Lamar Jackson under center, the margin for error shrinks quickly when the pocket is unstable, and this matchup threatens to make every pre-snap decision matter.
Baltimores staff knows the answer is not simply asking Jackson to escape trouble after it starts. Declan Doyle pointed back to past performance and the need for cleaner execution, which is a reminder that the Ravens have to arrive with a plan, not a hope. If the line cannot hold up against Simmons and the Titans front, the game could turn into an uncomfortable test of how much Jackson can create on his own. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Pass Rush Suddenly Faces A Bigger Trey Hendrickson Concern
A week that already carried some uncertainty around the edge of the defense took another turn when Jesse Minter said outside linebacker Trey Hendrickson will not play against the Tennessee Titans. Hendrickson dealt with multiple fractures in a finger in Week 1, then missed every practice this week while looking for a permanent solution, leaving Baltimore to manage one of its key pass-rush pieces without him for at least this matchup.
The hope inside the building is that the surgery serves as a short-term fix that lets the finger heal properly over the long haul, but the immediate reality is a pass rush that has to adjust without one of its more disruptive options. For a defense that leans on pressure to set the tone, the next question is how quickly Hendrickson can get back to being available and effective once the medical side is settled. [Read more 🡒]