The Ravens got the result they needed in a 24-18 win over the Titans, but the film still left plenty for Jesse Minter and his defense to sort through. Baltimore made life harder on Tony Pollard than it had in recent weeks, especially by tightening up against the under-center run game that had been giving this unit trouble. Pollard was held to three yards per carry, and the Ravens finished with timely takeaways to book-end the first half.
Still, this wasn’t a clean defensive showing. It was a game that exposed the same soft spots that have been hanging around this group, especially when it came to getting after the quarterback and finishing possessions late.
The Titans had a rookie quarterback on the road, and Baltimore still only managed one sack and six hits on Cam Ward across 34 dropbacks. The Ravens’ pressure rate landed around 20%, with Minter calling the approach “conservatively” shaped by the lead and the injury situation.
“We’re chasing a much, much higher level for us,” Minter said after the game, perhaps summing it up best.
Nnamdi Madubuke was one of the bright spots. In just his second game back from neck surgery, and his second appearance in over a year since the injury, he made a key stop on Pollard on a fourth-and-goal run. He also finished with three pressures, two quarterback hits and three hurries, while leading the team’s defensive linemen with 42 snaps.
Even with that, the pass rush remains a problem. The Ravens now have a season sack rate below 5%, which is basically where it sat last year.
Their pressure rate is around 32%, good for 23rd in the league. Minter said after the game, “We didn’t finish the way were capable of,” and added that “hopefully down the road that type of game is a four, five or six sack game.”
The fourth quarter told its own story. Baltimore controlled the clock with another six-minute drive on the ground, but the defense still let the Titans hang around. Ward was clearly looking toward rookie Carnell Tate whenever Tennessee did throw, and Tate still found room to work, running free and breaking tackles on his way to a touchdown and a late two-point conversion that turned what should have been a comfortable finish into a one-score game.
That late wobble fits the bigger picture. Through the season, the Ravens have been outscored 40-20 in the fourth quarter.
They’ve allowed 414 yards in the final period, rank 29th in fourth-quarter yards allowed, and sit 30th in fourth-quarter points allowed. The differential is 29th in the NFL.
A week after Kyle Hamilton called the defense “unacceptable,” the unit still looks like a work in progress. Baltimore was missing top edge rusher Trey Hendrickson after finger surgery, and Marlon Humphrey left in the second half with a calf injury.
Those absences mattered, but they don’t explain everything. A few deep balls sailed over the head of Malaki Starks, and the coverage issues at the top end of the defense continue to show up.
Tate finished with nine catches on 12 targets for 145 yards, and he also dropped two passes that could have added even more. That production is hard to ignore, especially given the context around Baltimore’s recent matchups. Alec Pierce was barely a factor in Week 1 after coming back from surgery, yet the Ravens have still allowed a growing list of receivers to pop against them.
“It’s early in the season,” Madubuike said. “Everybody is trying to find their way, trying to find their identity.”
The Ravens may have found a win, but on defense, that identity is still very much a question.
In Other News...
Cowboys Coach Just Handed Ravens Fans A Fresh Reason To Smile
A fresh note of satisfaction for Ravens fans came out of Dallas this week, and it had nothing to do with a highlight reel. Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer openly acknowledged a late-game mistake from the recent loss in Baltimore, saying he limited quarterback Dak Prescotts reads on the final offensive play. He also addressed it directly with the team in a meeting, framing the moment as one of accountability for a coach who wanted to own his role in how the game unfolded.
For Baltimore, the admission only reinforces how razor-thin the ending was before the Ravens were able to line up for the game-winning field goal. It is the kind of postgame detail that lingers because it speaks to how one decision can shape the final seconds, and why the Ravens sideline had just enough time to finish the job. Whether Schottenheimers explanation becomes a larger issue in Dallas is another matter, but for now it gives Baltimore supporters one more reason to smile about how the night ended. [Read more 🡒]
Lamar Jackson's Status Suddenly Became Baltimore's Biggest Week 4 Concern
Lamar Jacksons afternoon took an uneasy turn when he came up hobbled after a sack from Tennessee Titans edge rusher Jermaine Johnson III, leaving Baltimore with an immediate Week 4 concern. Jackson was seen limping and did not take the field to open the third quarter, with Tyler Huntley stepping in at quarterback as the Ravens tried to settle things down around their franchise player.
Even with the ankle issue, Jackson remained part of the sideline flow and had put on his earpiece by mid-afternoon, a sign Baltimore was still managing the situation in real time. For a team built around his presence and playmaking, the bigger question now is how long the Ravens can keep their offense on track if his status stays unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Win Over Titans Came With One Huge Worry
The Ravens left Tennessee with a win and a concern they did not want to carry into the rest of the week. Baltimore beat the Titans 24-18 in Week 4 to move to its third victory of the season, but the game came with the kind of bruising, messy feel that can linger long after the final whistle. Multiple injuries and penalties chipped away at the teams rhythm, turning a promising afternoon into more of a survival exercise.
The biggest issue, though, was Lamar Jackson exiting with an ankle injury and not returning for the second half. Baltimore managed to hold on without him, but the sight of Jackson leaving the game immediately shifts the focus from the standings to the training room. For a team that still has plenty of season left to play, the next step matters almost as much as the win itself. [Read more 🡒]