The Baltimore Ravens (2-1) return home to face the Tennessee Titans (0-3) this Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens are coming off of a thrilling last-second win against the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil, while the Titans have struggled to get off the ground so far this season.
The players and coaches have said this week they’ve turned their full attention from Rio to the Titans, with quarterback Lamar Jackson warning that every team in the NFL can be a challenge.
“We have to lock in because those guys [are] not any pushovers,” Jackson said. “I don’t care what the record might show; it’s the NFL. Everyone is good.”
The Ravens are heavy favorites to take care of the Titans this week, but that doesn’t mean it will be easy. Here’s what to look out for.
What will the offensive line look like — and can it survive the day?
The Ravens lost both center Jovaughn Gwyn and backup center Ethan Pocic in the fourth quarter of the Cowboys’ win. Rookie right guard Vega Ioane stepped in to finish the game out and Andrew Vorhess came in to take his spot at guard.
It looks like the Ravens will do that again this week, even though they signed two veteran interior offensive linemen to their practice squad in center Andre James and guard Kyle Hergel. Both players likely need a few weeks to ramp up to being able to play in a game.
Ioane impressed with his ability to finish the Cowboys game smoothly, considering he only played 17 snaps at center throughout his college career at Penn State and that it was only his third game in the NFL. But being able to lead the line for a whole game will be a much bigger challenge.
“It is a learning process. I’m still going through it. I have really good coaches who are helping me with that,” Ioane said this week.
“[Moving to center] is not an easy thing to do, but I’d say the biggest difference and challenge is the mental part. You have to understand what the defense is giving you and things like that, but I’m ready for it.”
The other question on the line is the health of left tackle Ronnie Stanley. He missed last Sunday’s game with a toe injury that has hampered him for a few weeks. However, he has practiced in a limited capacity this week, which is a step in the right direction from last week, when he didn’t practice at all leading up to the game.
Head coach Jesse Minter wouldn’t confirm Stanley’s status for Sunday, only saying he’s “a lot closer” to returning this week.
If Stanley can’t go or is limited and Ioane struggles with the added responsibilities of his new position, the Ravens’ offense may have problems getting out of second gear. Even when healthy, the line has had issues with run-blocking and penalties through three games. And Vorhees, who started all 17 games last season, was effectively benched and replaced this year by Ioane. The cohesion and effectiveness of the line over 60 minutes is the No. 1 story going into this game.
What will offensive coordinator Declan Doyle do about short-yardage situations?
The Ravens are currently stuck between a rock and a hard place on short-yardage downs. Against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2, Doyle called a deep shot to receiver Chris Moore on a crucial third-and-1 play that failed. After hearing criticism about running back Derrick Henry’s lack of touches in that game, Doyle proceeded to feed Henry 26 times against the Cowboys. The problem: Henry and the Ravens were abysmal getting small gains to score or move the chains. Henry had a carry with 2 yards or fewer to go on six occasions against the Dallas defense and didn’t convert a single time.
“That’s on me. I look at myself as far as those situations. I have to have those. I have to be better. I can’t stop thinking about them,” Henry said this week.
“I’m not saying it’s like living rent-free in my head, but I’m just very hard on myself and very critical of myself. I’m my own worst critic. I’m not looking at [anybody] else, nobody to blame, the play call — if it’s called to give me the ball, I have to get a yard or got to get in the end zone. It has to happen. That’s the standard.”
Where will Doyle turn now? It seems impossible a running back of Henry’s pedigree struggles so much in short yardage, but his upright, one-cut style may not be suitable for those situations. Look for Doyle to leave the ball in Jackson’s hands more often this week when they need a yard, especially with a makeshift offensive line, giving him run-or-pass option plays to stretch the defense out.
If the Ravens’ defense can’t dominate this matchup, when will they?
The Ravens’ defense has struggled through three games, and this is without much in way of injury excuses or extenuating circumstances. Their stars have all played meaningful snaps, the head coach is a defensive specialist, yet they’re tied for 21st in the NFL in points allowed. They’ve blown two fourth-quarter leads, and their tackling has fallen apart in the biggest moments.
Minter and multiple players have spoken about the play not matching the talent in the building: “Defense is 50 percent based on what you’re playing and 50 percent based on how you play. I think both of those we need to find a little bit more,” Minter said this week.
“We need to strike blocks. We need to hold up on double teams. We need to play really violent at the point of attack. We need to play like our hair is on fire. Then, we need to have some schematic answers for some of the things that we’re seeing that will alleviate [problems].”
In theory, the Titans coming to town should be just what the doctor ordered for the Ravens’ defense to get right. The Titans are currently one of the worst offensive teams in the NFL, and they’ve only scored four touchdowns in three games, but their issues are deeper than that. The Titans drafted Cam Ward first overall in the 2025 draft to be their franchise quarterback. They already had two offensive linemen they took with top-15 picks in the two drafts prior and this year they added receiver Carnell Tate with the fourth overall pick.
In 2025, Ward’s rookie season, they finished 30th in points scored and 31st in yards. Through three games this year? They’re 30th in points scored and 31st in yards. Ward’s development has been slow, and they’re on their third head coach in four years.
If the Ravens can’t dominate what should be the weakest offensive opponent they’ll face this season, the conversation about this unit’s true potential may need to shift.
Storylines
Can the Ravens finally win at home? After the Saints loss in Week 2, right tackle Roger Rosengarten said he couldn’t remember the last time the Ravens won at home. The answer is Nov. 23, 2025, against the New York Jets, but his point is well taken. The Ravens have lost four straight at home dating back to last season, but this would be the most shocking loss yet. In 2025 the team finished 3-6 at home, a record multiple players have acknowledged as unacceptable.
Will the weather cause issues? Rain is expected to fall through the afternoon in Baltimore on Sunday. While all these players are used to playing through wet weather, it’s worth keeping an eye on for this game. Center-quarterback exchanges could be more slippery and the kicking game may be impacted.
The pick: Ravens 30, Titans 13
Short of a full collapse on both sides of the ball, the Ravens (-11.5) should cruise in this one. The Titans have struggled mightily to score ever since Ward arrived in Tennessee, and putting aside concerns about the Ravens’ offensive line, I think this game is won on the defensive side of the ball.
The Ravens will stifle Tennessee drives with sacks, turnovers and tackles for loss, leading to favorable field position for the offense. Eventually the Titans’ defensive dam will break, and when it does the points will come quickly. Look for the Ravens to lead early and pull away late. The defense will get three sacks and two turnovers, and the Ravens start their first winning streak of the season.
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