Can the Ravens get it done in London?
The Baltimore Ravens are in London this week as they look to get back to their winning ways against the Tennessee Titans. After a painful defeat to the Steelers, the Ravens hopped on a plane the next day and got a fully adjusted schedule to accommodate the overseas matchup.
Teams (Records)
Baltimore Ravens: 3-1
Tennessee Titans: 2-3
Odds (Courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Spread: Ravens -4
Over/Under: 42
Moneyline: Ravens -205; Titans +180
Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.
Last 5 Games In Series
The Titans have won three of the past five matchups.
Matchup History
The all-time series is tied, 13-13.
Injury Report
Adjusting to London Time
The Ravens opted to arrive in London on Monday, October 9. Last time they played in London, they arrived on a Thursday, which some have wondered if it attributed to their biggest loss in Head Coach John Harbaugh’s tenure as the Jaguars won 44-7. Harbaugh and others have spoken on the teams’ operations this week.
“Well, I gauge it by me. If I feel good, they feel good, right? That’s how I feel. We’re all kind of on the same deal, so I feel great, I had good rest, and the guys are in good spirits,” Harbaugh said. “It really picked up yesterday, and it carried over into today, so we’re in a good place.”
Tight end Mark Andrews felt the decision to arrive early was a benefit.
“For us, it’s been a good decision to come [to London] early. I know the first couple of days, it’s tough to kind of get your bearings. I feel like now we’re starting to feel pretty good, get acclimated to the time zone, and that’s not easy,” Andrews said. “So, I think guys are getting good sleep, and I think we’re pretty fortunate to have come early, because it’s not an easy thing to deal with.”
Acknowledging the Challenge
The Ravens may be facing a team sitting at 2-3, but the players on offense could dominate at any time. Linebacker Roquan Smith shared how they’ll need to shut things down.
“ [They are a] physical team, and that’s something we pride ourselves on as well, knowing they have a really good [running] back. [Derrick] Henry’s been doing it for a really long time. [They have a] good quarterback in [Ryan] Tannehill as well as ‘D-Hop’ [DeAndre Hopkins], [who has been] one of the best in the game for a while,” Smith said. “They definitely have some pieces over there. It’s just going to be about doing our jobs, stopping the run first and foremost. [It’s] what they definitely lean on all game long. Then, eliminating ‘D-Hop’ as well, because they’re definitely going to try and get him the ball. It’ll be a great match for us, a great challenge, so [we’re] looking forward to it.”
Moving on From Steelers Lose
The Ravens know they’ve dropped two of their easiest games of the season. They had opportunities to create distance and become 5-0. Rather, they stumbled, fell, and never got back on track in two matchups and plummeted to 3-2. According to Harbaugh, the team spoke on their failures in a team meeting.
“ ”We had a 45-minute team meeting [on Wednesday],” Harbaugh said. “The message was that, essentially, what we’re capable of doing and becoming and what we need to do to get there. It’s a fine line between good and great, and breaking bad. That’s the difference in terms of any kind of competition. The idea is, we’re a good football team. We’re capable of being great. Let’s go to work and do the things we need to do – every little detail – to take that next step and become a great football team.”
Smith said the change of scenery has helped, but it’s out of his mind now.
“Like last week, that was last week. [I’m] going to leave it at that,” Smith said. “We definitely did not play our best, in a sense, and when you don’t play your best, [with] the parity in the league, you can lose. I think being over here – it’s great.”
Quick Hits
(Courtesy Ravens Public Relations)
- Baltimore traveled to London on Monday (Oct. 9) and conducted game preparations throughout the week from the Tottenham Hotspur Training Ground (THTG). This trip marks the Ravens’ second-ever game in London, with Baltimore last playing the Jacksonville Jaguars at Wembley Stadium in 2017.
- Tennessee leads the all-time regular season series, 11-10. However, Baltimore holds a 3-2 edge in postseason play, including a 20-13 victory at Tennessee in the 2020 Wild Card round, which is when these two teams last faced each other.
- Standout rankings: Baltimore’s defense ranks No. 2 in the NFL in yards (266.4) and points (15, tied w/ Ce) allowed per game. On offense, the Ravens boast the NFL’s No. 4 rush attack (146.0 ypg).