Sweet, sweet revenge. The Lamar Jackson-led Baltimore Ravens finally got into the win column over the Tennessee Titans, avenging last year’s playoff exit with a 20-13 victory.
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Story of the Game
The biggest knock on Jackson during his career has been an inability to win a playoff game, but that label is no more after an impressive performance against the Titans. The contest seemed eerily similar to last year’s upset, with the Titans starting off red hot and building an early two-score lead. However, the Ravens were able to flip the momentum and outscore Tennessee, 20-3, in the final three frames.
Jackson was a force on the ground, leading all rushers with 136 yards on the ground and five rushes of 10-plus yards. The reigning MVP added 179 yards through the air, marking his third game of the season with over 100 yards rushing and passing. Jackson’s favorite target was Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who has now recorded over 100 receiving yards in both of his playoff performances.
Adding to the Ravens' vaunted rushing attack was rookie J.K. Dobbins. He continued his streak of rushing touchdowns, bringing the total up to seven straight games and reaching paydirt eight times in that span.
The Titans started off hot and seemed on their way to another win over Baltimore, but the extent of the team’s offensive production came from that first-quarter success. No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown finished the game with 83 receiving yards — 52 of which came on a single first-quarter drive, including a touchdown. It was a similar story for quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Of his 165 passing yards for the game, 100 came in the first frame. And he posted a 137.5 passer rating in the first quarter but a 96.9 mark the rest of the contest.
The biggest disappointment for the Titans' offense was Derrick Henry. The newest member of the 2,000-yard rushing club was the furthest thing from his usual self, rushing for a season-low 40 yards and recording only 2.2 yards per carry on 18 attempts. The superstar running back failed to have one rush of 10-plus yards — the first time that's happened all season.
Rookie Watch
Dobbins ran the ball only nine times for 43 yards but made the most of his carries. He rushed for a first down or a touchdown on 33.3% of his carries. Right tackle Tyre Phillips was the only other rookie to contribute significantly for either team. Jackson was sacked a season-high five times against the Titans, and Phillips allowed one of those five sacks and two pressures on the day.
On the other side of the ball, the Ravens linebacker duo of Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison led the way for the first-year players on either sideline, playing 41 and 27 snaps, respectively. Queen recorded one pressure on Tannehill, while Harrison recorded just one tackle. Justin Madubuike also added two tackles on just 23 defensive snaps.
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