The Titans have traveled across the pond for a Week 6 battle.
The Two-Tone Blue will be playing in London for the second time in franchise history, this time in the sleek Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Their opponent will be a familiar foe in the Baltimore Ravens, a team that has as many questions about their squad as the Titans do.
The two teams took very different approaches to acclimating to the time difference, with the Ravens having flown in last Tuesday to spend a week practicing with a brand new body clock. The Titans are using the much more aggressive strategy of flying in on Thursday, hoping to get in and get out of the United Kingdom over the weekend. For our full preview of the game, check out The Hot Read Podcast!
Here are 10 stats that you need to know for Ravens at Titans in this week’s Titans Ten:
1. Bounceback Lamar
The Ravens will look to right their wrongs just like the Titans by getting a gutsy win here in London after a disappointing loss. And no player may be more of an X-factor than Lamar Jackson. The former league MVP has found ways to win after a loss, as he has not lost back to back games since 2021,throwing 7 touchdowns to 2 interceptions. If the Titans want to win outright, they will have to build on their contain game that worked efficiently against Anthony Richardson.
If the Titans front seven can contain Jackson, it may play into his abysmal record as a favorite against the spread. Jackson has a career 7-16 record against the spread as a favorite, meaning while Jackson and company have struggled to take care of business. IIn a primetime spot like London, the Titans could look to apply the pressure.
2. Don’t Doubt Vrabel
Despite this game being a Titans home game not at Nissan, it still feels like a classic Vrabel spot to bet on the coach as a dog. At 24-23 SU as an underdog, Vrabel is once again above .500 as an underdog straight up, one of only three coaches in the last 20 years to do so. Vrabel’s 12-8-1 against the spread as an underdog following a straight up loss also screams massive value. Considering the Titans are still underdogs above a field goal, get the value while you still can
3. Kevin’s Got His Number
The Titans got a primer in Anthony Richardson last week, but will now face the ultimate mobile QB test in Lamar Jackson. And while the Titans defense was able to contain Richardson effectively, Lamar Jackson is a former MVP and is much more efficient at hiding his intentions in the run game than the young rookie was.. Although there may be no player more equipped to handle Jackson and this Ravens offense than Kevin Byard.
The veteran safety has played five games against the purple and black and has made a huge impact in those games. Byard has recorded 34 tackles and 4 interceptions against the Ravens, tying his career best performance against one team in the Browns. Byard has had a solid, but quiet season so far, and could look to make some magic in the secondary sunday.
4. Simmons the Sack Monster
A key piece of the Titans team that needs a get right game is defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons. Simmons, who signed a lucrative new deal with the team this off-season, has been productive so far in his Titans career. Despite the recent lack of productivity, Simmons could have reason to bounce back big in London. Simmons is only 1.5 sacks away from becoming the 11th franchise player all time to reach 25 sacks. The standout star has been critical of his play the last few weeks, so it may be time for Simmons to be an x-factor
5. The Most Consistent Titan
Currently sitting at 2-3, the Titans’ squad has had a multitude of question marks surrounding both the offensive side and defensive side of the ball. However, the one constant that the team and fans alike can agree on is the consistency of Nick Folk. The 38 year old veteran,who was traded to the Titans for a 2025 7th round pick, has been perfect throughout the first five weeks of the season, especially from the once dreaded 40-50 yard range.
Forget consistency, Folk has been automatic from inside the 40 yard line, making his last 67 in a row. Folk only trails Ravens kicker Justin Tucker for the for the most in a row under 40 yards, who has made 70. Will this article and the London atmosphere jinx one of these kickers? We will have to wait and see
6. Efficient in the Run Game
The Titans and Ravens have had a storied history the past few seasons, mostly in part to how evenly matched these two teams are. Both teams’ offensive identity depends on the ability to get the ground game going. The Titans have a future hall of famer in Derrick Henry, whereas the Ravens rely on the shiftiness of Lmamar Jackson to create his own yards per carry.
Both teams have created so much opportunity and success in the run game, that the Ravens and Titans are first and second respectively in total rush yards and yards per game from 2018-2023. no doubt that come Sunday, both teams will look to continue their dominance on the ground.
7. Rookies Move the Sticks
This early morning Primetime game will feature two rookies who have made big impacts through the first 5 games of the season. The Titans dynamic rookie Tyjae Spears has been lightning in a bottle so far, and offers a nice compliment to Derrick Henry that defenses have to account for.
The Ravens also have themselves a fiesty and dynamic receiver in first round pick Zay Flowers. Complimented by veterans like Odell Beckham Jr and Nelson Agholor, Flowers has carved out a nice role for himself and has a solid connection with Lamar Jackson.
The thing that these two rookies have in common? Their ability to move the chains. Spears and Flowers are both tied for the fifth most total first first downs of all 2023 rookies with 13 a piece. I expect these two budding stars to have a major impact on Sunday.
8. Stopping the Sack Rate
The biggest concern for the Titans this week may be the same as it’s been since the start of 2022, the offensive line.
For all the effort new GM Ran Carthon and Mike Vrabel have put in to fix the woes up front, it still hasn’t paid off. Through 5 weeks, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill has the fourth highest sack rate, tied with Browns QB Deshaun Watson at 11%. Could London be what this line needs to get right? Only time will tell.
9. Don’t Count Out Marky Mark
To round out this week’s preview, we have to mention the most obvious threat to the Titans secondary that still will go overlooked, Mark Andrews. Andrews is a big play machine, running the most routes of any tight end in the league and commanding a target share of 23.7%, the second most of all tight ends.
Andrews is also a favorite target of Lamar in the red zone, receiving five red zone targets through 5 weeks, and cashing in for the most touchdowns of any tight end this year with three. The most obvious threat to the Titans defense may be a constant one come Sunday.
10. Favorites Win Out in London
The Titans and Ravens will go head to head in the 42nd game ever played internationally. The Ravens came in on the week as four point favorites, but line movement has now teetered between -3.5 and -4 on the week depending on which book you use. Once again, the Titans will be underdogs, but won’t have the home field advantage of a true Titans home game. In the 41 games played internationally, the favorite has gone 30-10-1 straight up, as well as posted an impressive 26-15 against the spread record.
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