Here We Go Again: It's Titans vs. Ravens

Tennessee's most common playoff opponent during the Titans era (1999-present) has been the Baltimore Ravens. The two will do it again Sunday at Nissan Stadium.

Players and coaches across the NFL will say it ad nauseum: Every season is different.

Somehow, though, the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens continue to run into each other in the postseason.

Tennessee (11-5) hosts Baltimore (11-5) in a wild card matchup Sunday, the first playoff game at Nissan Stadium since 2008, which also was against the Ravens. The Titans’ march to last season’s AFC Championship game included a 28-12 victory at Baltimore in the divisional road.

“There’s just been a lot of games over the years,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. “So, it’s kind of got some history – the rivalry does, sure. But what impact does any of that have on the next game? We just have to go out there and play our best game of the year – that’s what we’re preparing to try to do.”

About the Ravens

• They enter the postseason on a five-game win streak, which makes them one of the NFL’s hottest teams. Only Green Bay and Buffalo have longer active win streaks at six games apiece. Four of the Ravens’ last five wins have been by 14 points or more, including a 38-3 rout of Cincinnati on Sunday. Of course, last season, they won 12 straight before the playoffs but did not get out of the divisional round.

• For the second straight year, Baltimore has the NFL’s best rushing offense and for the second straight year it ran for more than 3,000 yards. This season’s 3,071 rushing yards are 225 fewer than last season but are 381 than the team in second place, Tennessee (2,690 yards). The Ravens set a franchise record on Sunday with 404 rushing yards in a game, and Lamar Jackson is the first quarterback in NFL history to rush for more than 1,000 yards twice (he finished with 1,005 this season).

• The Ravens, like the Titans, endured a COVID-19 outbreak during the regular season. Unlike the Titans, they did not get through it do well. Baltimore lost four of five from Nov. 1-Dec. 2, a stretch during which nine starters, including six Pro Bowlers, spent time on the COVID-19 reserve list. That period included a 30-24 Titans’ overtime victory at Baltimore on Nov. 22. Before that, the Ravens were 5-1. Since, they have gone 5-0.

Playoff history

During the Titans era (1999-present), Tennessee has faced Baltimore more often in the postseason than any other opponent. There have been four matchups prior to this one, three times in the divisional round (2000, 2008, 2019) and once in the wild card round (2003).

The road team has won every time. Twice (2000 and 2008), Tennessee finished the regular season with the NFL’s best record and earned homefield advantage throughout the playoffs only to lose to the Ravens. Once (2019), Baltimore did the same and lost to the Titans.

Players to watch

• Tennessee: Running back Derrick Henry became the eighth player in NFL history, the first since 2012, to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. His 2,027 yards are the fifth-highest total ever and made him the first player since 2006-07 to lead the league in rushing in consecutive seasons.

• Baltimore: Cornerback Marlon Humphrey led the NFL and set a franchise record with eight forced fumbles. He also led the Ravens with 11 passes defensed. He is one of just two NFL players who had least six passes defensed, four forced fumbles and two quarterback sacks (he had two and a half) in 2020.

Worth noting

• The Ravens led the NFL with 25 forced fumbles, one short of the franchise record set in 2000 when they won their first Super Bowl. The Titans were one of just eight teams that fumbled fewer than 16 times. Of their 15, they lost just five. Only Indianapolis (four) lost fewer.

• Baltimore led the NFL in point differential during the regular season with 468 points scored and 303 allowed. Only the L.A. Rams allowed fewer points. Tennessee was fourth in the league with 491 points scored but also allowed 439, the first time during the Titans era that it scored and allowed more than 400 in the same season.

• The Ravens are 10-6 all-time in road playoff games. Since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, that is the league’s best road winning percentage (.625). The New York Giants are the only other team better than .500.