Baltimore vs. Tennessee

Shorthanded Ravens Defense Can't Contain Derrick Henry for 60 Minutes and Beyond in 30-24 Overtime Loss to Titans

Through three quarters, it appeared that the Baltimore Ravens were not going to let Derrick Henry run wild on them for the second-straight game after last season's divisional round playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans, but a surge in the fourth quarter and overtime led to a 30-24 Titans win, marking Baltimore's second-straight loss and third in the last four games. 

Despite missing defensive linemen Calais Campbell (calf) and Brandon Williams (ankle), Baltimore's defense held Henry to just 44 yards on 18 carries through three quarters. But after running for 195 yards in January's playoff game, Henry picked up 89 yards in 10 more carries into overtime, including the game-winner from 29 yards out with 5:21 remaining in overtime. 

"We didn't tackle very well at the end of the game at all," head coach John Harbaugh said while addressing the media after the game. "That's the biggest difference in the game. We had been tackling before that. So, tackling is tackling—we didn't do it very well." 

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The Ravens (6-4) continue to not get the offensive performances from quarterback Lamar Jackson that they were accustomed to last year, but that could be due to the reigning NFL MVP consciously passing more than he did last year, and the offense did enough to put the team in position to win with a 21-10 lead midway through the third quarter.

Jackson ended up 17-for-29 passing for 186 yards, a touchdown pass, one interception, and 51 rushing yards on 13 carries. J.K. Dobbins was the leading rusher with 70 yards and a touchdown while tight end Mark Andrews had a great day catching the ball with five receptions for 96 yards and a score. But following a 23-17 loss at New England last week, Jackson said that the offense has to finish drives moving forward to put teams away.

"We have to finish drives; we're driving the ball down the field, [but] we just have to stop putting Justin Tucker out there—we have to punch it in," Jackson said after the game. "It looked like that team wanted it more than us. When we went up, I felt like we just took our foot off the gas."

In addition to Jackson thinking the offense took their foot off the gas, it was apparent—according to Titans (7-3) head coach Mike Vrabel—that Henry's first three quarters set up his onslaught in the latter stages of the game.

"You could just kind of tell as the game wore on to the fourth quarter that we were wearing on them offensively," Vrabel said following the game.

Despite the injuries up front, the Ravens defense is taking an honest look in the mirror as a unit.

"We just didn’t stop him," rookie middle linebacker Patrick Queen said from the locker room. "We've been preaching that we have to play all four quarters and dominate."

The Ravens did show some fight after the Titans took a 24-21 lead with 2:18 left on a Ryan Tannehill touchdown pass to A.J. Brown, as Jackson drove the team down to the Titans 10-yard line in two minutes, setting up a Tucker 29-yard field goal to tie the game and send it into the extra session. Baltimore also had the opening possession in overtime, but went three and out, punting to Tennessee to set up Henry's heroics. 

One bright spot for Baltimore was the debut of wide receiver Dez Bryant, playing in his first game in three years and catching four balls for 26 yards, giving the former Dallas star a foundation to build on.

"Being on the field is exciting, but I'm a natural competitor," Bryant told reporters after the game. "To me, wins and losses are the only thing that matters. I don't really care about anything else—I just want to win."

GAME RECAP

Tennessee struck first, receiving the ball after Baltimore's opening drive quickly fizzled. Tannehill capped a 10-play drive with a one-yard TD pass to Jonnu Smith to make it 7-0 Titans.

After two field goals from Tucker after drives stalled in the red zone, it was 7-6 when Baltimore got their first touchdown—a two-yard scamper from Dobbins with 5:22 left in the first half to give the Ravens their first lead of the day at 13-7. Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 40-yard field goal close to halftime to send the teams to the locker room with Baltimore on top, 13-10.

Following a Titans' three and out, Baltimore hit paydirt on their opening drive of the second half, as Jackson threw deep to Mark Andrews for a 31-yard touchdown, giving the Ravens a 21-10 edge. 

Gostkowski kicked two field goals to make it 21-16 midway through the fourth quarter when the Titans took possession at their own 10-yard line with 7:43 remaining. Henry rushed four times in the drive, bringing the ball to the Ravens six-yard line. Baltimore couldn't capitalize on a break when Tannehill couldn't handle a snap on second down, recovering the ball at the 14, but on third and 10, Tannehill connected with Brown from 14 yards out. 

That set up the Ravens' game-tying drive at the end of regulation and the win in overtime for the Titans. 

UP NEXT

The Ravens are staring head-on into adversity, having lost three of four to fall to the fringes of the AFC Wild Card race and have a date with the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers looming at Heinz Field on Thursday night. Pittsburgh improved to 10-0 after easily dispatching the Jacksonville Jaguars today on the road, 27-3.

"We have to play Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh on Thursday night, and we have to focus on them," defensive tackle Derek Wolfe said when asked about the team's upcoming challenge. "You have to stack wins. Wins come in bunches. You've just got to get that one win. You can't get used to losing. That's one thing—I know how that feels, and you can't get used to it."

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