The Tennessee Titans always come to mind when I think about winning and losing football games in the trenches.
Maybe it’s crying over spilled milk, but I still look to that as the primary reason they upset the Ravens in the 2019 playoffs.
The reality is that’s where they won that game, specifically on the DL with outstanding performances by Jeffrey Simmons, Daquan Jones and Jurrell Casey.
How do they stack up in 2023? Let’s dive in.
Attacking Tannehill
The blueprint to limiting the Titans offense is pretty straightforward. It starts with slowing down Derrick Henry and Tyjae Spears, as the run game is the key to making their pass game go.
Why do I say that? Ryan Tannehill continues to be significantly better off of play action than in traditional dropbacks.
Tannehill’s averaging 11 YPA on play action passes and scored both of his passing TDs off of PA.
The trenches is where this starts, as they have performed well in run block opportunities. We know what Henry can do, but the rookie Spears has become a guy that can force missed tackles and be a jitterbug in the open field.
Their pass protection isn’t as strong and Tennessee ranks 31st in the NFL in pass blocking efficiency..
Andre Dillard has finally gotten his chance to be a starter after being a 6th man in Philadelphia. He has struggled mightily. He leads the NFL in sacks allowed with six and is 4th in total pressures allowed.
Rookie Peter Skoronski has been a big upgrade now that he’s healthy, as he stepped in for fill-in Dillon Radunz. He will provide a bit of stability on the inside, but Aaron Brewer has struggled in pass protection this year as well.
The right side of the OL is a veteran duo and have performed well.
The key to attacking this unit is going to be Jadeveon Clowney getting back on track against Andre Dillard. Dillard doesn’t have the anchor to counter Clowney.
Given the lack of overall weapons in Tennessee, I’d like to see the Ravens get back to a heavy blitz attack as it’ll fill gaps against the run, take away play action and also create 1-on-1 matchups for the edge rushers.
It’s time for Mike MacDonald to get back to his bread and butter after Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen had season lows in pass rush opportunities in Pittsburgh.
The Great Wall of Lamar
A lot of discussion has occurred, since the 2021 disastrous pass protection for Lamar Jackson, about building a stronger offensive line. Simply put, when you create time and space for Jackson, good things happen.
There was a ton of discussion about the T.J. Watt strip sack and ball security, which I addressed in a video with my analysis below. There are certainly times where I want to see Lamar get the ball out sooner, but last week wasn’t necessarily one of them and I think pass protection needs to be the priority.
The Titans bring a few pass rushing threats, but not to the extent that we’ve seen the last two weeks.
Denico Autry and Harold Landry are a formidable group and Autry has been putting together the best season of his career.
On the inside, Tyler Linderbaum is going to be challenged by Simmons, who has become one of the best interior pass rushers in the NFL.
The advantage for the Ravens? The pass rush threat isn’t an overly deep one. Arden Key will provide some interior reps and Teair Tart can push the pocket, but this is a game for the Ravens offensive line to build momentum.
Half line shifts should be able to help out with Simmons, but I think minimal chips or Patrick Ricard in pass protection can contain the edge rush from Autry and Landry.
I’m going to make a bold prediction and call this a ‘get right’ game for the Ravens offensive line.
