The Baltimore Ravens were seemingly unstoppable in the first quarter of the season. The 3-1 record came by virtue of a strong defense and reinvigorated offense. The near-perfect start to the season pushed the Ravens into the national conversation. Baltimore could not stay perfect, however, as the team fell to the Cleveland Browns. The once-electric offense failed to score a single touchdown in the defeat. While the Ravens should not be panicking, the gravity of the situation cannot be ignored. A loss at the hands of the Titans would drop the Ravens to a .500 record while boosting the playoff chances of a conference rival who beat the Ravens to the postseason last year. To get back on track this season, the Ravens must defeat the Tennessee Titans.
By securing a win against the Titans the Ravens would improve to a 4-2 record while knocking Tennessee down to a 3-3 record. While this is important, it would also give the Ravens great confidence, an arguably more important point. If the Ravens lose back to back games, to two teams that are objectively worse on paper, that would deflate any feeling of optimism the team has. The Ravens likely will need ten wins to secure a playoff spot this year. This means that the team can really afford to give up six losses. If half of those losses come in the first six weeks of the season, the chances of making the playoffs will be low. But if the Ravens can grab the fourth win compared to two losses, then Baltimore’s playoff chances will increase.
Ultimately, this game will not decide whether or not the Ravens are in or out of the playoff race, but the game still has undeniable implications. The Ravens need to get back on track after a deflating loss to the Cleveland Browns and must secure a win in Nashville this Sunday.
