The Baltimore Ravens have one of the NFL’s most productive offenses, but their Week 4 matchup will test a reshuffled offensive line. Baltimore enters Sunday ranked sixth in total offense, fourth in scoring and third in rushing. The Ravens are averaging 398.7 yards and 30.7 points while producing 5.2 yards per rushing attempt.
Tennessee has allowed 19.7 points per game and only two passing touchdowns. Jeffery Simmons anchors a defensive front that will attempt to disrupt rookie Vega Ioane in his potential first NFL start at center.
Here are five keys for Baltimore’s offense against the Titans.
1. Do not leave Vega Ioane isolated against Jeffery Simmons
Ioane has started three NFL games, but Sunday could bring his first start at center. That assignment becomes more demanding because Simmons frequently aligns
over the center or attacks either A-gap. Simmons has two sacks through three games after producing a career-high 11 in 2025. His combination of power and first-step quickness can ruin a play before Lamar Jackson or Derrick Henry can influence it.
Baltimore should use John Simpson and whichever player starts at right guard to provide assistance. Sliding protections toward Simmons and using combination blocks in the running game would reduce the number of isolated matchups facing Ioane.
The Ravens cannot help on every snap. Ioane must handle the calls, deliver clean exchanges, and avoid allowing one lost rep to affect the next play.
2. Make Tennessee stop Derrick Henry for four quarters
The Titans have allowed 379 rushing yards, but opponents needed 104 attempts to reach that total. Tennessee’s 3.6 yards allowed per carry indicate its defensive front has held up reasonably well.
Baltimore presents a different challenge. The Ravens have rushed for 502 yards, the third most in the NFL, while averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. Their seven rushing touchdowns are tied for second.
Henry will carry additional motivation against his former team, but Baltimore cannot force the issue simply to manufacture a reunion storyline. Declan Doyle must remain patient, use Jackson’s presence to manipulate backside defenders and attack whichever gaps Tennessee leaves vulnerable.
Outside runs and counter concepts could help Baltimore avoid repeatedly sending Henry directly into Simmons.
3. Use movement to simplify the picture for the offensive line
Tennessee has allowed only 504 gross passing yards, the third-lowest total in the league, and five sacks. The Titans have held opposing quarterbacks to two touchdown passes and an 80.9 passer rating.
Baltimore can challenge those numbers by moving the launch point. Designed rollouts, play-action, and run-pass options would force Tennessee’s defensive front to account for Jackson rather than attacking Ioane from a stationary alignment.
Jackson is averaging 9.8 yards per attempt and owns a 113.1 passer rating. He doesn't need high passing volume to damage a defense, but Baltimore should create several defined reads that let him deliver the ball before pressure arrives.
4. Fix the third-down inconsistency
Baltimore ranks 20th in third-down offense, converting 10 of 27 opportunities (37%). The Ravens went three of nine against Dallas despite scoring 34 points.
Tennessee’s opponents have converted 17 of 43 third downs, a 39.5% rate. That matchup favors neither side decisively, making early-down execution especially important.
The Ravens must avoid asking Ioane and the offensive line to protect against Simmons in repeated third-and-long situations. Henry, Mark Andrews and Zay Flowers should remain central to the plan on third-and-manageable downs.
Jackson’s legs are also an answer, but Baltimore should not require its quarterback to rescue poorly constructed possessions every week.
5. Eliminate the pre-snap mistakes
Baltimore has committed 26 penalties for 198 yards through three games. Motion and formation violations contributed to negative situations against Dallas and made the offense’s job more difficult than necessary.
That becomes especially dangerous with a rookie playing center. Ioane must coordinate the snap count while adjusting protections and helping organize an offense that frequently uses motion before the snap.
Final analysis
Tennessee has allowed only 504 passing yards and 3.6 yards per rushing attempt, while Simmons enters Week 4 with two sacks. Doyle can reduce the burden without stripping away the creativity that makes Baltimore difficult to defend. The Ravens need a clean opening script, clear communication, and fewer late shifts that leave players racing to get set.
Tennessee’s best path toward an upset involves creating negative plays, forcing turnovers, and shortening the game. Baltimore can remove much of that formula by protecting the football and operating cleanly before the snap.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: 5 keys for Ravens offense against Titans defense in Week 4
