BALTIMORE (AP) — The last two times the Tennessee Titans played at Baltimore were in 2020. Derrick Henry was on their side then, and boy was he decisive.
He rushed for 195 yards as the Titans beat the Ravens in a playoff game that January. Then Tennessee returned in November and topped Baltimore in overtime on a 29-yard touchdown run by Henry.
So much has changed since.
When the Ravens host Tennessee on Sunday, Henry will be on the opposite sideline,
having left the Titans via free agency in 2024. Tennessee is 6-31 since his departure. Henry's tenure with the Titans almost feels like a different football lifetime. Tennessee even unveiled new logos earlier this year.
“They got a whole different thing going now,” Henry said. “Going to be a crazy moment to be playing against the team that I came in the league playing for. But I’m not trying to make too much of it.”
The Ravens (2-1) are back from Brazil after a pulsating win over Dallas in Rio de Janeiro. The Titans (0-3) have shown few signs of progress this season, aside from a competitive loss to Philadelphia. Baltimore has lost four straight home games dating to last season. If the Ravens can't snap that skid now, then when?
On the other hand, this has been an unusual series. The last time the teams met was in London in 2023, and Baltimore won. In the 26 other games between the Titans and Ravens, the road team has won 15 times. That includes all five playoff meetings.
“We can’t dwell on the past too much. Like I said, it is a week-to-week league, and screw whatever happened in the past,” Baltimore safety Kyle Hamilton said. “We are trying to win football games here and now, and I think we want to have the stadium rocking. We want to have fans that support us, have confidence in us, believe in us, give them a reason to come out, be loud, have something to cheer for at the game and leave that stadium happy. A lot of the past few games, nobody has left that stadium happy unless you were from the other team. So, it is up to us to fix that and get back to winning ways at home.”
Tennessee put starting guard Fernando Carmona Jr. on injured reserve this week with a foot injury. That doesn't make quarterback Cam Ward's job any easier. Baltimore has problems of its own on the offensive line after losing its top three options at center already. It'll be up to Lamar Jackson to keep the offense functional — and up to the Titans to try to contain him.
“It’s four guys for six gaps and an elite runner. So he’s elite in that regard and finding open lanes and finding ways to scramble and create off schedule,” Tennessee coach Robert Saleh said. “But it’s always a challenge going against him. We feel good about the speed we have on our D-line and hopefully our rush and coverage match and we got a chance to run them down.”
Tennessee (0-3) at Baltimore (2-1).
When/where to watch: Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS.
Latest odds: Ravens by 11 1/2.
Against the spread: Titans 1-2; Ravens 1-2.
Last week: Titans lost at New York Giants 12-7; Ravens beat Dallas 34-31 in Rio de Janeiro.
Last meeting: Ravens won 24-16 on Oct. 15, 2023, in London.
Series record: Ravens lead 14-13.
Baltimore's offensive line against the Tennessee defensive front. If the Titans are going to pull off an upset, it will likely be via a low-scoring game in which the Ravens can't overcome their OL injuries enough to keep the ball moving.
— Tennessee has eight first downs in the first half so far this season. Every other team has at least 18.
— Rookie LB Anthony Hill of the Titans leads the NFL with 34 tackles.
— Baltimore's Zay Flowers leads the NFL with 23.4 yards per catch this season. All 10 of his receptions have earned a first down.
— Jackson enters the game with the best career passer rating in NFL history (102.4) and leads the league this season with 9.8 yards per attempt.
— Baltimore's Calais Campbell can tie Jim Marshall (282) for the second-most games played by a defensive lineman in NFL history.
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AP Pro Football Writer Teresa M. Walker contributed to this report.
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