Titans up 14-0 on Ravens: Tannehill Throws Long Touchdown

Baltimore’s offense was on the field for an average of 34:37 in games this season, the highest average time of possession in 35 years, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Ravens ran for nearly 1,000 yards more than any other team in the N.F.L. and earned the most first downs.

Lamar Jackson runs at you. Mark Ingram runs at you. Gus Edwards runs at you. Justice Hill runs at you. And just when a defense thinks it has figured Baltimore out, Jackson stands in the pocket and throws a touchdown to Mark Andrews or Marquise Brown. It’s difficult to stop.

The game begins at 8:15 p.m. Eastern on CBS.

The Baltimore Ravens, led by breakout star quarterback Lamar Jackson, begin their playoff campaign at home on Saturday night against the Tennessee Titans, a team that upset Tom Brady and the New England Patriots during wild-card weekend.

The Ravens earned the top seed in the A.F.C. and had a bye last weekend. Jackson, the leading candidate to be selected as the league’s most valuable player next month, threw 36 touchdowns during the regular season — the most in the league — and ran for seven more. He also had 1,206 rushing yards, breaking Michael Vick’s record for the most in a season by a quarterback.

The Titans sneaked into the playoffs on the final day of the season, beating the Houston Texans to claim a 9-7 record and the sixth seed in the A.F.C. But they took down the heavily favored New England Patriots, 20-13, behind a stout performance from their defense and 182 yards rushing from Derrick Henry, who led the league in rushing and tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns.

Lamar Jackson is an M.V.P. shoo-in.

Lamar Jackson. Lamar Jackson. Lamar Jackson.

You are going to hear about Jackson — about how he grew up in Pompano Beach, Fla., about how he won the Heisman Trophy while at Louisville, about how many talent evaluators (most famously Bill Polian) didn’t believe he could play quarterback in the N.F.L. — repeatedly on Saturday night. You are going to hear about Jackson if he plays well, and you’re going to hear even more about him if he plays poorly.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/11/sports/football/titans-ravens.html?emc=rss&partner=rss