Clash of the Titans

Ravens look to get home win over the Titans

As predictable as using the phrase the clash of the of the Titans is when playing Tennessee, it clearly has an application when Baltimore and Tennessee meet. Most of that is a manifestation of the fact that the Ravens boast the #1 ranked defense in all the land. And the Titans are a bruising #5 ranked defense.

This will probably be a flashback to last Monday Night against the #2 NFL defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The amazing thing about the Ravens/Titans clash is both defenses get some kind of bizarre satisfaction from kicking the snot out of each other. That is the football I love. Give me a 21 to 17 game with excitement and skull crushing over a 49 to 45 offensive track meet. I would add the caveat however that I need to see a little offense. I want to see a defense stop an offense not an offense stop itself. And I need to see my offense move the ball efficiently against a great defense.

Any how back to the review. The Ravens defense is always ready to reek havoc on their opponent. And Ray Lewis and his disciples of pain salivate at the opportunity to shut down an adversaries ground attack. The Titans have an illustrious tandem of running backs at their disposal. The rookie Chris Johnson has stated his case thus far for rookie of the year by posting 337 yards on 67 carries with 2 touchdowns. Yes your math is correct. That is 5.0 yards per carry. And his hefty partner in crime Lendale White may not have as impressive of stats, but he is the thunder to Johnson's lightning. He is the short yardage specialist and his 5 touchdowns prove it.

And it is not like the Titans have yet to face a good defense. The beat the Vikings who are presently pretty similar to Baltimore in rushing defense. But the Ravens bring a certain swagger that Tennessee has yet to see or probably will see. So I am confident that Ray and the boys will keep the Titans in check.

Also the fact that Kerry Collins is filling in for Vince Young should not be taken lightly. Collins is serviceable respected veteran who can still beat you. Of course Collins still has nightmares of the Ravens defense when he was getting pounded in Super Bowl XXXV when he played for the Giants.

> Find Baltimore Ravens jerseys & merchandise online through Pro Football Fans and check out the 2008 NFL scoreboard!

Last weeks loss to Pittsburgh is still a burr in the side of the Ravens but they do have something to learn from that loss concerning their offense. I am not suggesting a moral victory but I am proposing that Joe Flacco and the young revamped offense has been learning on the job. Flacco had another positive game and is quickly learning he can play while his squad is gaining more and more confidence in him. Yes he has made some mistakes and the more he plays the more opposing defenses will learn about him. But this is how business is done in the NFL.

All I want out of Flacco and the offense is a few quality drives. They can watch the film of what worked against the Steelers and their vaunted #2 defense. They know they can move the ball if they keep mixing high percentage passes with inside/outside running of Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain.

This of course sounds elementary or over simplifying reality perhaps. But a young developing team needs to establish the fundamental principles of football (offense in this case), and avoid putting the cart before the horse.

Having the game at home should be a plus. But I have a bad feeling about this game. The Ravens are coming off of a short week and played a physical team. Tennessee is coming off of a physical game with Minnesota but they are eying down their bye week. Of course Tennessee coming in at 4 and 0 sometimes swings the odds toward a team losing. But the bye week means they will not be looking past the Ravens. Candidly speaking the Titans are just a better team all around.

I regrettably see this as a loss when it's all said and done. When the schedule was released I had Baltimore at 3 and 2 by week 5. Of course the Houston game was re-scheduled. But that was a win in my world.

I'm prepared for another gut wrencher. Titans 16 and the Ravens 12.

I honestly hope that I am wrong but one thing I can guarantee is that the offense will continue to learn and grow from games against elite defenses like this.

By Andy Natalie
ProFootball-fans.com Baltimore Ravens Correspondent