Baltimore Ravens vs Tennessee Titans Odds and Predictions
Raj J - January 9th, 2009 .CBS might want to consider broadcasting a disclaimer before Saturday’s divisional playoff game between Baltimore and Tennessee: the faint of heart need not tune in.
Two of the NFL’s nastiest teams square off in Nashville for the chance to advance to the AFC title game in what is sure to be one of the most physical games of the year. Bookmakers have installed the host and No.1-seeded Titans as 3-point favorites over the Ravens. To no one’s surprise the total has been set at a meager 34.5.
Baltimore (12-5, 13-4 ATS) is coming off a dominating 27-9 victory against Miami in the wild card round. The Ravens forced five turnovers against the Dolphins, who entered the contest on the heels of setting the NFL record for fewest turnovers in a season. They didn’t go up against defenses as fast, physical, and swarming as Baltimore’s every game, though, and it showed; Miami’s skill players were noticeably overmatched and couldn’t find a way to create space to make anything happen offensively. And Chad Pennington, whose accuracy and composure led the Dolphins to the greatest turnaround in league history, was overwhelmed and pressured into interception after interception, one of which was taken to the house by Ed Reed? Who else? Reed has a knack for scoring unlike any defensive player the NFL has seen in a long time, and led the league in interceptions and defensive touchdowns this year.
If it seemed like Tennessee (13-3, 12-4 ATS) stumbled to the finish line in the regular season, going 3-3 over its last six games, well, that’s what a 10-0 start will do to alter one’s perception. But make no mistake: the Titans absolutely deserved the AFC’s top seed. And just when people were starting to doubt the legitimacy of this team, which coincided with Pittsburgh’s late surge for the top spot in the conference, the Titans promptly went out and put a thorough beating on the Steelers to wrap up the No. 1 seed. A great running game led by the ultra-fast Chris Johnson, combined with one of the league’s best defenses anchored by the immovable object Albert Haynesworth, has made Tennessee as formidable as they come this season.
The team who makes the fewest mistakes is most likely to prevail in what should be a defensive struggle. Both teams sport top-3 defenses and ball-control offenses, so turnovers will be at a premium in this affair. Despite the extra week, Tennessee actually enters this game more banged up than Baltimore, with Haynesworth and Kyle Vanden Bosch both missing practice this week. But both are expected to play, and the Titans were 7-1 at home this season. They also went into Baltimore and beat the Ravens, 13-0, in Week 5. There are plenty of reasons to like both teams.
At the end of the day even with a rookie quarterback at the helm it’s simply too much to ask to wager against Baltimore’s defense. This unit is as tenacious and hungry as you’ll ever see and it simply doesn’t give an inch to the opposition. Expect Reed to come up with a few more big plays in the secondary and the front seven to ground the Tennessee running game to a halt with the offense moving the ball just enough to outpoint the Titans in a low-scoring affair.
Pick: Baltimore +3
