How did the Titans pull off the biggest AFC divisional playoff upset in nine years, Saturday's 28-12 victory over the Ravens in Baltimore? Simple: They played their style of physical football better with running back Derrick Henry than the Ravens did with quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Henry, the reigning NFL rushing champion, rumbled for 195 yards on 30 carries against a Ravens run defense that ranked fifth in the league during the regular season. He also contributed in the passing game, per usual, in key moments for quarterback Ryan Tannehill, and he even pitched in with a jump-pass touchdown on a trick play after taking a direct snap. Henry's performance came less than a week after he rushed for 182 yards in the Titans' wild-card upset of the Patriots in New England.
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The Titans are the first No. 6 seed to beat a No. 1 seed since the Jets shocked the Patriots in 2011. The Ravens came into the game with a 14-2 record and had won 12 consecutive games. They led the league in scoring offense, averaging 33.2 points per game. With Jackson setting a record for rushing yards by a QB, they had the most prolific rushing attack in NFL history, averaging 206.0 yards per game — or nearly 70 more than the Henry-powered Titans.
SN breaks down the Titans' stunning offensive and defensive dominance:
Henry and the Titans' offensive line imposed their will.
The Patriots knew Henry would be running often and were left helpless. The Ravens experienced that same feeling. The Titans have a strong line anchored by tackles Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin. They also use additional blockers well from their stable of tight ends. Henry is extremely hard to bring down after initial contact, and the Ravens were pushed around and worn down. They also were too aggressive and undisciplined at times trying to stop Henry, which led to him bouncing outside for chunk runs, including a 66-yard back-breaker.
The Titans made the Ravens' deep secondary a non-factor.
When Tennessee wasn't running effectively with Henry, it didn't have Tannehill trying to force the action against cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters and Jimmy Smith, who are the strength of Baltimore's defense. Rookie A.J. Brown got only three targets and two touches; fellow wideout Corey Davis was also quiet, aside from catching Henry's scoring pass. The Titans picked their spots well; they got tight end Jonnu Smith free in the red zone and utilized deep threat Kalif Raymond's speed for another scoring shot while playing off the run. It's hard for a team to use its pass rush and secondary to its advantage when a QB such as Tannehill drops back only 15 times in 60 minutes.
The Titans stayed disciplined as they took away Jackson in the zone read.
Jackson ended up with gaudy rushing numbers (143 yards on 20 attempts), but much of that production came when the Titans were playing back in zone coverage with a big lead in the second half, when it was OK to give him those running lanes. The fundamentally sound front seven of defensive coordinator Dean Pees studied their keys and were prepared for the ghost motion. Before worrying about Jackson, they made sure a banged-up Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards (nine carries combined for 42 yards) wouldn't complement Jackson in the traditional running game.
VIDEO: Top plays by the Titans' defense vs. the Ravens
The Titans tackled well on every level, too, including stopping Jackson on two critical fourth-and-short rushing attempts. Unlike the Ravens, the Titans didn't get caught up in the wash up front. It takes a total team effort to slow down a historic rushing attack. The Titans had everyone locked in to do what they needed to do at every position, no more, no less.
The Titans forced Jackson and the Ravens to convert lower-percentage passes outside.
Jackson ended up with 365 yards passing, but he was just 31 for 59. He averaged just 6.2 yards per attempt and rated a terrible 63.2, unlike most of his regular-season games. He also was sacked four times.
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Led by cornerback Logan Ryan, who does his best work in the slot, and safeties Kevin Byard and Kenny Vaccaro (who had an interception each), the Titans, for the most part, took away the middle of the field from Jackson and limited the damage from his inside receivers and tight ends. The Titans were OK giving up the occasional big play downfield to speedy rookie wide receiver Marquise Brown or second-year tight end Hayden Hurst. They made Jackson hold the ball longer and either buy time to take shots downfield or take off and run; he didn't escape often enough to be effective.
The Titans asserted themselves with Henry and took away Jackson's confidence.
Tennessee seized the momentum early and didn't let go. Jackson, meanwhile, traded the swag of the regular season for the uneasiness that he last showed in Baltimore's playoff loss to the Chargers last year. Things broke down around him for the first time in a long time, and the Titans' defense made sure he was shellshocked to the point he couldn't recover in time to lead a winning rally.
VIDEO: Derrick Henry's best plays against Baltimore
In addition to their physical edge, the Titans showed superior mental toughness in a hostile environment as they increased the pressure on Jackson, who already was thinking about shaking off his shaky playoff debut. Jackson turned in an MVP second season, but it still came to a bitter end.
Once again, the Titans — with the attitude instilled in them by coach Mike Vrabel — are moving on. Once again, the Ravens are looking for more answers around Jackson.
