Baltimore at Tennessee
Time: NOON (CT) CBS
Spread: TEN -3.5
Total: 42
Odds c/o 5dimes
The Tennessee Titans sit at first place in the AFC South with a 4-3 mark and find itself 3.5 point favorites as it hosts the Baltimore Ravens in NFL Action Sunday on CBS. The over/under is set at 42 points according to NFL oddsmakers at bookmaker 5dimes.
Tennessee won 12-9 over the Cleveland Browns last week to build its win-streak to two games. The Titans won on a Ryan Succop fourth quarter field goal, a 47-yarder to clinch the game with 1:55 in overtime. He extended his streak of made field goals inside 50-yards to 55 straight, as the Titans won a rather ugly one to improve to 4-3. Marcus Mariota threw 21 of 34 for completion with 203 yards, but failed to throw a TD pass.
The Titans also did not score a TD via the rush, despite getting 80 yards on 23 carries, including 59 from leading-rusher DeMarco Murray. Mariota rushed just one time for eight yards in the game. Delanie Walker had a nice game at WR with seven catches on his 10 targeted passes for 63 total yards, including a long-catch of 16 yards.
Taywan Taylor and Rishard Matthews each caught three passes apiece for 45 and 40 yards, respectively. Walker did fumble however, and it was not recovered. Avery Williamson had a huge game on defense for Tennessee with 14 total tackles (6 solo), including one for a loss. Tennessee had four tackles for loss and two sacks on the day, as it stifled Cody Kessler and DeShone Kizer (Though the pair did complete 22 passes between them for 218 yards). The Titans ideally would have liked more offense against a team they should have no trouble beating, but it counts for the same win in the column either way and keeps Tennessee atop its division.
Mariota now has 1,301 passing yards on the season while throwing at a 62.5 percent clip. He has four TDs, but also four interceptions. Mariota has thrown for 200 yards or more in four of the past five contests, excluding the Houston Texans game when he threw just 10 passes and sustained an injury. Mariota needs more yardage from his receivers post-catch, as last week brought just 5.97 yards per completion, well below his season mark of 7.59. Against the Indianapolis Colts and Texans, though, he was good for nearly 10 yards per catch, which appeared to be a positive sign for the Titans pass offense. Tennessee ranks No. 26 in the NFL in passing yardage, while sustaining a No. 8 ranked rush offense. The Titans are middle of the pack in scoring (22.6 points per game, No. 13), while its defense has cost it some games in allowing 24.7 points per game and ranking No. 26 in the League.
The Baltimore Ravens, meanwhile, won 40-0 over the Miami Dolphins last week to snap a two-game skid. Baltimore has the worst pass offense in the league with just 152.9 passing yards per game, but has the No. 7 ranked rush offense at 126.9 yards per game. It manages just 21.3 points still, however, and gives up 18.5 points per game as the possessors of the 5th-best defense in the NFL. Last week against the Dolphins, Miami was limited to just 151 passing yards and 45 rushing yards as the Ravens had 12 tackles for loss and three sacks in the affair.
Baltimore’s defense can keep it in games, but Joe Flacco and his receiving corp have to find a way to get more yardage from their plays. Flacco is listed as questionable with a concussion, but he put in a full practice during the week so indications are that he will likely play. The 10th-year QB from Delaware has thrown for 1,290 yards on the season with a 64 percent completion ratio, but he averages just 5.4 yards per reception and has more interceptions (eight) than TD passes (six). His passer rating is also a paltry 72.3. Flacco has not had more than 200 passing yards in the past three contests.
