Around the NFL: Ravens Host Titans in Battle of Top Rushing Attacks

Welcome to Around the NFL, where Cale Berger of Steelers Now will recap early-week action and take a look ahead at some of the most important matchups from the Pittsburgh Steelers perspective. 

AROUND THE NFL THIS WEEKEND

Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens, 1:00 p.m., CBS Regional

When Baltimore hosts Tennessee in a rematch of last season’s divisional round playoff matchup, two of the league’s top rushing attacks will go head-to-head. Both teams have been undeniably dominant on the ground this season, but they do so in vastly different way.

The Titans sixth-ranked run game notably subscribes to the workhorse, bell cow mentality with running back Derrick Henry. Last year’s rushing leader is currently second in the league with 946 rushing yards. He also leads the NFL with 201 total rushing attempts, and has scored eight touchdowns on the ground. That being said, the drop off is steep in the Tennessee ground attack beyond Henry. Backup running backs Jeremy McNichols and D’Onta Foreman have rushed for 239 yards combined and no scores. Luckily for Tennessee, Henry feasted on the Ravens defense in last season’s playoff upset, rushing for 195 yards. He also passed for a touchdown for good measure.

As for Baltimore, they rely on their dynamic quarterback and a running back by committee approach to get the job done on the ground. Quarterback Lamar Jackson rushed for 1,206 yards in his MVP season a year ago, and is second among quarterbacks with 524 in 2020. When it comes to the running backs, Baltimore is a bona fide committee with Gus Edwards, J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram. Each have led the Ravens in rushing at least once this season and all are averaging at least 4.2 yards per carry.

The Ravens defense will need to continue forcing turnovers and find a way to slow down Henry if they want to avoid losing three games in four weeks for the first time since 2018. Both will be quite the challenge, as the Titans have turned the ball over just four times this season, the fewest in the league.

Cincinnati Bengals at Washington, 1:00 p.m., CBS Regional

Bruised and battered by the Steelers last week, quarterback Joe Burrow and the Bengals will face another stiff defense and vicious pass rush in Washington on Sunday.

Burrow had excelled through the first eight games of his career, but he ran into a buzz saw in the form of the Pittsburgh. The rookie completed just 21 of 40 passes for 213 yards and touchdown. He was also sacked four times and hit on ten occasions. Burrows 52.5% completion percentage is his lowest in a game since he completed 51.4% in a loss to Alabama on Nov. 3, 2018.

Washington’s defense has been strong all season, and will pose a similar challenged for the top pick. They own the leagues top pass defense, and have picked off nine passes, tied for the third-most in football. Washington is also fifth in the league with 28 sacks, 3.5 of which belong to Burrows former Buckeye teammate Chase Young, who leads all rookies in the department.

The onus will once again be placed on Burrow to will Cincinnati to an elusive win, as they will again be without running back Joe Mixon, who has missed the last three games with a foot injury. Burrow has done a solid job of protecting the football of late, as he is aiming for his third-straight game without an interception. Washington has forced only nine turnovers all season.

Quarterback Alex Smith will again start for Washington this Sunday, after setting career-highs in completions (38) and passing
yards (390) last week. He should be able to find success again, opposing a Cincinnati defense that has been ravaged by injuries and gave up four touchdowns to Ben Roethlisberger last Sunday. Young wideout Terry McLaurin caught seven passes for 95 yards against Detroit, and should find similar success versus the Bengals. He is seeking his third-straight at home with seven or more receptions, over 90 yards and a touchdown grab.

Philadelphia Eagles at Cleveland Browns, 1:00 p.m., WPGH-TV

Even though the Browns mustered just ten points in their win over the Texans a week ago, the return of stud running back Nick Chubb was a spark for the offense, and one they will need again when the Eagles arrive in Cleveland on Sunday.

Chubb was tremendous versus Houston, carrying 19 times for a season-high 126 yards and a score after missing the previous four game with a knee injury. He has been his best at home too, rushing for 358 yards (119.3 per game) and five scores in three games at First Energy Stadium this season. The Eagles do not present much of a challenge to Chubb and the Browns’ ground game on paper, owning the ninth-worst rush defense in football and having surrendered 14 rushing touchdowns.

Leading the NFC East at an abysmal 3-5-1, Philadelphia has plenty of room for improvement. That improvement has to start with quarterback Carson Wentz, who has been the dictionary definition of inconsistent. He has the 32nd-ranked completion percentage in the league at just 58.2%, and has tossed 12 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. Wentz has also been sacked 35 times on the year, which leads the league. He has one game this season without a turnover.

Cleveland proves to be another tough draw Wentz and Philadelphia, with defensive end Myles Garrett currently paces the NFL with 9.5 sacks and is tied for the league-lead with four forced fumbles. For the Eagles to have any chance of pulling off the upset Sunday, Wentz will have to improve and find a way to protect the football.

Green Bay Packers at Indianapolis Colts, 4:25 p.m., WPGH-TV

Following Steelers-Jaguars, Pittsburgh fans itching for more football can flip over to FOX for the weekend’s premier quarterback dual, as Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and Indianapolis’ Philip Rivers face off for just the second time ever.

Rodgers continues to show no signs of aging, as the 36-year-old has been playing exceptional leading the Packers to a 7-2 record. He is second in the NFL with 26 touchdown passes, while having thrown just three interceptions. Rodgers is also completing 67.8% of his passes, which is the third-highest clip of his career. The 16-year veteran has been especially good on the road in 2020, as he has tosses at least three touchdown passes with no interceptions in four of his last five road starts this season.

While he has played at an MVP level, Rodgers has not been tested much when it comes to opposing defenses. When he did face a top defense in the Buccaneers Week 5, Rodgers played his worst game of the year, as he was picked off twice and was held without a touchdown pass. The Colts are just as fearsome, topping the league in total defense and picking off eleven passes. They have also allowed just eleven passing scores, the second-fewest this season.

Rivers, 39, has been a pleasant surprise for the Colts, and even made some history last week, surpassing Dan Marino for the fifth-most passing yards in league history. The 17-year veteran has thrown eleven touchdowns and seven interceptions, while completing 68.7% of his passes for 266.1 yards per game. He has been especially good of late, throwing for over 250 yards and toping a 105 passer rating in three of his last four.

Even with the two legendary passers facing off for potentially the final time, Sunday’s matchup could come down to the weapons, where Green Bay has the edge. The Packers’ Davante Adams has been stellar all season, joining Hall of Famers Marvin Harrison and Randy Moss as the only players with over 700 yards and nine touchdowns through the first seven games of a season in the Super Bowl era last week. After missing three of the last six games with injury, star running back Aaron Jones is beginning to look like his old self again. He has accounted for seven total touchdowns, and accounted for 724 scrimmage yards. Advantage Green Bay.

REST OF THE SCHEDULE

• Seattle Seahawks 28 Arizona Cardinals 21
• Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints, 1:00 p.m., FOX Regional
• Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers, 1:00 p.m., FOX Regional
• Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1:00 p.m., KDKA-TV
• New England Patriots at Houston Texans, 1:00 p.m., CBS Regional
• Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos, 4:05 p.m., CBS Regional
• New York Jets at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:05 p.m., CBS Regional
• Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings, 4:25 p.m., FOX Regional
• Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders, 8:20 p.m., WPXI-TV
• Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m., ESPN