Ravens Hold Off Titans 24–18 as Lamar Jackson Exits With Ankle Injury
The Ravens built a 17-point halftime lead, lost Lamar Jackson to an ankle injury and held on to beat the Tennessee Titans 24–18 at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, October 4th. Baltimore improved to 3–1, while Tennessee remained winless at 0–4. The result ended Baltimore’s four-game home losing streak, but the injuries and a scoreless second half left the Ravens with plenty to address.
A fast start and a pivotal stop
Trenton Simpson intercepted Cam Ward on Tennessee’s second offensive play, giving Baltimore an early opportunity. Derrick Henry finished the ensuing five-play, 37-yard possession with a five-yard touchdown run. Tennessee answered with a 70-yard drive capped by Tony Pollard’s three-yard score, tying the game at 7–7.
Jackson put Baltimore back in front with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers in the second quarter. The scoring summary records an 81-yard drive, another productive stretch for an offense that found room through the air before halftime. Flowers made the touchdown catch with a defender close beside him.
The most important defensive exchange followed. With Tennessee facing fourth-and-goal at Baltimore’s two-yard line, Nnamdi Madubuike stopped Pollard on a direct snap. The Ravens then traveled 98 yards in eight plays, with Jackson finding Mark Andrews for a three-yard touchdown. Instead of a tied game, Baltimore led 21–7.
Loop makes stadium history
Kyle Hamilton forced a Carnell Tate fumble late in the second quarter, and Malaki Starks recovered. Baltimore added three more points before the break when Tyler Loop connected from 64 yards. Loop’s record-setting kick was the longest field goal in M&T Bank Stadium history and the second-longest in Ravens history, behind Justin Tucker’s 66-yarder in Detroit in 2021.
That made the halftime score 24–7. Loop had also delivered the winning 56-yard field goal against Dallas the previous week. On Sunday, however, Baltimore would need every point of its first-half cushion: the offense never scored again, and Loop later missed from 40 yards.
Jackson exits; Tennessee closes the gap
The Jackson injury report said the quarterback hurt his ankle on a sack near the end of the first half, when Jermaine Johnson landed on the back of his leg. Jackson did not play in the second half. His final passing line was 15 completions in 20 attempts for 222 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. No recovery timetable was established in the reports available for this recap.
Tyler Huntley completed eight of nine passes for 63 yards in relief and added 16 rushing yards. The Ravens game recap noted that Baltimore’s first four second-half possessions ended in punts, followed by the missed field goal. The offense’s inability to extend drives or finish with points kept the door open for Tennessee.
Joey Slye’s 33-yard field goal cut the deficit to 24–10 in the third quarter. In the fourth, Ward connected with Wan’Dale Robinson for a three-yard touchdown, then found Gunnar Helm for the two-point conversion. That seven-play, 70-yard drive brought Tennessee within six, but the Titans did not score again.
The numbers and what comes next
According to the official box score, Flowers finished with eight catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. Henry rushed 23 times for 73 yards and a score; Andrews caught five passes for 27 yards and a touchdown. Baltimore outgained Tennessee 384–297 and held the ball for 33:08.
Ward completed 20 of 31 passes for 222 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Tate led Tennessee with nine catches for 145 yards. Baltimore’s penalties remained a problem: 13 flags cost 131 yards, compared with five penalties for 32 yards against Tennessee. The Ravens won despite surrendering that much field position.
Jackson was not the only starter hurt. Marlon Humphrey left with a calf injury, Durham Smythe with an Achilles injury and Andrew Vorhees with a foot injury. Their availability remains a follow-up story. Baltimore next visits Atlanta for Sunday Night Football on October 11th, with kickoff scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET.
Follow PowerPage’s Baltimore Ravens coverage for updates as the team prepares for Atlanta.
Photo credit: Joey Pulone/Baltimore Ravens Photos. PowerPage cover treatment.
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