NFL Week 9 Preview: Ravens at Titans

The Baltimore Ravens visit the Tennessee Titans in Week 9 of the 2017 NFL season. PFF previews the top player matchups of the game.

Coverage by: Daniel Cohen

RB Alex Collins vs. LB Avery Williamson – Collins has boosted his overall grade to a 74.1 overall thanks to his latest performance, where he earned a grade of 85.1 against the Miami Dolphins last week. He’ll face a run stopping linebacker this week in Williamson, whose 88.1 run-defense grade ranks fourth among all linebackers. Collins will look to continue to flash his big play ability in this game, as he ranks second in the NFL in runs of 15 or more yards with 10.

Alex Collins, running back, Baltimore Ravens

T Ronnie Stanley vs. Edge Brian Orakpo – While Stanley ranks 26th among tackles in pass-blocking grade, his run-blocking grade of 88.1 leads all tackles and could make the difference in winning his matchup against Orakpo. Orakpo, while a strong pass-rusher, has been lacking in the run game this season, having earned a run-defense grade of 47.6 to this point. His run-stop percentage of 6.6 percent (8 run stops on 121 run-defense snaps) ranks just tied for 26th among edge defenders this season.
WR Jeremy Maclin vs. CB Logan Ryan – The now healthy Maclin is coming off a strong Week 8 outing where he caught three passes for 53 yards and a score, while producing a passer rating when targeted of 135.8. Ryan is averaging 0.77 yards allowed per coverage snap, which ranks 19th at the position. Ryan has allowed two touchdowns this season without recording an interception, which has contributed to his below average 103.4 passer rating allowed.

Coverage by: Sam McGaw

RB DeMarco Murray vs. LB C.J. Mosley – Murray has struggled this year, ranking 28th among running backs with a PFF overall grade of 73.1. He’s forced only 14 missed tackles and his average of 2.29 rushing yards after contact per attempt ranks 35th for his position. Mosley is tied for first among linebackers with 23 run stops, and his 9.9 run-stop percentage ranks ninth. Despite his production, he ranks 58th among linebackers with a run defense grade 47.2.

T Taylor Lewan vs. Edge Terrell Suggs – Lewan enters Week 9 ranked eighth among offensive tackles with a PFF overall grade of 82.0. He has allowed only eight total pressures this season, including two sacks. He hasn’t given up more than two total pressures in seven games. Lewan has also been solid as a run blocker, ranking 14th among tackles with a run-block grade of 81.8. Suggs ranks fourth among edge defenders with a run-defense grade of 89.6. In addition, he’s applied 28 total pressures and registered a pass-rush productivity of 10.4. 18 of his pressures has come from the defense’s right side.
WR Rishard Matthews vs. CB Brandon Carr – With PFF’s seventh-ranked cornerback Jimmy Smith (88.4 overall grade) primarily lined up on the right side of the Ravens’ defense, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota may look to attack Carr on the opposite side. Carr has given up 18 catches on 34 passes into his coverage for 254 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions. Quarterbacks throwing at him average a passer rating of 50.4. Matthews has lined up as the right wide receiver for a team-high 97 passing snaps. When lined up outside to the right, he has a 99.7 wide receiver rating, compared to 26.4 when lined up outside to the left. He leads the Titans with 1.79 receiving yards per route run.