Ravens-Titans Preview: Derrick Henry's Homecoming Is the Story — But Baltimore Has Bigger Fish to Fry

By Charles Harris — Ravori Sports

The Derrick Henry storyline is obvious.

Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium, Henry will finally face the Tennessee Titans for the first time since leaving the franchise that made him one of the most feared running backs in football.

Eight seasons in Tennessee.

A mountain of production.

A franchise legend.

And now, for the first time, Henry will line up against the team that drafted him, developed him and watched him become one of the most dominant running backs of his generation.

That is a fantastic storyline.

But here is the Ravori Sports reality:

The Ravens have bigger fish to fry.

Baltimore is trying to improve to 3-1, while Tennessee enters the matchup searching for its first victory of the season. Henry's reunion with the Titans will dominate the pregame conversation, but once the football is kicked off, Baltimore has much more important issues to solve.

The Ravens have an offensive line that has been devastated by injuries.

They have a quarterback dealing with a minor back issue.

They have a defense that needs to become more consistent.

They have Trey Hendrickson's availability to monitor.

And they have to prove that the thrilling victory over Dallas was the beginning of something rather than simply another early-season roller coaster.

That's why this game matters.

Derrick Henry is the headline.

Winning is the mission.

Henry's First Game Against Tennessee

Let's start with the obvious.

Derrick Henry is going to get a lot of attention Sunday.

How could he not?

Henry spent eight seasons with Tennessee and became one of the most accomplished players in franchise history. Now he gets to face his former team wearing purple.

But Henry doesn't need to turn this into a revenge game.

He doesn't need to prove Tennessee made a mistake.

He doesn't need to rush for 200 yards.

He doesn't need three touchdowns.

He simply needs to help the Ravens win.

And so far this season, Henry has done exactly that.

Through three games, Henry has carried the ball 66 times for 301 yards and six touchdowns. He is averaging 4.6 yards per carry and has forced 11 missed tackles. PFF currently has him graded at 78.2 overall, seventh among qualified running backs, with a 75.5 rushing grade.

Six touchdowns in three games.

That's Henry being Henry.

The Titans know exactly what is coming.

The problem is stopping it.

But Baltimore cannot get caught up in trying to manufacture some Hollywood moment for Henry.

If Henry gets 20 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns, great.

If he gets 25 carries for 125 yards, even better.

If Baltimore wins and Henry has an ordinary statistical afternoon, nobody in the Ravens locker room is going to complain.

Because the goal is not revenge.

The goal is 3-1.

The Ravens Have Bigger Problems

This is where the preview gets serious.

Baltimore has problems to solve.

The biggest one is sitting right in the middle of the offensive line.

The Ravens have lost Jovaughn Gwyn and Ethan Pocic to long-term injuries, creating another major problem at center. The team has been forced to shuffle its interior offensive line and bring in veteran help.

That is not a minor issue.

That is the biggest concern surrounding this football team right now.

Because Tennessee has Jeffery Simmons.

And if there is one player Baltimore absolutely cannot allow to wreck the game from the interior, it is Simmons.

The Ravens need to establish the run.

They need to protect Lamar Jackson.

And they need to avoid putting themselves in obvious passing situations where Tennessee can unleash its interior pressure.

That is where John Simpson becomes extremely important.

John Simpson Is the PFF Concern

Since Gwyn will not play, let's look at the next major PFF concern on Baltimore's offensive line.

John Simpson currently carries a 56.7 PFF grade, ranking 46th among 72 qualified guards. His pass-blocking grade is 51.1, while his run-blocking grade is considerably better at 63.3.

That is a fascinating split.

Simpson has not allowed a sack this season and has surrendered only five total pressures, according to PFF. But he has also been flagged four times, which ranks near the bottom among qualified guards.

That means Baltimore needs Simpson to be disciplined.

No unnecessary penalties.

No missed assignments.

No protection breakdowns.

And no giving Tennessee easy opportunities to disrupt the offense.

The Ravens can survive a mediocre grade.

They cannot survive repeated drive-killing mistakes.

This is especially important because Baltimore is already dealing with major uncertainty at center.

The Ravens need their guards to become stabilizers.

And Sunday against Tennessee is another test.

Lamar Jackson Is the Bigger Story

Henry is the headline.

Lamar Jackson is the story that ultimately matters more.

Jackson enters Week 4 with 745 passing yards, four touchdown passes and one interception. PFF currently has Jackson graded at 86.8, fifth among qualified quarterbacks. His 90.3 rushing grade ranks second among qualified quarterbacks.

And now Jackson is dealing with a back issue.

The good news?

He returned to practice Thursday and was on the field after being limited Wednesday.

That's huge.

Baltimore cannot afford to take Tennessee lightly.

And Jackson doesn't need to carry the entire offense.

That's the beauty of having Henry.

That's the beauty of having Zay Flowers.

That's the beauty of having Mark Andrews.

Baltimore has weapons.

The offensive line simply has to give them an opportunity to operate.

Zay Flowers Changes Everything

Another major development is Zay Flowers.

Flowers returned against Dallas after dealing with a hamstring injury and immediately reminded everybody why he is so important to this offense.

He caught five passes for 84 yards and had a 20-yard rushing attempt against Dallas, while his late 27-yard reception helped set up Tyler Loop's game-winning 56-yard field goal.

Flowers also gives Lamar something every quarterback wants:

A receiver who can create separation and turn short throws into explosive plays.

And Flowers practiced Thursday.

That matters.

Because now Tennessee has to worry about Henry in the backfield, Lamar outside the pocket and Flowers attacking its secondary.

That's a lot to defend.

The PFF Grades Tell the Story

Baltimore has legitimate high-end performers.

Lamar is at 86.8.

Henry is at 78.2.

And Nnamdi Madubuike has emerged as one of the most encouraging defensive developments of the season.

Madubuike returned from a significant injury absence and immediately provided Baltimore with interior disruption.

That is important because Baltimore needs its defensive front to become a strength.

But the contrast between the Ravens' best and worst grades tells an interesting story.

The Ravens have elite-level talent.

They also have areas where injuries and inconsistency are creating problems.

John Simpson's 56.7 overall grade is one of those concerns. His 51.1 pass-blocking grade is particularly noteworthy.

That does not mean Simpson is going to have a bad game Sunday.

It means Tennessee has an opportunity to attack an area where Baltimore is vulnerable.

And NFL teams find vulnerabilities.

Tennessee's Best and Worst PFF Grades

The Titans enter Baltimore at 0-3, and their offensive production has been a major problem.

Tennessee is averaging just 12.3 points per game and 249.3 total yards per game.

But Baltimore cannot look at the record and assume the Titans are incapable of making this competitive.

There are still players who can create problems.

Linebacker Cody Barton has been one of Tennessee's stronger graded defenders.

Jeffery Simmons remains the player Baltimore has to identify before every snap.

And rookie quarterback Cam Ward has the physical ability to make difficult throws when given time.

That's where the Ravens defense has to take control.

Make Ward uncomfortable.

Make him process information quickly.

Make him throw into tight windows.

And don't let Tennessee establish an early running game that keeps Baltimore's defense on the field.

The Ravens Defense Needs a Statement

This might actually be the biggest storyline of the entire game.

Baltimore's defense has not been consistent enough.

The Ravens need to tackle.

They need to get off the field.

They need to create pressure.

They need to create turnovers.

And they need to stop allowing opponents to dictate the tempo.

Tennessee is exactly the type of opponent Baltimore needs to handle.

Not because the Titans should be disrespected.

Because this is an opportunity.

The Ravens need a defensive performance that makes people believe this unit is finally beginning to understand what Jesse Minter wants.

A young quarterback coming into Baltimore should be dealing with pressure from the opening possession.

If the Ravens cannot make Tennessee uncomfortable, then the concerns surrounding this defense are going to become louder.

Trey Hendrickson Is the Wild Card

Then there is Trey Hendrickson.

Hendrickson missed practice Wednesday and Thursday with a finger injury. He has been dealing with the injury since Week 2 but has not missed a game.

His availability matters.

The Ravens brought Hendrickson to Baltimore to change games.

They need his pass-rush presence.

Especially against a young quarterback.

If Hendrickson plays, Tennessee has to account for him.

If he doesn't, Baltimore needs another player to step up.

This is another situation worth watching closely before kickoff.

Baltimore's Offensive Line Is the X-Factor

Forget the Henry revenge storyline for a moment.

Forget the records.

Forget Tennessee's 0-3 record.

Watch the offensive line.

That is where this game could be won or lost.

Baltimore has lost multiple centers and now has to piece together an interior offensive line on the fly.

That is dangerous against Simmons.

It is dangerous against any NFL defensive front.

And it puts additional responsibility on Lamar Jackson.

It also puts additional responsibility on John Simpson.

Simpson doesn't need to become an All-Pro Sunday.

He simply needs to be dependable.

Block the guy in front of him.

Avoid penalties.

Communicate.

Protect Lamar.

Create space for Henry.

That might sound basic.

But sometimes basic football is exactly what a team needs.

Don't Let Derrick Henry Become the Distraction

This is the biggest point from Charles Harris and Ravori Sports.

Yes, Derrick Henry playing Tennessee for the first time is a huge story.

Yes, it will be emotional.

Yes, it will dominate television coverage.

But Baltimore cannot allow the moment to become the mission.

The mission is winning.

The Ravens are trying to get to 3-1.

They're trying to establish consistency.

They're trying to build momentum after that wild victory over Dallas.

They're trying to get Lamar healthy.

They're trying to stabilize the offensive line.

They're trying to find out what this Jesse Minter defense really is.

And they're trying to make sure a team sitting at 0-3 doesn't walk into M&T Bank Stadium and turn the entire building upside down.

That's bigger than Henry.

Much bigger.

The Ravori Sports Challenge

Here is the challenge from Charles Harris and Ravori Sports:

Handle business.

That's it.

Don't get distracted by the Henry storyline.

Don't overlook Tennessee.

Don't turn this into a circus.

Play football.

Protect Lamar.

Get Henry going.

Get Flowers involved.

Win the line of scrimmage.

Create pressure.

Force turnovers.

And finish the game.

That's what good football teams do.

Final Word

The Derrick Henry reunion is going to dominate the pregame coverage.

And honestly, it should.

It's a great NFL story.

The King returning to face the franchise where he became a legend.

But when the football is kicked off Sunday afternoon, none of that matters.

Henry doesn't need to prove anything to Tennessee.

Lamar doesn't need to prove anything to the Titans.

Jesse Minter doesn't need to make this game complicated.

Baltimore simply needs to handle business.

The Ravens are 2-1.

The Titans are 0-3.

Baltimore has legitimate postseason aspirations.

Tennessee is trying to find its identity.

That is the bigger story.

Derrick Henry versus Tennessee is the headline.

The Ravens getting to 3-1 is the mission.

And for Charles Harris and Ravori Sports, that's where the focus needs to remain.

The King can enjoy his reunion.

The Ravens have bigger fish to fry.

Handle the Titans. Get healthy. Fix the offensive line. Let the defense grow. Keep Lamar upright.

Then move on to the next one.

Because if Baltimore is serious about where this season can go, Sunday isn't about revenge.

It's about business.