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Jackson's Ankle Leaves Baltimore Fragile Despite Holding Off Tennessee

The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Tennessee Titans 24-18 at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday, moving to 3-1 while the Titans fell to 0-4. Yet a contest that seemed decided by halftime ended with genuine anxiety for the hosts, who watched their dynamic early lead stall out entirely once Lamar Jackson was forced from the field.

Baltimore dictated terms across the opening two quarters, piling up a 24-7 advantage before their offense completely shut down in the second half. The Titans rallied with 11 unanswered points after the break, threatening until an unsuccessful onside kick in the final minute sealed the outcome.

1. Jackson commands early before injury strikes

Jackson produced a stellar opening half, completing 15 of 20 throws for 222 yards and two touchdowns to record a 144.2 passer rating. However, the trajectory of Baltimore's afternoon turned abruptly on their final snap before the intermission.

Titans defensive end Jermaine Johnson II landed on the back of Jackson's leg during a sack, leaving the quarterback visibly limping with a sprained left ankle. Jackson spent the remainder of the afternoon sidelined in a walking boot as Tyler Huntley stepped in under center.

2. Baltimore's attack vanishes without their starter

The contrast between the two halves exposed how reliant Baltimore's scoring remains on their starting quarterback. Having registered all 24 of their points during Jackson's time on the field, the Ravens failed to produce a single point under Huntley across the second half.

This scoreless drought allowed the Titans to climb back into contention, transforming what looked like a blowout into a tight one-score finish.

3. Defensive discipline exploits Ward's timid passing

Tennessee's offense struggled to establish early momentum, largely because Baltimore's defensive front disrupted quarterback Cam Ward from the outset. Ward threw an interception on just the second snap of the contest, and the Ravens consistently brought pressure that forced conservative checkdowns.

According to Pro Football Talk, Ward did not perform like a franchise quarterback, and the Titans were repeatedly bogged down in three-and-out drives before finding late points.

The focus now shifts toward Jackson's recovery ahead of a Week 5 meeting with the Atlanta Falcons. Head coach Jesse Minter offered little clarity following the game, stating, 'We Don’t Know Enough About It Right Now' regarding the severity of the ankle sprain, and refused to commit to Jackson's readiness.

While the injury is not categorized as long-term, Baltimore's second-half blanking underlines how crucial his status will be against Atlanta.

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