Tonight’s game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Baltimore Ravens, affectionately known as the Harbaugh Bowl, was suppose to be the test that showed the Chargers were “for real”. In the first quarter, it actually looked like the Chargers were going to win the game handily going up 10-0 on the strength of J.K. Dobbins running game. The Chargers defense played Lamar Jackson and company tough for the entire first half.
The Los Angeles Chargers Started Out Strong Untill JR Dobbins was Injured
With 9:45 left in the 1st quarter Justin Herbert scrambled 5 yards for a touchdown after a series of runs by J.K. Dobbins combined with a series of passes to Ladd McConkey and Will Dissly. Both teams then alternated punts. On the Raven’s second possession they were forced to punt again. After a 62 yard punt, the Chargers got the ball on their own 17 yard line. The first quarter ended after a series of Dobbins runs for 22 yards. That’s when it appeared that J.K. Dobbins got hurt.
But the Chargers continued to drive down the field. And then it happened. Herbert then threw a pass to Dobbins, and after gaining 5 yards, he appeared to falter. While he stayed in the game the rest of the half, Dobbins explosive drive seemed to have disappeared and “Charger fan” started to get that “old sinking feeling”. The Chargers drive then stalled and the Chargers, Cameron Dicker kicked a 42 yard field goal.
It was going to be a Big Game for Derrek Henry
The Ravens stormed back. 8 plays later, after runs of 19, 14 and 11 yards, Derrick Henry rushed for 5 more yards and a touchdown…or so it seemed. An illegal formation penalized the Ravens 5 yards and the touchdown was nullified. No problem. On the very next play, Lamar Jackson ran the ball off the right end ,10 yards for the touchdown. The score was now10-7 with 7:48 remaining till halftime.
On the next series, the Chargers had to punt. With Dobbins now seemingly hurt and ineffective, the Chargers became one dimensional. They appeared to fall apart right then and there.
The Ravens got the ball back on there 7 yard line with 3:54 remaining till halftime, the Ravens dug themselves out of the hole and drove down the field on the strength of Derrick Henry’s running. With 24 seconds left on the clock, from the Chargers 40 hardline, Jackson threw a deep pass to Rashod Bateman for the touch down. The Ravens now led 14-10.
The Chargers Have a Clutch Distance Kicker in Cameron Dicker
With 24 seconds left in the half, the Chargers got the ball on their own 30 yard line. Herbert then threw ab series of passes, 11 yard reception by Jalen Reagor and a 17 yard grab by Joshua Palmer putting the ball on the Ravens 34 hardline. With 2 seconds on the clock, Cameron Dicker hit a 52 yard field goal. The half ended with the score 14-13 advantage Ravens.
The Chargers Held Tough in the 3rd Quarter
Jackson threw a 25 yard pass to Flowers on their 1st possession. But Jackson the threw an incomplete pass and in the next play was tackled at the line of scrimmage by Derwin James. Jackson threw another incomplete pass stalling the Ravens’ first drive of the second half. Justin Tucker then knocked through a 45 yard field goal giving the Ravens a 4 point lead, 17-13.
With J.K. Dobbins ruled out of the game with a knee injury, Gus Edwards came in at running back for the Chargers. The Chargers couldn’t get going again in their second possession until Herbert found Joshua Palmer for a 1st down. A holding penalty gave the Chargers a 2nd and 17, nullifying an 8 yard gain from a quarterback keeper. Jalen Reagor then caught a 9 yard pass, followed by a pass to Ladd McConkey who took it down to the Ravens 34. But Dicker then made another 52 yard field goal bringing the Chargers back to within 1 point, 17-16.
Jackson got the ball back again on the Ravens 30 after a touchback. Jackson first play on his second possession saw him avoid a sack and throw to Charlie Kolar for a 6 yard pick up. Henry the ran for 2 yards, but on 3rd and 1 Jackson’s run was stopped short of the first down. Once again Baltimore went for it on 4th down and Derrick Henry carried for 27 yards, to the Chargers’ 34 yard line. Henry had just gone over 90 yards for the game. A penalty made it 1st and 19. Jackson then threw to Tylan Wallace for a 15 yard gain bringing the Ravens to the Chargers 28 hardline. After a series of Henry runs, Jackson threw to Rashod Bateman who was tackled short of the 1st down and ending the 3rd quarter.
Derrik Henry Shined Once Again in the 4th Quarter
On 4th and 1, at LA’s 25, Henry ran 2 yards for the 4th down conversion. After a Jackson pass to Zay Flowers for a 4 yard pickup, Henry carried the Ball 9 yards to the Chargers 10 and then 6 yards to the Chargers 4 yard line. On 3rd and goal, Jackson hit Mark Andrews in what appeared to be a touchdown. After some discussion, the play was confirmed as a touchdown. The Ravens two point conversion pass failed. The Ravens had extended the lead 23-16.
The Chargers then got the ball on their 30 yard line to start their next drive of the second half. On 1st down, Gus Edwards lost 7 yards. On 2nd and 17, Herbert’s pass to Will Dissly got back 11 of those yards. After an incomplete pass to Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles punted.
The Ravens got the ball back on their own 27 yard line. Henry, on 2nd and 1 was stopped short of the 1st down. But Henry would not be denied. On the next play, Henry ran off the left edge stiff arming two would be Charger tacklers to the Baltimore 42 picking up the 1st down. Eventually, on 3rd and 2, Justice Hill caught a side line pass for a 51 yard touch down bringing the score to 30-16, after the kick. With 7:24 left in the 4th quarter. The Ravens had found away to separate themselves.
The Chargers just couldn’t keep up with the Ravens. On their next possession, the Chargers had to punt. After a Chargers 40 yard punt, the Ravens started their next drive on their own 18 yard line. On first down, Henry ran the ball for 5 yards. Henry than ran for 4 yards, running the clock. Henry then had a 6 yard gain for a first down. Henry followed that up with an 6 yard run continuing to run the clock. Eventually Baltimore had to punt, but not before “running” the4th quarter clock down to 3:08.
The Chargers Scored a Touchdown in Garbage Time
The Chargers got the ball back at their own 46 after a 44 yard punt and fair catch. Herbert threw 2 more incomplete passes to Quentin Johnston, passes that Johnston should have caught. After being sacked, and the throwing a series of passes to Ladd McConkey, on 4th and 6, Herbert targeted Palmer and a pass interference call turned a drop pass to 1st and 10. Herbert on a keeper made it to the Baltimore 19 yard line. After a couple of incomplete passes, Herbert threw to Joshua Palmer in the end zone. A pass interference by Jalyn Armour-Davis resulted 1st down with the ball place on the one yard line. Gus Edwards then scored the touchdown on a 1 yard run. After a delay of game , kicker Cameron Dicker, forced to kick from the 20 yard line made it a 7 point game and the score was now 30-23.
The subsequent onside kick was recovered by the Ravens with 45 seconds left in the 4th quarter and no time outs for the Chargers. The final score was 30-23. Baltimore Ravens moved to 8-4 and the Los Angeles Chargers fall to 7-4.
The Stats
Both teams ran 60 offensive plays. But the Ravens had 389 total yards, 177 passing and 212 rushing . The Chargers finished the game with only 285 yards, 202 passing and 83 yards rushing. While the time of possession was similar, Ravens 30:57, Chargers 29:03 and the score finished 30-23, the game never seemed close. Derrick Henry had his way with the Chargers defense carrying the ball 24 times for 140 yards, Lamar Jackson went 16 for 22 in passing. Herbert completed 21out of 36 attempts. J.K. Dobbins who left after the 1st quarter, carried the ball 6 times for 40 yards, about half of the Chargers 83 yards rushing.
The Chargers Could Not Rise to Elite Status While the Ravens Proved to be a Physical Team
For all the hype the Chargers seemed like an average team that could not rise to the occasion on Monday Night Football. After J.K. Dobbins was knocked out of the game, it was as if somebody popped the Chargers balloon. Still. the game was 17-16 entering the 4th, but with the running of Ravens’ Derrick Henry and the drops of Chargers wide receiver, Quenton Johnston, momentum had shifted to Baltimore. It wasn’t long till the game seemed out of reach for the Chargers.
Don’t misunderstand me, Los Angeles had their chances, but as a wiseman once said, :”You gotta want it!” The Chargers didn’t, but the Ravens did! The Chargers proved tonight they are still in a rebuilding mode. With cap issues and the offseason loss of players like Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen, the Chargers just seem to be missing something when it comes to playing good, physical teams, like the Ravens.
Despite the Los Angeles Chargers now being 7-4, and remaining in 2nd place in the AFC West, the Chargers have an extremely difficult schedule to play during the remaining games of the season. They play at the Atlanta Falcons, (6-5), at the Kansas City Chiefs, ( 10-1), the Denver Broncos, (7-5) at home, at the New England Patriots, (3-9), finishing at the Las Vegas Raiders, (2-9). This doesn’t mean the Chargers won’t make the playoffs, but with this schedule, they’re gonna need some help.
Baltimore seems to be on a roll. They received some help from the Pittsburg with the Steelers Thursday night 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns…in a “Snow Bowl”. The Ravens sit in 2nd place in the AFC North a half game behind Pittsburg. The Raven’s play the Philadelphia Eagles, (9-2) at home. They then play the Giants, (2-8), in New Jersey, the Steelers, (8-3) at home, the Houston Texans, (7-5) in Houston, finishing with the Browns, 2-8) at home. The keys to making the playoffs for the Ravens will be defeating either the Steelers or the Eagles, so long as they win all their other games…or get some help
