Following a victory over the Browns, the Chargers are set to take on the Ravens in hopes of picking up their fourth-straight win and sitting atop the AFC conference on Sunday, Oct. 17 at 10:00 am PT.
Here are four key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the Week 6 bout:
Lamar is legit
Justin Herbert is among the front-runners for MVP, but Lamar Jackson is right up there with him. Without his left tackle, first-round pick wide receiver, and top three running backs, Jackson leads the NFL in yards per completion (13.6). In addition, he’s averaging a career-best 303.3 passing yards per game and is gaining over six yards per carry. Jackson’s skill set and talent are remarkable, as he has a great arm, is a naturally gifted thrower, can run, can extend plays, and sees the field well, which makes him challenging to plan for properly.
Meet the pass-catching triplet
Jackson has flourished as a passing threat, thanks to wide receivers Marquise Brown, Sammy Watkins, and tight end Mark Andrews. Brown leads the Ravens with 451 yards and has scored five touchdowns. Andrews has amassed 400 yards (most among TEs) on 29 catches. Watkins, who is questionable for this weekend’s game, has totaled 292 yards on 18 receptions.
Susceptible against the pass
The Ravens have proven to be threats when airing it out. Defending the pass, on the other hand, is one of the team’s weaknesses. Baltimore allows 315 passing yards per game (29th) and 8.3 yards per pass (26th). In addition, the team has been without starting cornerback Marcus Peters and free safety DeShon Elliott. Missed tackles have also been attributed to their woes, which is why running backs have found success in the passing game.
Rising rookie
The Chargers have a contender for Defensive Rookie of the Year in cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., and the Ravens happen to have one of their own. Edge defender Odafe Oweh has arguably been the team’s top defensive playmaker this. He has three sacks and two forced fumbles in five games so far, and he leads all NFL rookies in quarterback pressures with 18.