With four straight victories, the Chargers are now set for a huge primetime matchup against the Ravens. Baltimore is coming off a close loss to their division rival, the Steelers, so they’ll be coming in fired up.
Here are some players to watch from Baltimore’s side of the ball on Monday evening:
WR Zay Flowers
Flowers is the Ravens’ best wideout and most dangerous pass catcher. His 727 receiving yards rank fifth, and he’s particularly potent after the catch. In that aspect, he ranks 10th in the NFL, with 362 yards coming after the catch. The Chargers secondary will need to keep tabs on him at all times, as he could pose them with some serious problems.
C Tyler Linderbaum
Linderbaum has developed into one of the best centers in all of football. According to Pro Football Focus, he dominates opposing defensive lines and has an elite 83.2 overall grade this year. If the interior part of the Chargers’ defensive line allows him to dominate, it may be a long night, particularly in the run game. The Ravens are second in the NFL in rushing with 177.3 yards per contest, and Linderbaum is a big reason for that.
DT Nnamdi Madubuike
Madubuike has a similar effect on the defensive line as Linderbaum does on the offensive line. He’s quietly one of the most underrated defensive lineman in football. His $98 million contract extension in March has proved its worth thus far, as he has racked up 5.0 sacks, a forced fumble, and 26 total tackles. Center Bradley Bozeman is the weakness of the Chargers’ offensive line, and they may be exposed on Monday against Madubuike.
EDGE Odafe Oweh
Oweh, a former first-round pick out of Penn State, is coming off a stellar performance. He tied his career high with 2.5 sacks against the Steelers in Week 11, as he was disruptive all game long. In 2024, he’s up to 7.0 sacks, already the most he’s had in a season. The Chargers’ elite offensive tackle duo must keep Oweh away (get it?) from Justin Herbert.
S Kyle Hamilton
No one understood how he fell to the Ravens at No. 14 overall in the 2022 NFL draft. He was an All-Pro honoree in 2023 and seems well on his way to another appearance this season. His 81 total tackles already match his career high, and he’s added two sacks, seven pass deflections, a forced fumble, and three tackles for loss. Herbert must always monitor Hamilton on the backend.