Tag: Chargers vs. Ravens

The Harbaugh Bowl: Revisiting Super Bowl XLVII

Will the Chargers be the team to get Jim another shot at winning a ring? 

With Jim Harbaugh back in the NFL, one of the most exciting matchups next season will be when he faces his brother as the Chargers will host the Ravens at SoFi Stadium.

John was asked about the faceoff between the two and said, “My brother Jim and I] are looking forward to all of it. I’m just very happy for him. [I’m] proud of him [and] excited for him.”

Ahead of their matchup next season, let’s revisit the last time Jim and John Harbaugh faced each other: Super Bowl XLVII.

The Ravens faced the San Francisco 49ers at the Superdome in 2013. Super Bowl 47 was memorable for a myriad of reasons. 

The halftime show featured an iconic performance from Beyonce. There was a power outage that put America’s biggest sporting event on hold for over thirty minutes. And it was the first time in Super Bowl history that brothers coached against each other. 

Super Bowl 47 earned two notable nicknames, the “Blackout Bowl” and the “Harbaugh Bowl.”

The Ravens, led by quarterback Joe Flacco at the time, opened with a strong first half with a 21-6 lead by halftime. The 49ers responded in the second half with 17 unanswered points. San Francisco trailed 34-29 at the two-minute warning, but a turnover on downs cost them the game. 

The Ravens won by the score of 34-31.

Super Bowl 47 is John’s only Super Bowl victory and Jim’s only Super Bowl appearance. 

Will the Chargers be the team to get Jim another shot at winning a ring? 

Chargers PFF grades: Best, worst performers in Week 6 loss to Ravens

Spotlighting Pro Football Focus’ studs and duds from the Chargers’ loss to the Ravens.

The Chargers were outmatched by the Ravens on Sunday, 34-6.

Despite the loss, Los Angeles had a few players on both sides of the ball that had themselves good individual performances.

With that being said, here are the best and worst performers from Sunday’s game, according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Top 5 Offense

WR Keenan Allen – 73.3

C Corey Linsley – 69.6

OG Matt Feiler – 68.4

OT Rashawn Slater – 65.1

RB Joshua Kelley – 64.4

Top 5 Defense

Derwin James – 85.0

Linval Joseph – 69.6

Chris Rumph – 67.0

Joe Gaziano – 65.9

Chris Harris Jr. – 60.4

Bottom 5 Offense

OT Storm Norton – 49.4

TE Stephen Anderson – 52.6

WR Jalen Guyton – 52.7

TE Donald Parham – 52.8

WR Mike Williams – 53.5

Bottom 5 Defense

LB Nick Niemann – 26.0

S Trey Marshall – 29.8

LB Amen Ogbongbemiga – 29.9

EDGE Uchenna Nwosu – 30.4

LB Kyzir White – 35.0

Chargers LB Kyzir White playing his way into contract extension

Chargers LB Kyzir White has been one of the most impactful defenders this season.

There were hardly any positives from the Ravens’ beatdown on the Chargers on Sunday afternoon.

But amid Los Angeles’ ugly performance, I could not help but notice one of the very few bright spots; linebacker Kyzir White.

With Kenneth Murray and Drue Tranquill, White was the man in the middle of the defense.

On the first defensive possession, White raised my eyebrows when he was utilized as a blitzer. He avoided a blocker and looked like he was shot out of a cannon to close in on quarterback Lamar Jackson and force an incompletion.

In between his handful of tackles, White picked off Jackson on a ball thrown directly to him right before the half.

That wasn’t the only one he got his hands on, however.

Minutes before the final whistle blew, White nabbed another interception on a dropped pass by wide receiver Rashod Bateman.

White finished the game with eight tackles, two interceptions, a tackle for loss and one quarterback hit.

His two picks made him the first Chargers linebacker to have multiple interceptions in a game since Week 14 of the 2008 season.

The Chargers have always had a talented player in White but rarely got to see his true colors.

Whether it was due to injuries that hampered him in the early years of his career or playing in a limited role in Gus Bradley’s defense, White was always lost in the shuffle.

Now in Brandon Staley’s system, which perfectly caters to his skill set, White has been nothing less than dominant. With his combination of play speed, burst, and instincts to quickly react, White has been impactful in coverage and against the run.

White has 36 tackles, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, two interceptions, and a sack through six games.

Right now, White is currently making $2,183,000 on a contract that is about to expire. He is due for a raise and the Chargers should make sure that they’re the ones to give it to him.

While Los Angeles has other notable soon-to-be free agents, like Mike Williams, Linval Joseph, Uchenna Nwosu, Kyler Fackrell, and Oday Aboushi, White should be atop the priority list.

White has proven that he provides availability, stability, and play-making ability at a vital position. He has earned every penny, and re-signing him would go a long way to defensive continuity and success.

As I’ve always said, play your playmakers.

4 takeaways from Chargers’ 34-6 loss to Ravens

Here is what we’re taking away from the Los Angeles Chargers’ near-blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6.

In the most anticipated matchup of Week 6, the Chargers stood no chance against the Ravens on Sunday.

Outmatched in all three phases, Los Angeles was nearly blown out by Baltimore, 34-6.

Here are four takeaways from the Bolts’ loss:

One of Justin Herbert’s worst performances

The last time Herbert had a woeful outing came back in Week 13 of the 2020 season when the Patriots limited him to a 49.1 completion percentage for 209 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions.

Fast forward to Sunday, and the Ravens got the better of Herbert. Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale did an excellent job disguising their looks and bringing blitzes at a high rate. Not only that, but Herbert wasn’t making a lot of his throws, even the easy ones.

As a result, Herbert went 22 of 39 passing for 195 yards, one touchdown, and an interception.

“They do a lot of good things on defense,” Herbert said. “We didn’t execute the way we wanted to, we didn’t move the ball, we didn’t convert on third downs. I had that one turnover. You can’t turn the ball over and expect to win.”

Need to be better on early downs

The trend for the Chargers offense in prior weeks has been the success on third and fourth downs. On first and second downs, however, is where the unit has been far from consistent. On Sunday, they struggled in both facets.

Loa Angeles finished a combined 4-for-16 on third and fourth downs, with two of those fails coming from their own 39 and 19-yard line.

You can point to the Ravens stringing together a dominant defensive effort. But the reality is the early-down efficiency has been problematic, and it’s been a combination of play-calling and execution.

Keenan Allen was open for a good portion of the game, but instead, Herbert resorted to Mike Williams and Jared Cook early and often, despite the lack of success. Williams and Cook each dropped two balls, while Allen was not targeted for more than two quarters.

Repulsive run defense

I could not tell if the year was 2015 or 2021, seeing veterans Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, and Le’Veon Bell all carry the ball the way they did. The trio pounded the Chargers on the ground, rushing for 187 yards and three touchdowns on 38 carries.

For weeks now, it has been evident that Los Angeles does not have a defensive front capable of consistently holding its own at the point of attack. Part of that is a lack of talent, and the other part is not having the player personnel to match the schematical changes.

L.A. found out today that the porous performances against the run won’t slide every week. Last week, I pitched the idea of trading for a player like Akiem Hicks. Nonetheless, the team needs reinforcements as soon as possible, especially if they want to make a postseason run.

Suspect special teams

The Chargers spent this past offseason in an attempt to shore up the special teams department. Los Angeles brought in players, like Tristan Vizcaino Kyler Fackrell, Ryan Smith, and rookies Nick Niemann, Chris Rumph, and Larry Rountree, among others, in hopes of a quick turnaround.

However, Sunday was an indicator that one offseason was not going to fix everything.

On his lone extra-point attempt, Vizcaino missed it. He has missed five extra points and a field goal in six games. The coverage units weren’t any better, as Devin Duvernay averaged 35 yards on kick returns and 14.7 on punt returns, leading to shorter fields for the Ravens’ offense.

Everything we know about Chargers’ 34-6 loss to Ravens

Highlighting everything notable from the Los Angeles Chargers’ loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

The Chargers had no answers for quarterback Lamar Jackson and company and the Ravens’ dominant defense from the get-go.

Outmatched through all four quarters, Los Angeles fell to Baltimore by the score of 34-6.

To recap Week 6, here is everything we know:

It was over when…

The Ravens scored their first touchdown on a 12-play, 90-yard drive, which set the tone for the remainder of the game.

Notable numbers of the game

The Ravens held the Chargers to just 4.4 yards per pass and 2.2 yards per rush.

The Chargers were 3-of-12 on third down and 1-of-4 on fourth down.

The Chargers allowed 187 rushing yards.

The Ravens controlled the time of possession, 38:07 to 21:53.

Stars of the game

LB Kyzir White: 8 tackles, 2 interceptions, tackle for loss, quarterback hit

WR Keenan Allen: 5 receptions on 5 targets for 50 yards

EDGE Joey Bosa: 5 tackles, 2 quarterback hits, sack

Quick takes

It was only a matter of time until quarterback Justin Herbert came to earth. Herbert was held to just 22 of 39 passing for 195 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

The Ravens defense did an excellent job of getting pressure and keeping his pass-catching options locked up with good coverage for the most part, but Herbert was off the mark on a handful of throws.

Baltimore bottled up Los Angeles’ run game, holding them to 26 yards on 12 carries.

Keenan Allen was open for a good portion of the game, but instead, Herbert resorted to Mike Williams and Jared Cook early on, despite the lack of success. Williams and Cook each dropped two balls.

Allen did not get targeted from 4:32 in the first quarter until 14:13 in the fourth quarter. Nevertheless, he finished the game as the most productive pass-catcher.

The blocking all-around was not at its best, but especially in pass protection on the edges. Herbert was pressured numerous times, hit four times and sacked twice. The Ravens did a great job of scheming up and successfully getting home on blitzes.

I felt like Lombardi’s play designs were not at their best. Early-down efficiency was lackluster due to run plays and underneath passes, which hindered the offense to produce more manageable situations on third and fourth down.

Once again, the Chargers could not stop the run. Baltimore’s offensive line had its own against a flimsy Los Angeles front. As a result, Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, and Le’Veon Bell looked like they were in 2015 form.

Drue Tranquill’s presence was missed, as Amen Ogbongbemiga experienced some growing pains in his debut. Kyzir White, however, continued to produce positive plays.

The secondary had some lapses in coverage, specifically in the middle of the field against tight end Mark Andrews, who had five catches for 68 yards and the Ravens’ only receiving touchdown.

Michael Davis was benched in favor of Tevaughn Campbell for a reason that remains to be seen. Davis has been one of the more consistent defensive backs and I felt like he would have had success covering Andrews.

Tristan Vizcaino only had one opportunity for an extra point due to the lack of offensive production, but he still missed it. Vizcaino’s consistency issues are maddening, which is why the team may want to consider bringing someone in for a tryout.

The coverage units on special teams were not good. Devin Duvernay averaged 35 yards on kick returns and 14.7 on punt returns.

What’s next?

Sitting at 4-2, the Chargers are on a bye next weekend before returning home to take on the Patriots on Halloween.

Live tweet updates from Chargers vs. Ravens

Stay locked in with coverage from the Week 6 matchup between the Chargers and Ravens.

The kickoff is nearly moments away, as the Chargers will visit the Ravens in a battle between two red-hot AFC teams.

Get the latest updates from the game with our live tweets below:

Chargers inactives: See who’s in and who’s out for Week 6 vs. Ravens

Find out which Chargers players were ruled out ahead of the Week 6 matchup with the Ravens.

The Los Angeles Chargers are on the road, set to take on the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6 of the regular season.

Here is a look at their inactives today:

Easton Stick

Nasir Adderley

Larry Rountree

Drue Tranquill

Brenden Jaimes

Tre’ McKitty

Forrest Merrill

Mike Williams, who was listed as questionable, will play on Sunday.

Joshua Kelley gets the nod over Larry Rountree as the third running back behind Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson.

After making some contributions in limited snaps, Forrest Merrill being inactive comes as a bit of surprise, especially when slowing the run needs to be a priority for the Chargers.

Chargers WR Mike Williams expected to play vs. Ravens

The Chargers will have a key offensive piece available against the Ravens.

According to multiple sources, Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams, listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with a knee injury, is expected to play against the Ravens.

Williams didn’t practice this past week after experiencing some swelling in his knee following the victory over the Browns. Still, head coach Brandon Staley just wanted to be careful and remained hopeful that he would play.

Arguably the league’s most productive receivers up to this point in the season, Williams has 31 catches for 571 yards this season. In addition, he leads the league in touchdown receptions (6).

Chargers must make Ravens offense one-dimensional

The Chargers can’t afford to let QB Lamar Jackson loose.

For the Chargers to have success against the Ravens, they must be stronger against the run.

Los Angeles currently has the worst rushing defense in the NFL, allowing 157.6 yards on the ground per game and the most yards (788).

The absence of defensive tackle Justin Jones has been crucial to that specific area. With Jones out, the Bolts have had to turn to three undrafted free agents – Joe Gaziano, Breiden Fehoko, and Forrest Merrill.

The lack of talent up front has been evident. They have been unable to generate any push, thus leading to big holes where the second and third levels have struggled with getting off blocks and making tackles in the open field.

On the other hand, Baltimore has the league’s fourth-best run offense averaging 148.8 yards per game and 5.9 yards per carry.

Even without their top three running backs, quarterback Lamar Jackson has made life difficult for defenses with his legs, gaining over six yards per carry.

Los Angeles must hold its own on the ground, so they can make the game one-dimensional, forcing Jackson to try to beat them with his arm.

As we know head coach Brandon Staley’s defense specializes in neutralizing the pass.

Aside from last weekend’s lackluster performance against the Browns, the Chargers limited Dak Prescott, Patrick Mahomes, and Derek Carr from being factors, allowing an average of just 237 yards.

Los Angeles’ run defense has been woeful this season, but if Staley’s unit can replicate the performance against the Raiders, where they limited Las Vegas to just 48 rushing yards, the Bolts should have a great shot on Sunday.

Will the Chargers-Ravens matchup be on in your area?

Find out if you will get the matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Baltimore Ravens on national television.

The Los Angeles Chargers (4-1) are set to get Week 6 underway against the Baltimore Ravens (4-1).

Those in the periwinkle area on the TV map will get the game on CBS, courtesy of 506 Sports.

If you’re in the red area, you will get the matchup between Washington and the Kansas City Chiefs. Those in the green area will see the Houston Texans take on the Indianapolis Colts.

Greg Gumbel and Adam Archuleta will have the call.

Los Angeles is currently 2.5-point underdogs to Baltimore. Sunday’s matchup will begin at 10:00 am PT.