Baltimore vs. Los Angeles
Jackson’s Five. Win Streak Rolls on as Ravens Short Chargers, 34-6
Dominant rushing attack, defensive effort, and special teams? Check, check, and check. Call it a “vintage Ravens” victory as no comebacks were needed, no late game drama necessary in Baltimore’s 34-6 drubbing of the Los Angeles Chargers.
Lamar Jackson didn’t have to do it all, throwing for only 167 yards and a touchdown just one week after a career outing versus Indianapolis. Meanwhile, LA’s star quarterback was held under 200 yards passing, sacked twice, and picked off once.
“Complementary football was a great way to say it,” smiled head coach John Harbaugh. “Special teams with the big returns, defense just played lights out in every way, and offense moved the ball and put the points up.”
“This is definitely the first game this season where we played complementary football in all three phases: special teams, offense, defense, where everybody did their job,” inside linebacker Josh Bynes told reporters following the victory. “We put up points, and we kept them out of it, and it’s a great thing to see.”
The Ravens have now won five straight ballgames after a season-opening overtime loss to Las Vegas.
PSL City Is Your Ultimate Resource for Baltimore Football Tickets With No Fees!
While the ground game was largely absent a week prior against Indy, Baltimore deployed a platoon of running backs to control the pace. Devonta Freeman, Latavius Murray, and recently-signed Le’Veon Bell all found the endzone as the team compiled 187 rush yards on 38 carries.
“All three got a touchdown, that was dope,” laughed quarterback Lamar Jackson. “They were hitting the holes hard. (The) offensive line gave them great holes to hit.”
Their success rushing the football resulted in a sizable difference in time of possession, as the Ravens held the ball for more than 38 minutes against the NFL’s worst run defense, statistically-speaking.
On the defensive half, safety DeShon Elliott led the charge by sacking and intercepting Herbert. Los Angeles’ six points marked just the second time since the sophomore quarterback was drafted that the offense was held to fewer than 16 points. The anemic output came just a week after the Chargers put 47 on the board in a winning effort against the Browns.
“We have a long way to go and I feel like that’s the scary part about this team,” said running back Devonta Freeman. “We’re still reaching super, super heights that haven’t been reached on this team yet.”
The win doubled as a debut for first-round draft pick Rashod Bateman. The rookie wide receiver missed the first five games of the season with a groin injury. He caught four passes for 29 yards.
GAME RECAP
Los Angeles received the opening kickoff and traveled into Ravens’ territory before three consecutive Justin Herbert incompletions brought the punt unit on.
The ensuing drive set the tone for the rest of the ballgame as Baltimore traveled 90 yards on 12 plays, spearheaded by the rushing tandem of Latavius Murray and Devonta Freeman. Murray capped the drive with a 14-yard run up the middle for the game’s first touchdown to make it 7-0 with 5:12 left in the opening quarter.
DeShon Elliott broke off along the right side on a safety blitz to get to Herbert on a 3rd down on the following drive, forcing a three-and-out. Lamar Jackson would find success through the air on the next series with completions of 16 and 21 yards to tight end Mark Andrews, setting up 1st-and-goal at the 2. Le’Veon Bell punctuated the drive with a 2-yard rushing touchdown, his first as a Raven, to double their advantage to 14-0 with 13:24 left until halftime.
Both sides would exchange three-and-outs and Chargers head coach Brandon Staley gambled on the following drive. Facing 4th-and-3 on their own 39, the offense remained on the field but Herbert’s throw to Mike Williams was defended well by Marlon Humphrey to force a turnover on downs.
The short field yielded dividends for the Ravens, as despite a quarterback sack by Linval Joseph, Justin Tucker was still able to split the uprights on a 50-yard field goal attempt to make it 17-0 with 7:13 remaining in the half.
Elliott would notch his first interception of the season on a throw meant for Jared Cook, but the Ravens would be unable to capitalize on the takeaway. A poorly thrown playaction pass over the middle by Jackson was picked off by Kyzir White and returned to the Ravens’ 27. Two plays later, Herbert found Cook in the back of the endzone for the Chargers’ first and only score of the afternoon. The extra point by Tristan Vizcaino was no good.
Baltimore chewed up almost all of the remaining four minutes of the half, but came up empty-handed after sacks by Joey Bosa and Uchenna Nwosu. Baltimore went into the locker room ahead 17-6.
Freeman, Murray, and Bell helped control the tempo on the opening drive of the third quarter and Jackson would connect with Andrews on a post pattern for a 9-yard TD, extending their lead to 24-6.
Staley again went against traditional strategy by going for it again on 4th-and-1 at his team’s own 19. The attempt failed as Herbert and Josh Palmer had confusion on the route and the pass fell incomplete. Tucker capitalized on the strong starting field position once more by booting a 39-yard field goal try to make it 27-6 with just over five minutes in the third quarter.
Another Chargers three-and-out with three incompletions from Herbert resulted in the Ravens’ final scoring march of the afternoon. A 9-play, 65-yard series ended with a third rushing touchdown by a third different running back, as Freeman had his number called this time for a 9-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter.
LA ventured deep into Baltimore territory on the next drive before offensive pass interference and holding penalties pushed them back near midfield and into a punting situation.
Jackson’s final throw of the day was picked off although the blame largely falls on rookie wide receiver Rashod Bateman. The first-round draft pick making his NFL debut dropped a seemingly simple slant pass and deflected into the hands of a diving White for the pick.
The mistake proved to be harmless, as the Chargers’ ensuing possession would end with a third failed 4th down attempt as Herbert sailed a throw to Jalen Guyton well off toward the sideline.
Tyler Huntley came on in relief of Jackson and managed to pick up a first down on a quarterback scramble before taking two kneel downs to secure the 34-6 win.
UP NEXT
Baltimore (5-1) sticks around M&T Bank Stadium for the third of four consecutive home games, hosting its division counterparts, Cincinnati (4-2). The Bengals boast a star on the rise in sophomore quarterback Joe Burrow, who threw for three touchdowns on Sunday in a 34-11 shellacking of Detroit.