Week 16: Baltimore Ravens vs. Los Angeles Chargers Recap

Jay Peterson via Flickr

NFL

Baltimore Ravens Save Season with Victory Over the Los Angeles Chargers

In a dominating performance that wasn’t exactly reflected on the scoreboard, the Baltimore Ravens secured a 22-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. The improbable win comes less than 24 hours after NFL Network analyst Deangelo Hall suggested that the Chargers were the best team in the AFC. Chargers’ Pro Bowl quarterback Phillip Rivers failed to throw a single touchdown all game.

The Ravens, meanwhile, accumulated 361 total yards of offense while holding the Chargers to a season-low 198 total yards. Quarterback Lamar Jackson surpassed the 200-yard passing mark for the first in his career in the victory. The Ravens also averaged an impressive 6 yards-per-play as the Chargers averaged a mere 3.5 yards-per-play. The Chargers were -2 in the turnover category in the loss.

First Half

Setting the Tone

Baltimore won the coin toss and elected to defer, giving Los Angeles the first possession. However, Ravens’ cornerback Brandon Carr snagged an interception on the first play from scrimmage, prematurely ending the drive.

Ravens running back Gus Edwards then galloped for 43 yards on the first play from scrimmage by Baltimore. Yet, Baltimore failed to find the end zone, opting to settle for a Justin Tucker 24-yard field goal instead.

Missed Opportunities

Down 3-0, the Chargers failed to get anything going offensively as their second offensive drive ended with a punt. However, a Lamar Jackson fumble left the Ravens on the edge of field goal range. Three plays later, kicker Justin Tucker missed a 53-yard attempt, giving the Chargers the ball in great field position.

Despite the great field position, offensive pass interference and illegal shift penalties led to a Chargers punt just three plays later. Baltimore proceeded with a commanding 13-play, 81-yard drive.

Faced with 4th and goal on the Chargers 2 yard line, coach John Harbaugh chose to go for it. However, Baltimore failed to convert and the Chargers took over on downs.

The following Chargers’ drive was once again stymied by an offensive penalty, leading to a punt in just 6 plays. The next Ravens possession, highlighted by a 19-yard run from Kenneth Dixon on third down, lasted over five minutes. Nonetheless, the Chargers defense held strong as the Ravens settled for only a field goal once again, as the Tucker 35-yard field goal gave the Ravens a 6-0 lead.

It Only Takes One Drive

The Los Angeles Chargers began their final drive of the first half with just under three minutes left to play. The 9-play, 56-yard drive was the longest drive of the half for the Chargers. The drive was catapulted by a defensive pass interference call on Baltimore Ravens safety Tony Jefferson. The Chargers drive finished with a 38-yard field goal from kicker Mike Badgley.

With only 34 seconds remaining in the half, Baltimore started on their own 30-yard line. However, Baltimore stayed aggressive, managing to get to the Chargers 47-yard line with three seconds remaining in the half. Kicker Justin Tucker marched on the field to attempt a 65-yard field goal, which would’ve set a new NFL record. However, the kick fell short as Baltimore only held a 6-3 lead at the half.

Second Half

Momentum

The Baltimore Ravens began the 2nd half with the ball on offense. Yet the Ravens proceeded to make the same mistake that the Los Angeles Chargers made in the first half, as they turned the ball over on the first play from scrimmage. The Kenneth Dixon fumble gave the Chargers possession in the red zone and a prime opportunity to score.

The Chargers drive lasted just three plays, as running back Melvin Gordon plowed for a 1-yard touchdown. Gordon was the only skill player to touch the ball on the three-play drive. The touchdown gave the Chargers a 10-6 lead over Baltimore.

That Was All She Wrote

The Baltimore Ravens gained possession facing a deficit for the first time all game. However, that deficit was short-lived. The Ravens drove 85-yards in just two plays, as Lamar Jackson tossed a beautiful 68-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mark Andrews.

After a Chargers punt, Baltimore put more points on the board as Justin Tucker nailed a 56-yard field goal to extend the lead to six. Following the Tucker field goal, both offenses fell into a drought. After six consecutive punts, the Chargers held the ball on the Ravens 39-yard line with just three minutes remaining in the game. A holding penalty by Chargers tackle Russell Okung pushed the Chargers back to the Ravens 49-yard line.

On the next play, Ravens linebacker Patrick Onwuasor forced a fumble on Chargers veteran Antonio Gates. Ravens cornerback Tavon Young returned the fumble 62-yards for a touchdown, giving the Ravens a 22-10 lead with under three minutes remaining. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey put the nail in the coffin with a late interception to secure the victory.

Playoff Implications

The Baltimore Ravens victory over the Los Angeles Chargers puts the team in prime position for the playoffs with a week remaining. A Ravens victory against Cleveland next week puts them in the playoffs. In addition, a Steelers loss against New Orleans or Cinncinati along with a Ravens victory will give Baltimore the AFC North.

The Chargers loss makes their chances at the #1 seed in the AFC unlikely. The Chargers can only secure the #1 seed with a victory as well as two consecutive losses from the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs remaining opponents are the Seattle Seahawks (8-6) and the Oakland Raiders (3-11).

Photo Credit: Jay Peterson via Flickr

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