NFL Game of the Week: Baltimore Ravens vs. Los Angeles Chargers

The Ravens and Chargers both enter this electric Week 12 matchup on Monday Night Football in second place in their respective divisions.

The Ravens were handed their fourth loss of the season last week at the hands of the Steelers, an important game in which they were projected to win. Over their last four games, they are 2-2, including a loss to the lowly Browns.

Conversely, the Chargers are coming into this game raging hot. They are 7-3 and have emerged victorious in each of their last four matchups. This includes a thriller on Sunday Night Football against the Bengals in which they almost let a sizeable lead slip through their hands, but won on an explosive late-game 29-yard touchdown run by J.K. Dobbins.

Even though these teams come into the game with different moods surrounding them, make no mistake, the matchup should be as tightly contested as it gets.

For the Ravens, everything circles back to their tandem of two-time MVP award-winning quarterback Lamar Jackson and the ageless Derrick Henry, who has already rushed for more touchdowns this season than he did all of last season.

Jackson has played out of his mind this season. Jackson has completed 67% of his passes while throwing an incredible 25 touchdowns, with the best touchdown percentage in the league. This is even more unbelievable when you consider the fact that he is also leading the league in rushing yards per attempt at 6.1, and has broken through for two touchdowns.

Henry has been terrific in his own right. In his age-30 season, he recorded his 100th career rushing touchdown, one of 13 he’s scored so far. He has ran for an average of 107.7 yards per game and leads the league in both total rushing attempts and rushing yards.

The Chargers, on the other hand, don’t have quite the star-studded offense that the Ravens do, but Justin Herbert and J.K. Dobbins, along with breakout rookie Ladd McConkey, are no slouches.

The Chargers’ recent hot stretch has been led by the renaissance of Herbert. Somehow, in 277 pass attempts, he has thrown only one interception, which is good for the lowest interception percentage in the league. Although this team is often carried by their superior defense, as they’ve allowed the fewest points on average in the NFL this year, Herbert has done his job under center.

Dobbins, in the first truly healthy season of a career derailed by injury, has reached the end zone eight times. McConkey has gotten increasingly better as his season has progressed, improving his chemistry with Herbert, and culminating in his best NFL performance so far. He torched the Bengals for six catches and 123 yards.

He’s turned into a true WR1 on this squad.

When the NFL’s second-best offense meets the NFL’s best defense, there will be, without a doubt, some fireworks. The Ravens are currently the betting favorites for this one, but I think the Chargers will put up a very strong fight and could be sneaky come Monday, especially defending their home turf in Los Angeles.

Dominick Pizzelanti is a second-year student dual majoring in broadcast journalism and Spanish. To contact him, email dqp5565@psu.edu.