AFC standouts meet when Herbert, Chargers host Jackson’s Ravens on Monday night
Baltimore (7-4) at Los Angeles Chargers (7-3)
Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN/ABC
BetMGM NFL odds: Ravens by 3.
Against the spread: Ravens 5-5-1; Chargers 7-3.
Series record: Ravens lead 9-5.
Last meeting: Ravens beat Chargers 20-10 in Inglewood, Calif., on Nov. 26, 2023.
Last week: Ravens lost to Pittsburgh 18-16; Chargers beat Cincinnati 34-27.
Ravens offense: overall (1), rush (2), pass (3), scoring (2).
Ravens defense: overall (3), rush (26), pass (2), scoring (23).
Chargers offense: overall (18), rush (12), pass (19), scoring (18).
Chargers defense: overall (11), rush (11), pass (12), scoring (1).
Turnover differential: Ravens plus-2; Chargers plus-8.
Ravens player to watch
K Justin Tucker missed two field goals last week and is under pressure after spending most of his career beyond reproach. He’s missed six field goals on the season and is 4 for 12 from 50-plus yards since the start of last season.
Chargers player to watch
WR Ladd McConkey had a career-high 123 yards on six receptions against Cincinnati. The rookie came up with clutch catches of 28 and 27 yards to set up the game-winning touchdown.
Key matchup
Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins vs. Ravens’ run defense. Dobbins showed promise during his time in Baltimore, but he never was able to live up to that potential because of injuries. Now in Los Angeles on a one-year “prove it” contract, Dobbins has nearly matched his most productive season as a professional with 726 yards and eight touchdowns in 10 games. After seeing Pittsburgh run the ball 34 times last week, the Chargers will be glad to copy that bruising approach with Dobbins. The Ravens are allowing 77.5 rushing yards per game, but even the sturdiest defense can buckle against that volume of work, so getting off the field will be critical.
Key injuries
Baltimore’s defense has one significant injury concern, with LB Roquan Smith (hamstring) questionable to go this week after he was hurt against the Steelers. The good news is S Kyle Hamilton does not have an injury designation. He has been nursing an ankle problem, although he played against Pittsburgh. … Chargers OLB Khalil Mack (groin) is questionable after the veteran pass rusher didn’t play against Cincinnati. … McConkey is also questionable because of a shoulder injury.
Series notes
The Ravens have won four straight over the Chargers in the regular season, but Los Angeles did earn a 23-17 AFC wild-card round upset in January 2019. … Baltimore cruised to a 34-6 win over the Chargers in its first visit to SoFi Stadium on Oct. 17, 2021.
Stats and stuff
Ravens RB Derrick Henry leads the NFL with 1,185 yards rushing and 15 total TDs (13 rushing and two receiving). He’s also run for a league-high 52 first downs. … Henry is one rushing TD shy of the Ravens’ single-season record, set by Jamal Lewis in 2003. … Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson is 6-2 on “Monday Night Football” with 20 TD passes and no interceptions. … Henry is one of four players in the Super Bowl era to score a TD in each of the first 11 games of a season. The others are O.J. Simpson (1975), John Riggins (1983) and Jerry Rice (1987). … The Ravens have scored touchdowns on a league-best 77.8% of their red zone trips. … Jackson needs 124 yards passing and 16 yards rushing for a second consecutive season with 3,000 passing and 600 rushing. Since the AFL-NFL merger, only Randall Cunningham (1988-1990), Cam Newton (2011-12), Josh Allen (2021-22) and Jalen Hurts (2021-23) have accomplished that feat. … Dobbins ran for two touchdowns against Cincinnati, giving him multiple scores in two of his past three games. He did it twice in 24 games as a Raven. … OLB Tuli Tuipulotu had 1 1/2 sacks of Bengals QB Joe Burrow, his third straight game with more than one. All seven of Tuipulotu’s sacks this season have come in the past four games, and six of his eight tackles for loss have come in that span. … The Chargers allowed a season-worst 27 points to Cincinnati after holding each of their previous nine opponents to 20 points or fewer. … QB Justin Herbert has thrown one interception in 277 attempts this season. That lone pick came in Week 2 at Carolina. … The Chargers lost their fifth turnover of the season when Herbert fumbled to start the fourth quarter. It was their first turnover at home. … Los Angeles does not have a takeaway in its past two games.
Fantasy tip
Herbert has heated up after a slow start in terms of fantasy production, having thrown for multiple touchdowns in three of his past four games. He is likely to keep that success going this week. Baltimore has allowed 22 scores through the air, which is tied with Houston for second most in the league, and Herbert should have plenty of chances to add to that total in what could be another high-scoring matchup.
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