Ravens-Chargers: What We Learned
BALTIMORE — The Ravens outclassed the Chargers 34-6 in a key Week 6 showdown.
Here's what we learned:
— The Ravens improved to 5-1 and have taken control of the AFC North. Baltimore is able to completely dominate opponents when it plays well on both sides of the ball. The Ravens have their first divisional game against the Bengals next week at M&T Bank Stadium.
— Quarterback Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to another huge win. Jackson had modest numbers, going 19 of 27 for 167 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He also ran for 51 yards. Jackson was under pressure most of the game and absorbed three sacks in the first half. He took a questionable late hit out of bounds midway through the second quarter, but he didn't earn a penalty. Jackson had a costly interception in the middle of the field that led to the Chargers' first touchdown. However, Jackson made up for the gaffe with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews on the opening drive of the second half. The second interception was a deflection off the hands of rookie wide receiver Rashod Bateman.
— With the win, Jackson surpassed former Dolphin Dan Marino for the most wins by a quarterback before their 25th birthday in NFL history (35).
— The Chargers have the league's worst run defense and the Ravens exploited this weakness. Baltimore pounded the ball up the middle and found space to run outside, finishing with 187 yards on 38 carries, Latavius Murray was especially dominant with his physical, downhill running style. He had 44 yards on nine carries, including a 14-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, before leaving with an ankle injury. Le'Veon Bell was solid and ran for 18 yards with a touchdown. Devonta Freeman ran hard, finishing with 53 yards and a score.
— The Ravens' defense started strong and played effectively the entire game, They limited the Chargers' explosive plays and kept quarterback Justin Herbert off-balance. Baltimore also did a solid job tackling. Herbert was 22 of 39 for 195 yards with a touchdown and interception. The Chargers managed just 26 yards on the ground.
— Safety DeShon Elliott missed the past two games with a quad injury, but he came back with a vengeance. He had three tackles, one sack, two quarterback hits, two passes defensed, and an interception. His presence is a huge boost to the secondary.
— Devin Duvernay looks better each week returning punts ... and he already looked pretty good. He had a couple of solid returns against the Chargers that gave the Ravens a manageable field position. Duvernay is an explosive player.
