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Paul Mancano
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/baltimorebanner/FED6XFOE6RDIHB7IOTZOULEOYY.jpg "Grading the Ravens: Defense dominates, Lamar sputters vs. Chargers (1)")
With the bye week on the horizon, the Ravens eked out a 20-10 win over the Chargers on Sunday night, thanks in large part to another stellar performance from Mike Macdonald’s defense.
Here’s how Baltimore graded out:
Quarterback
It was another tale of two halves for Lamar Jackson, who went 12-for-18 before the break and just 8-for-14 the rest of the way. Jackson used his legs effectively, picking up 39 yards on the ground, and did not turn the ball over. But the Chargers, who came into the game with one of the worst defenses in the NFL statistically, held him to just 177 passing yards and one touchdown. Jackson was also lucky guard John Simpson recovered his fumble and that Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. dropped a would-be interception.
Grade: C+
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Running backs
Undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell is a breath of fresh air in the rushing attack. The East Carolina product finished with 64 yards on nine carries — five of which went for first downs — plus 25 receiving yards on a pair of catches. Gus Edwards — eight carries for 26 yards — is the thumper; Justice Hill — five for 31 — is the occasional home run hitter. But Mitchell might be the Ravens’ most consistent back.
Grade: B
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Offensive Line
Right tackle Morgan Moses had his hands full with Chargers defensive end Kahlil Mack, whose pair of sacks brought his total to 13 on the season, second in the NFL behind T.J. Watt. But those were the only sacks allowed by the offensive line, which enjoyed the return of left tackle Ronnie Stanley. Center Tyler Linderbaum once again paved the way for a rushing attack that registered 197 yards.
Grade: B
Pass catchers
:format(jpg)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/baltimorebanner/LZBX5YIRKBBZFPBV5HGO6ENBNI.jpg "Grading the Ravens: Defense dominates, Lamar sputters vs. Chargers (2)")
The Ravens’ wide receiver room has plenty of veterans: Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor. But, when the team has needed a big play at a crucial juncture, rookie Zay Flowers has been the group’s most dependable member. Flowers’ 37-yard scamper to the end zone with 96 seconds remaining cemented the Ravens’ victory and marked the 23-year-old’s second touchdown of the game. Beckham, Bateman and tight end Isaiah Likely were all held without a catch after halftime, but Flowers came through when it mattered most.
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Grade: B-
Defensive Line
Jadeveon Clowney cannot be stopped. The former No. 1 overall pick came up with a strip-sack of Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert at the Ravens’ 25-yard line, ending a 19-play Los Angeles drive and preserving Baltimore’s lead. Clowney, who has 7.5 sacks this season, made up for a quiet night from edge rusher Odafe Oweh. Justin Madubuike had another half-sack, recording the first 10-sack season by a Raven since Terrell Suggs in 2017, though Madubuike finished the game in the concussion protocol.
Grade: B+
Inside linebackers
This was a return-to-form game for Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen, with the exception of one bizarre missed sack in the third quarter for the latter. Maybe it was the extra three days of rest, but Smith looked more spry Sunday night than he had in the Ravens’ last few games, providing the kind of thumping tackles that were common in the season’s first half. Queen was equally impactful, and the pair finished the game as the team’s leading tacklers. Another week of rest could be hugely beneficial for one of the best linebacker duos in the league.
Grade: A
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Defensive backs
Safety Kyle Hamilton’s performance Sunday night was the pièce de resistánce of his breakout (and likely Pro Bowl) season. The Swiss Army knife of Mike Macdonald’s defense finished with six tackles (four solo), including two tackles for loss, and two pass breakups. Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen got his — 14 catches for 106 yards — but strong play from cornerbacks Brandon Stephens and Ronald Darby helped make up for the absence of Marlon Humphrey, who missed his second straight game with a calf injury.
Grade: B+
Special teams
Justin Tucker had been 20-for-20 from inside 50 yards this season until he missed from 44 yards with three minutes remaining in the game. That opened the door for the Chargers to tie the game with a field goal or take the lead with a touchdown. Fortunately for Tucker, the defense held firm. It was a rare instance of the team bailing Tucker out, instead of the other way around.
Grade: C-
Coaching
John Harbaugh had the chance to challenge two ball spots that would have given the Ravens first downs. In both instances, the head coach kept the red flag in his pocket. Instead, he curiously used his challenge on a backward pass from Keenan Allen in the third quarter, losing the challenge and a timeout. Harbaugh’s decision to trot out Tucker for the 44-yard attempt in the fourth quarter was also questionable, considering the Ravens needed just 1 yard to pick up a first down and potentially salt the game away.
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Grade: D+
paul.mancano@thebaltimorebanner.com
Paul Mancano
Paul.Mancano@thebaltimorebanner.com
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/baltimorebanner/79acc373-730b-4824-b42a-f3cd65956049.png "Grading the Ravens: Defense dominates, Lamar sputters vs. Chargers (3)")
Audience engagement editor, sports, at The Baltimore Banner.
