Los Angeles Chargers (4-7) – Baltimore Ravens (9-3): 10-20
Good teams win in many ways. This Sunday, the Ravens were not in for a great night offensively. Maybe time to get used to the absence of Mark Andrews.
Nevermind. The defense was there to completely shut down the Chargers. Los Angeles didn’t even reach 300 cumulative yards. And above all, Baltimore snatched four balls to keep control of the match.
With a 37-yard touchdown on a reverse run 1mn36 from the end, Zay Flowers (5 rec, 25 yards, 1 TD – 1 run, 37 yards, 1 TD) killed the game by bringing the score to 20-10. It was the same Flowers who scored his team’s first touchdown in the second quarter, this time on a 3-yard reception.
Zay Flowers with the exclamation point!
📺: #BALvsLAC on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/4A9GOmQsZC pic.twitter.com/em5hdCopf3— NFL (@NFL) November 27, 2023
The clumsy Chargers
After a field goal and almost six minutes of possession on their first offensive, Justin Herbert (29/44, 217 yards, 1 TD, 1 int) and the Chargers seemed launched. No way. Their next six possessions do not even allow them to arrive on opposing territory. Worse, after two punts, their hands start to slip. Keenan Allen (14 rec, 106 yards) and Austin Ekeler (10 races, 32 yards – 5 rec, 32 yards) each lost a fumble, then Herbert was intercepted before the break. At the start of the last quarter, Los Angeles finally moved forward and even arrived 16 yards from the end zone.
Except this time, it’s Herbert who gets his leather ripped off by Jadeveon Clowney!
Meanwhile, Zay Flowers scored in the second quarter, and Justin Tucker added two field goals. Lamar Jackson (18/32, 177 yards, 1 TD) and the ground game (197 yards at 5.6 y/run) are effective, but he lacks finishing on the opposing field. The score is 13-3 for the visitors midway through the final quarter.
Cold, the Ravens were hot
The match was restarted 8:32 from time when Hebert finds Gerald Everett (4 rec, 43 yards, 1 TD) for a 3-yard touchdown. The Chargers are back at 10-13. On the next possession, the Ravens have a 4th and 1 yard on the opposing 26 yards. John Harbaugh goes for a 44-yard kick. A cautious choice which results in a missed kick from Tucker.
Here is Los Angeles with the ball and just under three minutes to take the lead. Except that the Ravens defense is having a big night. She stops Herbert and his troops on a fourth attempt at mid-field. Behind, Flowers scores his double for the KO, and the defense stops the Chargers one last time on another fourth attempt.
Without flaring, the Ravens keep the lead in the AFC. The Chargers are sinking in the standings. At least, for once, their defense held up.
