Week 12’s Sunday Night Football matchup features two AFC teams heading in opposite directions.
The Baltimore Ravens (8-3) have assumed the role of No. 1 seed in the conference by winning five of their last six games. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has thrown seven touchdowns and just one interception in those five wins and has helped the Ravens’ offense score at least 31 points in five straight games.
The Los Angeles Chargers have lost three points in consecutive games and have fallen into the basement of the AFC West. Their defense has been shaky most of the season, ranks second to last overall and is last against the pass. Head coach Brandon Staley desperately needs to get things on track as his hot seat continues to heat up.
Both teams are without key contributors after injuries in Week 11. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is likely out for the year after suffering an ankle injury that requires surgery. Meanwhile, the Chargers placed star edge rusher Joey Bosa on injured reserve after he suffered a foot injury.
USA TODAY Sports brings you the latest updates, scores, highlights, wild plays, analysis and more during the Ravens-Chargers game. Consequences.
The first quarter ended with the Chargers leading 3-0 over the Ravens.
Los Angeles completed a 12-play, 54-yard drive on its first possession and kicked a 39-yard field goal.
Cameron Dicker’s field goal was the only point in the first quarter.
The Ravens ended the first quarter with the football. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has 41 passing yards. Justin Herbert passed for 47 yards in the first third. —Tyler Dragon
The voice you hear alongside NBC play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico on “Sunday Night Football” for the Week 12 broadcast of the Ravens-Chargers game is not Cris Collinsworth, Tirico’s usual partner.
Instead, it’s former NFL head coach and later TV commentator Jason Garrett.
“Cris Collinsworth is enjoying the rest of Thanksgiving weekend with his family.” Tirico said.
The Chargers’ promising performance ended after officials called a controversial personal foul on guard Jamaree Salyer after quarterback Justin Herbert appeared to be hit late. The penalty pushed the Chargers back to the Baltimore 21-yard line and Los Angeles had to settle for a 39-yard field goal from kicker Cameron Dicker to make the score 3-0.
Herbert completed 3 of 4 passes for 44 yards on the Chargers’ opening series. —Tyler Dragon
The Ravens at Chargers begin at 8:20 p.m. ET. The game will air on NBC and Peacock. The game can also be streamed for free on Fubo.
Here are the USA TODAY Sports staff picks for this game:
- Lorenzo Reyes: Ravens
- Tyler Dragon: Ravens
- Victoria Hernandez: Ravens
- Jordan Mendoza: Ravens
- Jarrett Bell: Ravens
- Safid Deen: Ravens
- Nate Davis: Ravens
- Chris Bumbaca: Ravens
- Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz: Ravens
A trio of key Ravens offensive players will be available for the Sunday Night Football game at SoFi Stadium. Wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder) and Zay Flowers (hip) are active, as is starting offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee). Stanley missed the Ravens’ win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11. Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey (calf) remains out.
Inactive Ravens players:
- LB Trenton Simpson
- LB Malik Harrison
- CB Marlon Humphrey
- CSam Mustipher
- OG Sala Aumavae-Laulu
- QB Josh Johnson (third QB)
Inactive Chargers players:
- S AJ Finley
- RB Isaiah Spiller
- RB Elijah Dotson
- OT Zack Bailey
- TE Nick Vannett
- WR Simi Fehoko
- DT Scott Matlock
Ravens tight end Mark Andrews will likely miss the rest of the season after suffering an ankle injury in the Cincinnati Bengals’ 34-20 win in Week 11, coach John Harbaugh said after the game.
An MRI revealed that the Ravens’ star tight end had suffered a torn fibula and ligament damage in his ankle, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
However, there was more positive news throughout the week.
“It wasn’t as bad as initially feared right after the game,” Harbaugh said.
So is Andrews out for the season? Nothing is final yet, said Harbaugh.
“But it wasn’t as bad as it could have been,” Harbaugh added. “It’s cleaner than they thought based on the MRI. The team placed Andrews on injured reserve on Saturday.”
The Ravens will know more as Andrews completes his rehab under the supervision of Dr. James Andrews in Charlotte, North Carolina begins. There’s a slim chance he could return this season, but Harbaugh hasn’t put a timetable on it. —Chris Bumbaca and Tyler Dragon
Chargers WR Keenan Allen is tied with Davante Adams and Julio Jones for third in games with at least 10 receiving and 100 receiving yards in NFL history (18). Allen leads Los Angeles in receptions (83), receiving yards (1,011) and touchdown catches (7). Entering Week 12, he is ranked in the NFL’s top five in all three categories. —Tyler Dragon
Lamar Jackson leads all quarterbacks with 535 rushing yards this season. Jackson’s 4,972 rushing yards ranks fourth all-time among NFL quarterbacks. He trails only Michael Vick, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson on the NFL’s all-time list. —Tyler Dragon
According to BetMGM NFL odds, the Ravens are the favorites to win over the Chargers.
- Spread: Ravens (-3)
- Money line: Ravens (-165); Chargers (+140)
- Over/under: 48.5
USA TODAY Sports’ personnel picks for this game:
- Lorenzo Reyes: Ravens 29, Chargers 23 – Over the last five games, Baltimore has alternated between covering and non-covering spreads, so the inconsistency here must be weighed. But the Chargers lost and couldn’t cover their last two games. Los Angeles’ offense was disjointed and the Chargers’ problems were largely self-inflicted.
- Tyler Dragon: Ravens 30, Chargers 23 – Brandon Staley is in the hot seat after another 1-point loss. The Chargers have lost five games this season by a margin of three points or less. No other team has lost more than two such games. Baltimore has had a mini-bye since last Thursday’s game. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens could very well be the best team in the AFC. Expect the Ravens offense to take advantage of the Chargers’ terrible pass defense.
- Safid Deen: Ravens 24, Chargers 20 — The Chargers always play for their opponent. Until crunch time. I like Lamar Jackson and the Ravens to beat Justin Herbert and the Chargers in the fourth quarter, even without star tight end Mark Andrews.
- Victoria Hernandez: Ravens 28, Chargers 23 – The departure of Joey Bosa leaves the Chargers defense weakened. That’s exactly what they don’t need against the Ravens’ potent offense. Lamar Jackson has so many tools that Odell Beckham Jr. just had his first 100-yard game of the season. The Ravens get the away win and remain successful throughout the season.
- Jordan Mendoza: Ravens 34, Chargers 30 – Los Angeles needs this win as the hot seat continues to heat up under Brandon Staley. Baltimore will be without Mark Andrews, but the Chargers continue to give up points and without Joey Bosa it will be harder to stop Lamar Jackson. Another shootout takes place at SoFi Stadium, with the visiting team emerging victorious.
Brandon Staley’s frustration began to boil after the Los Angeles Chargers’ disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers when he was asked by a reporter if he would continue to play defensive players for the Chargers.
“I have full confidence in our style of play. Complete confidence in myself as a play caller, in the way we teach and the way we plan. Total confidence,” Staley said after the game. “We need to get this group together and do it consistently. And there it is.
“You can stop asking that question. I’ll call the defense, okay? So we are in the clear. So you don’t have to ask that again.” — Tyler Dragon
The comparisons to the 2000 Baltimore Ravens defense, one of the best in league history, were premature. But the 2023 version of Baltimore’s defense deserves its own praise.
Having a second season in defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald’s system was an obvious — yet important — difference, players say.
“He has a little bit of a complicated plan,” safety Kyle Hamilton told USA TODAY Sports. “But he did a great job of getting to the point and making it easy for us.”
It’s part of Macdonald’s philosophy that defenders know how to do multiple things and play different positions – especially with a 6-foot-2 safety like Hamilton.
“I think it always keeps the offense on its toes and I think it allows us to play in different areas and show our versatility,” Hamilton said.
Players have to keep up with the wrinkles Macdonald and his staff come up with every week, edge rusher Odafe Oweh said.
“I also think the guys are getting more comfortable with the system and the defense,” Oweh said. “Mike had it all last year too. The boys are just learning moves and are more skilled in certain positions.”
Read Chris Bumbaca’s full post here.
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