WIll Lamar Jackson cut loose against the Chargers?
The Ravens enter with a somewhat disappointing 7-4 record. However, all of their losses have been close. Meanwhile, the Chargers hold a surprising 7-3 mark, winning games under first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh.
The winner will earn a key tiebreaker, and given the way things are shaping up in the AFC playoff chase this could be a big deal.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson will account for three touchdowns
Coming off his lowest passing yardage in seven weeks, Jackson should be able to bounce back. Yes, the Chargers have a very good defense. And they will get after Jackson. But this will force him out of the pocket where he can make big plays.
That’s the best thing about this matchup. Jackson should be able to get yardage in big chunks, even though he may not be consistent. And he should be able to rack up rushing yardage, too.
Harbaugh said he knows his team faces a big challenge, according to chargers.com.
“(Jackson is) great, he’s at the highest level,” Harbaugh said. “He’s right there with Justin (Herbert). He’s one of the best quarterbacks in the game, currently. (And) he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the National Football League. It would be like those two looking in the mirror when it comes to competitiveness and doing anything and everything for their team. Mirror images.”
Remember that Jim’s brother, John Harbaugh, thinks Jackson doesn’t belong in the company with Herbert. Or any other quarterback for that matter. John Harbaugh dropped a GOAT claim back in the summer, according to baltimoreravens.com.
“The vision that we have together is that Lamar Jackson is going to become and be known and be recognized as the greatest quarterback ever to play in the history of the National Football League,” John Harbaugh said. “That’s the vision. It’s going to happen by Lamar, his work ethic and his brilliant talent, by all of us pouring into that effort together as a team, and by the grace of God and God’s good will. That’s how it’s going to happen. And I believe it like we’ve already seen it.”
So this is the stage where Jackson needs to go out and prove it. He’s meeting another quarterback who is getting a lot of love. And Jackson needs to show he’s the better signal-caller. Look for Jackson to step up and do just that.
Derrick Henry will rush for 80 yards and a TD
In only one game, Henry missed out on the end zone via the rush. That came against the Buccaneers in Week 7. But he has been held below 80 yards rushing three times in the Ravens’ last four games. And not so surprisingly, the Ravens lost two of those contests. Look for Henry to bounce back against the Chargers, who are allowing a fairly strong 110.5 yards per game on the ground.
Also, look for the Ravens to push Henry on the Chargers after only getting him 13 touches in the key division game against the Steelers. John Harbaugh said limited offensive opportunities impacted things, according to baltimoreravens.com.
“We only had 54 offensive plays,” Harbaugh said. “We didn’t have as many throws or runs or anything else that we wanted. To get more plays, you need more successful plays — more first downs, more yards. We were off the field a couple of times really quick. I think in two of our series, we were off the field in two or three plays. So that just cuts down the opportunities for everybody.”
Also, Henry didn’t get a chance to be on the field when the Ravens failed on the potential game-tying 2-point conversion at the end of the game.
Ravens defense will record three sacks
Baltimore should be able to get to Herbert several times in this game. The Ravens have recorded at least two sacks in every game this season. And they’ve hit the three mark nine times. In the previous two games against the Ravens, Herbert took sacks a total of five times.
But the Ravens haven’t been able to defend the pass very well. They rank dead last with 284.5 yards per game. Veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey said the issue is the players’ performances on game days, according to nfl.com.
“For me as a player knowing what’s going on,” Humphrey said. “I hate seeing coaches get under scrutiny when it’s the players’ fault. If I felt that this ain’t being coached this way right, this ain’t being this, this ain’t being this, it’s a little different. But it really sucks when the product we’re putting out there isn’t what we’re being coached, isn’t what we’re practicing, and that’s kind of what hurts me.
“Some of the plays I’ve given up, is that the coach’s fault, or did we practice it this week, and then I got in the game, and I didn’t play it exactly how it was supposed to be, and it results in a big play? That is the NFL. But I hate that just because, when it’s your fault sometimes, while somebody’s getting scrutinized, that’s never a good thing.”
