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John Harbaugh treated Monday night not like a coach in a consequential NFL game that could alter the course of the season, but like an older brother pinning his younger sibling into the shag carpet. Even if Harbaugh won’t admit familial influence in Baltimore’s 30-23 win over the Jim Harbaugh-coached Los Angeles Chargers, his players certainly felt it with the Ravens converting three fourth-down attempts and lining up for a borderline-greedy 2-point try. “For me, being a big brother, it’s like, ‘I can’t lose to my little brother,’” quarterback Lamar Jackson said. “That’s what I believe, going into that game, he was thinking [of] a lot.” The elder Harbaugh has long been one of the league’s most aggressive coaches, but not so much recently. The Athletic’s Ben Baldwin runs a program that tracks this sort of thing. From the start of the 2023 regular season heading into Monday night, Baltimore ranked 31st out of 32 teams in how often teams go for it when they should. The Ravens’ veteran coach tossed that playbook out the window for the sake of family bragging rights. On the first play after the two-minute warning in the first half, Harbaugh sent his offense back out to the field for a fourth-and-1 pinned back at their own 16-yard line. Common sense might say punt. Analytics suggest go for it. Harbaugh, perhaps uncharacteristically, told ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters, “No guts, no glory, right?” It’s been 12 years since an NFL team converted a first-half fourth-down that deep in their own territory. In 2012, the St. Louis Rams did it on a fake punt. On Monday, Jackson was ready to come off the field for a third punt in four possessions. Then Harbaugh told him, “It’s very short. We can convert.” Tight end Mark Andrews took a snap under center and got past the first-down marker with a push from running back Derrick Henry. That was the same play call that resulted in an offsides penalty against Charlie Kolar in Cleveland last month. This time, Andrews converted, and five plays later Jackson flung a picturesque 40-yard, go-ahead touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman, a turning point in the win. “The overriding thing was who we were playing, and the idea that you just gotta try to hang on to possessions as long as you can, because they’re so good,” Harbaugh said. Safety Kyle Hamilton told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt that the defense was joking on the sideline, “You know your job is secure when you can make calls like that.” He lauded Harbaugh’s ability to downplay the brother storyline during the week, but everyone in that locker room knows they contributed to a Thanksgiving back-and-forth. “It wasn’t a huge talking point for us,” Hamilton said, “but we know deep down ‘Harbs’ wants this win. It means a little more than the other ones.” Two Ravens possessions later, the older Harbaugh flexed his muscles again — a tough decision alleviated when he’s leaning on the NFL’s best offense. “I just felt like we could get them,” he said. “You have to believe in your guys.” Baltimore stumbled to another fourth-and-1 in the second half. Henry rushed 26 yards further than he needed to keep the drive alive and 20 yards over expected, according to Next Gen Stats. One more fourth-and-1, and again Henry crossed the sticks, part of a 140-yard night. That pair of conversions set up a leaping touchdown catch by Andrews in the back of the end zone. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 30-23 win over Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, spurred by bold 4th-down call, roll to 30-23 win over Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 30-23 win over Los Angeles Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers, November 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith inactive vs. Chargers The only gamble Harbaugh didn’t cash in on was his decision to go for 2 early in the fourth quarter. Rather than being satisfied with an extra point that would have put his Ravens up eight, he rolled the dice to make it a two-possession game. But Zay Flowers couldn’t haul in Jackson’s pass. Nevertheless, Harbaugh resisted conservative playcalling. His team’s 3-for-3 execution on fourth down directly set up 14 points — the difference on the scoreboard until a Los Angeles touchdown in the game’s final minute. Monday night was the ninth time under Harbaugh the Ravens converted a trio of fourth downs in a single game. It was the first since Dec. 4, 2022, and tied the organization’s single-game record, first set in 2004. But when brotherly bragging rights are on the line, there’s no holding back. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

The Ravens smashed through the league’s stingiest scoring defense to pick up a crucial 30-23 win against the Los Angeles Chargers in the third coaching matchup between John and Jim Harbaugh. Here are five things we learned from the game: The Ravens rediscovered their identity in the wake of a bitter loss They weren’t in genuine danger of falling off a playoff track, but the Ravens had to know a loss to the Chargers would lead to uncomfortable discourse regarding their long-term prospects. Already, the talk was that they could not get out of their own way coming off a penalty- and turnover-fueled loss to the maddening Pittsburgh Steelers. While the fraternal rivalry between coaching Harbaughs would be the cheerful surface plot in this matchup of AFC contenders, the trip to Los Angeles represented a low-key reckoning for the Ravens. Fall to 7-5 with the scorching hot Philadelphia Eagles up next, and they’d suddenly be in survival mode, confronting ugly doubts. They steered right into those doubts to start the night, offering little resistance on an opening drive orchestrated by their former offensive coordinator, Greg Roman. They short-circuited their own powerful offense with a pair of 15-yard penalties, the bane of their recent existence. The nightmare scenario seemed to be unfolding. And then the Ravens woke up. They re-fired the engine of their brutal, relentless offensive machine, handing the ball to Derrick Henry, counterpunching with Justice Hill, grinding on the league’s No. 1 scoring defense. Quarterback Lamar Jackson was more workmanlike than magical for most of the night, but he made the necessary throws and runs when it was time to finish drives in the end zone. Coach John Harbaugh, looking to embolden this attack, went for three fourth downs. The Ravens converted all three, not to mention eight of 15 third downs. At its core, this team is special because it can run on anyone and because Jackson is nearly impossible to defend on those high-leverage plays that extend and complete drives. The Ravens made too many mistakes for those virtues to shine through in Pittsburgh, but they were back to being themselves against Jim Harbaugh’s tough, disciplined Chargers. They boarded their overnight flight 8-4, just a half-game behind Pittsburgh in the AFC North and set for an intriguing battle of the bullies against the 9-2 Eagles. John Harbaugh’s heart grows three sizes when he’s coaching against his younger brother He’s just trying to draw them offside. That’s what we all thought when the Ravens’ offense stayed on the field facing fourth-and-1 from their own 16 as the clock ticked down to the two-minute warning. Surely, they’d punt it away safely when the break was over, content with a one-score deficit going into the locker room. And then, Mark Andrews lined up under center. “The upside was that I really thought we’d get it,” Harbaugh said, reflecting on the call that helped put the Ravens up to stay. Harbaugh’s not a fearful coach under any circumstances, but his little brother seems to draw out the gunslinger within. Who could forget the fake field goal big brother called — the first in Super Bowl history — the last time we saw Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh? Ravens coach John Harbaugh, left, is 3-0 when coaching against his brother. (Jeff Lewis/AP) That bit of daring came up a yard short. This time, the math was on Harbaugh’s side. But imagine the howls of derision he would have heard if the direct snap to his tight end did not work. Andrews powered forward just enough on the Ravens’ version of the tush push. Five plays later, Jackson slipped a 40-yard touchdown strike to Rashod Bateman through blanket coverage. Harbaugh’s gumption paid off more richly than even he could have imagined. We saw just how significant an upgrade the Ravens made at running back Henry was alone, moving in the wrong direction with two Chargers between him and a third-down conversion. He extended his mighty right arm to push the first defender aside and turned upfield, but the second still had a good angle to stop him short. Again, Henry thrust out his Muhammad Ali straight right to create the space he needed. Five yards and the Ravens were still moving, on their way to another score. The run was far from Henry’s longest in a mighty 140-yard performance, but it might have been his most clutch and the one that best illustrated his unique qualities. His greatness felt particularly significant on a night when the Ravens faced their two top running backs from the pre-Henry era. J.K. Dobbins averaged a wildly efficient 5.8 yards per carry in Baltimore. Gus Edwards was one of the fiercest battering rams ever to wear the purple and black. But Dobbins couldn’t stay on the field, and Edwards didn’t run with quite as much fury in 2023. Instead of re-upping with either, general manager Eric DeCosta jumped into the running back market with both feet, signing the most proven of proven stars. Only the most pitiless fan could have felt anything but pained empathy for Dobbins when he left the field with a knee injury Monday night. He carried six times for 40 yards and caught another three passes for 19 yards; perhaps the night would have been his if that knee had allowed it. Edwards, meanwhile, carried nine times for just 11 yards. The Chargers had no answer for Ravens running back Derrick Henry, who rushed for 140 yards in Monday’s win. (Kyusung Gong/AP) On the other side, Henry just kept doing the things that have him pointed toward the Hall of Fame, hauling his 247 pounds of muscle around the edge, throwing that stiff right when he needed it. He has suffered just one significant injury in his career despite carrying 378 times in 2020 and 349 in 2022. He and Saquon Barkley, whom the Ravens will see Sunday when they host the Philadelphia Eagles, are the gold standard at a position where many teams have turned to bargain-hunting over the last decade. DeCosta had too little cap space to spend on every part of his roster last summer. He could have easily chased value instead of premium talent at running back, figuring Jackson would give the team an excellent ground game no matter what. But his choice to pursue Henry, now on pace for 1,877 rushing yards, created a super-charged offense. “I can’t give him credit enough for how locked in he is,” Jackson said of the best running back he’s ever partnered with. “How dynamic he is.” The Ravens can’t stop putting themselves in holes with penalties Fullback Patrick Ricard’s leg whip wiped out a 17-yard completion and put the Ravens in an impossible first-and-25 hole to stall their first drive. They were backed up another 15 yards at the start of their second drive when Nate Wiggins drew a flag for blocking a defender out of bounds on Tylan Wallace’s punt return. The call on Ricard was sketchy given how little contact he made, but that was beside the larger point. Eight days earlier, Harbaugh had lamented how penalties made it impossible for his offense to find any rhythm in an 18-16 loss to the Steelers. A quarter in, the Ravens were right back to the same shenanigans against another tough, disciplined opponent. They goofed again in the second quarter with an illegal formation in the red zone, but Jackson rendered that one irrelevant with a nifty 10-yard touchdown run. Not coincidentally, the Ravens played significantly cleaner football during their stretch of five straight scoring drives that gave them a two-touchdown lead. Only a holding call on guard Patrick Mekari, their most penalized lineman, marred that run of elite offense. But pass-interference calls on Marlon Humphrey and Jalyn Armour-Davis kept the Chargers alive on a last-ditch drive that finished in the end zone and gave Los Angeles a shot at a final onside kick. Those penalties took the Ravens’ tally to nine for 102 yards, still an unacceptable pace even if the flags did not prove as costly as the 12 for 80 yards they drew in Pittsburgh. It’s not as if this is an every-year problem for Harbaugh’s teams. The Ravens ranked 26th in penalty yards as recently as 2022. But the bottom line is they’re not shedding what has become a major albatross this season, and as Harbaugh said, that buck stops with him. Though it’s impossible to eradicate holding and pass interference, the Ravens keep making mental mistakes pre-snap and on special teams. They won’t win four straight games against postseason competition if they don’t clean up their act. Ravens inside linebacker Malik Harrison, tackling Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins in the first half Monday night, stepped up in Roquan Smith’s absence. (Eric Thayer/AP) With an unexpected star turn by Malik Harrison, the defense stood tough in Roquan Smith’s absence Smith sprinted on his sore hamstring during pregame warmups, hoping he could defy the odds and start at linebacker after a week of missed practices. But the Ravens prudently chose to give their defensive leader another week with the bruising Eagles on their way to town and a bye after that. Boy did they miss Smith on the Chargers’ opening touchdown drive as Dobbins and Edwards slashed off-tackle and Justin Herbert lofted an 18-yard completion to tight end Will Dissly that fell between the Ravens’ linebackers and their back end. The Baltimore defense has been soft in the middle even with its All-Pro middle linebacker. Without him, it seemed disaster might be afoot. So, give a game ball to Harrison, the reserve linebacker most responsible for stepping into the breach. No one questioned the 6-foot-3, 255-pound Harrison’s sturdiness against the run, but many of us wondered if his lack of mobility would be a fatal liability against Dissly and the Chargers’ other intermediate pass catchers. Nope. Harrison not only led the team with 13 tackles; he earned very good marks on 24 coverage snaps, according to Pro Football Focus’ early grading. A serviceable performance would have been well-received. No one could have guessed Harrison would be the team’s best defender in Los Angeles. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 30-23 win over Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, spurred by bold 4th-down call, roll to 30-23 win over Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 30-23 win over Los Angeles Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers, November 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith inactive vs. Chargers “Malik Harrison steps in and has a career game,” Harbaugh said. “He had [13] tackles. And the thing I appreciate about Malik, is he’s a really even-keeled guy, but he’s a confident person. And they go down there the first drive, and we’re trying to figure out what’s going on and how we’re going to play these different things, and [we] talked through it, and he didn’t flinch for one second.” We wondered also how much the Ravens would get from defensive tackle Travis Jones, who was questionable to play against the Chargers because of an ankle injury that keeps flaring. Well, Jones gritted his teeth through 34 snaps and earned the highest preliminary PFF grade of any Baltimore interior defender. The Chargers ran for 35 yards on that first drive, 48 the rest of the game. Dissly and star slot receiver Ladd McConkey caught all 10 passes thrown their way for 130 yards but did not rip off the chunk gains that have killed the Ravens for much of the season. The Ravens will need Smith’s brain, legs and fire to be at their best down the stretch. He has to be delighted that his teammates found those qualities in themselves while he could only watch from the sideline Monday night. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. Week 13 Eagles at Ravens Sunday, 4:25 p.m. TV: CBS Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 2 1/2 Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, left, accounted for three touchdowns Monday night. (Jeff Lewis/AP) View the full article

Here’s how the Ravens (8-4) graded out at every position after beating the Chargers (7-4), 30-23, on Monday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California: Quarterbacks There was nothing magical about Lamar Jackson’s performance, but he managed the game well and made plays several times when pressured. Jackson completed 16 of 22 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. He started slowly and overthrew some receivers early, but overall he controlled the tempo of the game. Jackson finished with a passer rating of 126.5 and also had a 10-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Grade: C+ Running backs As expected, the Ravens pounded the Chargers with running back Derrick Henry, who had 140 yards on 24 carries. Henry was successful with several cutback runs, and he was also strong running off tackle on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Backup Justice Hill added 55 yards on four carries, with most of those coming on a back-breaking 51-yard touchdown run around the left end in the fourth quarter. Grade: B Offensive line The Chargers were expected to challenge offensive tackles Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten off the edge with outside linebackers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, but they caused few problems. When they did get pressure, Jackson avoided it well. Right guard Daniel Faalele did a nice job of pulling and getting seal blocks, but left guard Patrick Mekari is still drawing too many penalties. It’s unlikely the Ravens will make any changes with Mekari, but those holding penalties are becoming more costly and will hurt in the postseason. The Ravens had 212 rushing yards. Grade: B The Ravens, behind a stout offensive line, ran for more than 200 yards in Monday’s win over the Chargers. (Ryan Sun/AP) Receivers The Ravens didn’t need much from this group, but they did get a couple of big plays from tight end Mark Andrews. He had five catches for 44 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter. Rashod Bateman also had a 40-yard touchdown reception in the second. That catch showed great concentration by Bateman, who was closely covered by Kristian Fulton but the cornerback failed to turn and make a play on the ball and was called for pass interference. Slot receiver Zay Flowers had five catches for 62 yards. Overall, it’s usually a good day for the Ravens when their receivers don’t have to dominate and control the flow of the game. Grade: C Defensive line It would have been interesting to see what the Chargers would have done if running back J.K. Dobbins played the second half, but he left the game late in the first with a knee injury after rushing for 40 yards on six carries. The Chargers had success running at the Ravens with Dobbins, but they became too one-dimensional after he exited. Once the Ravens took the lead, they simply overpowered the Chargers’ offensive line, which was guilty of several holding penalties. Los Angeles finished with only 83 rushing yards. Defensive tackle Travis Jones finished with three tackles. Grade: B Linebackers The Ravens got a strong game from Malik Harrison, who was filling in for injured starting inside linebacker Roquan Smith. Harrison started slow but became more dominant after the first quarter. He finished with 13 tackles, including one for a loss. By the beginning of the fourth quarter, outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh were starting to get consistent pressure on Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. The Ravens finished with four sacks and seven pressures, and Oweh and Van Noy had one sack each. Grade: B+ Secondary It’s tough to figure this group out. While it has held its own for two straight weeks, both opponents, the Chargers and the Steelers, are lacking talent at the wide receiver position. The Chargers dropped several passes Monday night, but cornerback Marlon Humphrey played well in coverage despite missing some tackles early. Overall, there has been improvement from the back end, but the Chargers attacked down the middle of the field early. As usual, safety Kyle Hamilton had a strong game and fellow safety Ar’Darius Washington keeps getting better. He finished with four tackles while cornerback Nate Wiggins had six and knocked down two passes. It will be interesting to see how much this group progresses. The Ravens, though, are good at holding. Grade: C+ Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens, spurred by bold 4th-down call, roll to 30-23 win over Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 30-23 win over Los Angeles Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers, November 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith inactive vs. Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 30-23 win Special teams When the offense struggled on their first two possessions of the game, punter Jordon Stout bailed them out. He finished the game by averaging 54.3 yards on three punts, including a 62-yarder. Kicker Justin Tucker made a 45-yard field goal in the third quarter, but the Ravens, including running back Keaton Mitchell, still seem confused about when to return kickoffs. They need to improve their coverage units, too, after allowing one kickoff return of 46 yards and a punt return of 19 yards. Grade: C Coaching Good call by coach John Harbaugh to gamble on fourth down late in the second quarter at his own 16. Harbaugh won on all three fourth-down attempts, but it was more of a statement about the Chargers and how soft they are on defense than the Ravens’ explosive offense. Offensively, the Ravens were balanced and the defense was more aggressive and gave the Chargers several new looks. Baltimore wase far from dominant, but it controlled the pace of the game after the first quarter. Grade: B Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The storylines were enough to fill a Hollywood script. Ravens coach John Harbaugh facing off against little brother and Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh for a third time and the first since beating him in the Super Bowl a dozen years ago. A pair of ex-Baltimore running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards seeking revenge against the team that jettisoned them. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson looking across the sideline at condemned former Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman. It all provided plenty of drama and possibilities at SoFi Stadium on Monday night. Then, a plot twist. With the Ravens trailing the Chargers, 10-7, in a critical AFC showdown and facing fourth-and-1 from their own 16-yard line late in the second quarter, John Harbaugh went against conventional wisdom and decided to gamble. The analytics favored the choice, but reality painted a potentially disastrous outcome had they not converted. After quarterback Lamar Jackson tried to draw Los Angeles offside before the two-minute warning, the Ravens’ punt team started to come onto the field before things took a turn. Tight end Mark Andrews took the snap from under center, running back Derrick Henry and fullback Patrick Ricard pushed from behind and Baltimore picked up 2 yards and the first down. “I told him I’m gonna push the [crap] out you,” said Henry, who is usually the one with the ball in his hands. Instead, he had his tight end’s backside. “He said to me after ‘I felt ya.'” And the Ravens had plenty of reason to feel good, too. Three plays later, wide receiver Zay Flowers caught a short pass, cut back across the defense and gained 22 yards. Two plays after that, Jackson threw deep down the left sideline for a well-covered Rashod Bateman, who fended off Kristian Fulton and hauled in the 40-yard touchdown strike. The score gave Baltimore its first lead of the night as it shook off a sluggish start and turned the momentum in Harbowl III as the Ravens (8-4) pulled away from the Chargers (7-4) for a 30-23 victory. “It was just gutsy,” center Tyler Linderbaum said of the fourth-down call. “Credit to Coach to having trust in us to get the job done and credit to all 11 guys on the field to get that first down. It was definitely a big momentum swing.” “That, I think, changed the game,” added Ricard. “It changed momentum for us going into the second half.” The win keeps Baltimore within a half-game of the first-place Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North. It also marked Harbaugh’s third victory over his sibling in as many meetings and the first since they last met in the Super Bowl in February 2013 when Jim was coach of the San Francisco 49ers. “I just thought that [Andrews] and Tyler and our interior offensive line … I thought we could get it, and they did,” Harbaugh said of the call. “That was a big turning point in the game.” And like any good plot line, a central tenet to the story. Baltimore went for it on fourth down two more times on the night, including another in their own territory in the third quarter. They converted them all and along the way broke the will of their opponent. Ravens coach John Harbaugh, left, hugs his younger brother and Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh after Baltimore’s 30-23 win. (Jeff Lewis/AP) “You do when you’re getting 5 yards a play, so just might as well keep running the same play over and over again,” Ricard said. “That’s what we were doing. We were flipping sides running the same play.” And they bullied the Chargers right out of their building when it mattered most. Clinging to a 17-16 lead late in the third after both teams had traded field goals and facing fourth-and-1 from their own 39, the Ravens didn’t hesitate. This time the call was more traditional, and Henry ripped off a 27-yard gain through the left side of the line. Later in the drive and facing a fourth-and-1 from Los Angeles’ 25, Henry (24 carries for 140 yards) delivered again. Five plays later, Jackson hit Andrews in the back of the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown. Rather than kick the extra point to extend the lead to eight points, however, the Ravens went for 2, but Jackson’s pass fell incomplete. Unlike the Nov. 17 game against the Steelers, it didn’t matter. After the Chargers went three-and-out on their next possession, running back Justice Hill took a handoff on third-and-3 and raced around the left end for a 51-yard touchdown that extended the lead to 30-16. It was a stark contrast to most of the opening 30 minutes and especially the first quarter. The Chargers dominated in both yards and time of possession in the opening frame, outgaining the Ravens 123 yards to 20 and keeping the ball for more than 10 of the first 15 minutes, and took a 10-0 advantage early in the second. Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens sacks Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the second half Monday night. (Ryan Sun/AP) “We started off very slow,” Jackson said. “We gotta get back in the groove starting our games off the correct way. “The beginning of the season we were doing a great job of that. As the season gone on someway somehow we’ve been horrible starting the game.” But soon after, the Ravens finally started to chip away on both sides of the ball. On offense, they leaned on the long and strong legs of Henry, who came into the game second in rushing in the NFL and finally got going in the second quarter. Off right tackle for 19 yards. Off left tackle for 14 yards. Then Jackson and Andrews ad-libbed to convert a third-and-5 before Henry ripped off another chain-moving run, this one for 11 yards. A penalty for illegal formation on right tackle Roger Rosengarten wiped out Henry’s 5-yard touchdown run one play later, ending his streak of consecutive games with at least one touchdown at 11, but Jackson made up for it by racing to the pylon for a 10-yard score. That cut the deficit to 10-7, and the decision to go for it on fourth down from deep in their own end on the next possession paid off. Baltimore marched 93 yards in eight plays and was on its way. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey breaks up a pass intended for Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer in the second half. (Eric Thayer/AP) Then the defense, which has been prone to giving up big plays and blowing big leads and was without All-Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith because of a hamstring injury, did the rest. The Chargers were held to just 10 points in the second half and quarterback Justin Herbert finished 21-for-36 for 218 yards with a touchdown, scoring the game’s first points on a 5-yard run. Malik Harrison, who along with Kristian Welch filled in for Smith, did most of the damage with a team-high 13 tackles. He was all over the field for Baltimore, playing inside and on the edge and on special teams. “Knowing that the possibility that Ro’s gonna be out I just had the mindset that I was going to go out there and start,” Harrison said. “I prepared my [butt] off all week.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The Baltimore Sun’s Ravens report card: Position-by-position grades for 30-23 win over Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Instant analysis from Ravens’ 30-23 win over Los Angeles Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers, November 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith inactive vs. Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers live updates: Postgame reaction and analysis from Baltimore’s 30-23 win And he helped eliminate any opportunity for ex-Ravens Dobbins and Edwards to exact revenge. Dobbins finished with 40 yards on six carries before exiting late in the second quarter with a knee injury. Edwards had just 11 yards on nine carries and a touchdown in the final minute. Jackson, meanwhile, had just 177 yards but was efficient, completing 16 of 22 passes with two touchdowns and no turnovers. He improved to 18-4 in his career in games after a loss. “Being down 10 early there was just belief,” Andrews said. “Believe that we’re gonna get things going and get things rolling. We’ve got so many playmakers that are able to step up and make big plays when they matter. It was countless today of guys making big-time plays, big-time catches, big-time runs over and over to advance the ball.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman, right, celebrates his 40-yard touchdown catch with Diontae Johnson in the second quarter Monday night against the Chargers. (Ryan Sun/AP) View the full article

Here’s what The Baltimore Sun sports staff had to say immediately after the Ravens’ 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Monday night’s Week 12 game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California: Brian Wacker, reporter: John Harbaugh gambled and won. The analytics favored the Ravens going for it on fourth-and-1 from their own 16-yard line late in the second quarter, but trailing 10-7 at the time not getting it would have been disastrous. Of course, Baltimore never had to worry about that, and Harbaugh showed belief in his high powered and powerful offense by going for it and converting on three fourth downs on the night, including twice on one drive. The Ravens went on to score touchdowns on both series, and that swing the momentum from what had been a sluggish start. But in the long game, the team with the better talent can withstand a couple of body blows and bounce back, and that’s what Baltimore did. After the Ravens’ offense was barely on the field in the opening quarter, Baltimore began to chip away with its running game and came through on a handful of critical conversions. The biggest surprise perhaps was on defense. Despite being without inside linebacker Roquan Smith, the Ravens stifled quarterback Justin Herbert in the second half and held the Chargers in check on the ground most of the night and especially once J.K. Dobbins went out with a knee injury late in the second quarter. This was a game Baltimore could ill afford to lose with the Philadelphia Eagles looming, and once again the elder Harbaugh figured out how to get the best of his younger brother. Childs Walker, reporter: The Ravens introduced the league’s stingiest scoring defense to a different level of medieval football, riding Derrick Henry and Justice Hill to more than 200 rushing yards and buckling down on defense for a crucial win. They converted on 8 of 15 third-down attempts and more importantly, 3 of 3 fourth-down attempts. You won’t see a wilder momentum flip than the one the Ravens pulled off just before halftime. Facing fourth-and-1 deep in his own territory, coach John Harbaugh made a shocking call to go for it with a direct snap to Mark Andrews, who converted. A few plays later, Lamar Jackson hit Rashod Bateman for a 40-yard touchdown to put Baltimore up 14-10. Boldness rewarded in the brother vs. brother coaching showdown. Linebacker Roquan Smith’s absence was felt on the first drive of the game as the Chargers carved their way up the middle of the field, carrying seven times for 35 yards and connecting on passes to tight end Will Dissly and slot receiver Ladd McConkey. The Ravens then saw their first drive wiped out by a phantom leg whip call against fullback Patrick Ricard. The night could hardly have gone worse to that point. But the Ravens tapped back into who they are with their best running performance in more than a month. Malik Harrison did stout work standing in for Smith. They spit out the bitter taste from their loss to the Steelers eight days earlier. Mike Preston, columnist: The Ravens needed a win badly after a poor performance in a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. In that game, the Ravens had 12 penalties for 80 yards and three turnovers. They weren’t dominant against the Chargers until the second half, but they were efficient on both sides of the ball. They got big plays from their offensive stars in quarterback Lamar Jackson, tight end Mark Andrews and running back Derrick Henry, and the defense was able to slow Los Angeles, especially after running back J.K. Dobbins went down with a knee injury late in the first half. After a slow start on the Ravens’ first two drives of the game, they were able to dissect Los Angeles’ defense and several times succeeded on fourth down, which is more of an indictment of the Chargers’ soft defense than coach John Harbaugh’s willingness to gamble. Defensively, the Ravens gave Los Angeles a lot of different looks and blitzed more than usual. Without Dobbins, the Chargers had no threat for running the ball and quarterback Justin Herbert couldn’t carry them alone. The Ravens ran them over in the second half, at one point scoring on five straight possessions with a good blend of runs and passes. This game was virtually over by midway through the fourth quarter, and the Ravens won as expected. It will get a little tougher Sunday when Baltimore faces Philadelphia, but at least the Ravens recovered from their poor performance in Pittsburgh. Sam Cohn, reporter: Baltimore’s defense had a gaping, All-Pro-sized hole in the middle of the defense. Linebacker Roquan Smith hadn’t practiced all week but wasn’t officially ruled out until about 90 minutes before kickoff. The thinking was, no Smith — the NFL’s tackling leader and Baltimore’s defensive signal caller — and the Chargers’ offense could have a field day over the middle. That’s what it looked like on Los Angeles’ opening drive. But Malik Harrison, Smith’s primary replacement, was serviceable even if not revelatory. Combine a second consecutive solid outing from a defensive group that struggled much of the season with some gutsy decision making from coach John Harbaugh and the Ravens get within a half-game of the Steelers in the AFC North. C.J. Doon, editor: As maddening as this Ravens team can be at times, the moments of brilliance are so sweet. It’s much easier to overlook an illegal formation penalty that wipes out a touchdown run by Derrick Henry when Lamar Jackson dashes into the end zone on the very next play. That’s a luxury simply few teams have. And how many other NFL teams would have the guts to for it on their own 16-yard line trailing in the second quarter? Maybe the Detroit Lions? Don’t take that for granted. John Harbaugh might make a lot of decisions you don’t agree with (like going for 2 to extend the lead to 9 instead of 8 in the fourth quarter), but he’s not doing it for the sake of being bold. That fourth-down call might have saved the Ravens from being down two scores at halftime. Give props to coordinator Zach Orr for patching together the defense in the absence of linebacker Roquan Smith. Malik Harrison and Chris Board played well in increased roles, and after getting gashed on the opening drive, the Ravens didn’t give up another touchdown until there was less than a minute left in garbage time. That’s a sign of good coaching. Justin Herbert still made some great throws, but he didn’t torch a Ravens secondary that has struggled all season. Perhaps that’s more of knock against the Chargers’ uninspiring receivers (that drop by Quentin Johnston on third down in the fourth quarter was particularly brutal), but this defense needed a win however it could get it. You know it was a good night for the Ravens when the officials pick up a pass interference flag against Brandon Stephens. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers, November 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith inactive vs. Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers live updates: Baltimore leads 23-16 in 4th quarter Baltimore Ravens | Coaching, the ‘crab’ and water ping-pong: For Harbaugh brothers, the competition never stops Baltimore Ravens | Ravens reportedly interested in former Giants QB Daniel Jones Tim Schwartz, editor: A methodical victory? Those are far too rare for the Ravens for as good as they are, but they put together one of their most complete performances when they needed it most. The Chargers had no answer for the backfield duo of Derrick Henry and Justice Hill, while Lamar Jackson was efficient and didn’t unnecessarily force anything despite Baltimore trailing by 10 early in the second quarter. The bomb to Rashod Bateman changed the game as it opened up running lanes for Henry. I would ask why the Ravens aren’t using Keaton Mitchell and his game-breaking speed, but it’s hard to argue when Hill takes a simple handoff 51 yards to the house in the fourth quarter. This was a critical game for the Ravens after the Steelers’ loss Thursday night and keeps them right in the mix for the AFC North. And one look at the AFC playoff standings would tell you how important a home playoff game would be. Beating the Eagles would put Baltimore right back in the Super Bowl contenders category. Bennett Conlin, editor: Lamar Jackson is the best player in football, and pairing him with Derrick Henry still feels unfair. That electric duo (and Justice Hill starred Monday as a complementary back) makes up for the fact that Baltimore commits too many penalties and struggles to play consistent defense. Monday, the offense clicked and the defensive flaws showed early in the game when the Ravens fell behind, 10-0. Baltimore is 4-1 on the season when trailing by double digits, as it has now rattled off four consecutive wins in such scenarios. The Ravens can never be counted out because of Jackson’s elite skills and their several offensive weapons alongside the two-time MVP. Baltimore’s defensive shortcomings — which were highlighted early in Monday’s game with Roquan Smith absent before the unit settled into the game — usually guarantee that opponents are never out of a game with the Ravens. Monday, and plenty of other times this season, that makes for entertaining viewing. If Baltimore fulfills its potential and wins a Super Bowl, it’ll be because Jackson’s greatness outweighs the team’s flaws. Jackson carried the load Monday, getting just enough help from his defense after a sluggish start. That recipe just might work for this team. View the full article

Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (43) celebrates his rushing touchdown with offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten (70) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (43) celebrates his rushing touchdown with quarterback Lamar Jackson during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (43) scores a rushing touchdown past Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Elijah Molden (22) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (43) runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (89) reacts after catching a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass to tight end Mark Andrews (89) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) leaps behind a blocker during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still (29) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) reaches for a first down as Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still (29) defends during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) runs during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still (29) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) if tackled by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) rolls out during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Malik Harrison, center, and linebacker Odafe Oweh during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Malik Harrison, center, and linebacker Odafe Oweh during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Joey Bosa (97) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) is tackled after a catch by Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton (7) and cornerback Elijah Molden (22) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) runs past Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle Poona Ford (95) during the second half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) celebrates his touchdown catch with wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) celebrates his touchdown catch with wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) makes a touchdown catch as Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton (7) defends during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) rolls out during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (45) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Los Angeles Chargers tight end Will Dissly (81) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Chris Board (49) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) celebrates his rushing touchdown with teammates during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) scores a rushing touchdown as Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley attempts a tackle during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Malik Harrison (40) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers safety Alohi Gilman (32) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) carries during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) scores a rushing touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) is tackled by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Malik Harrison (40) during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) runs during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) The Baltimore Ravens enter the field before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) warms up before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry warms up before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, right, hugs his brother Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh before an NFL football game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews (89) warms ups before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers warms up before an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) View the full article

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Ravens’ already struggling defense has suffered another blow. Inside linebacker Roquan Smith, who didn’t practice all week because of a hamstring injury, will not be available for Monday night’s critical AFC showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers. The two-time All-Pro was ruled out Monday after being listed as questionable earlier in the week. Smith, 27, is tied for the most tackles in the NFL with 110. It marks the first time he has missed a game because of injury since late in the 2019 season when he finished the year on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle while a member of the Chicago Bears. The defensive signal-caller suffered this latest injury on the first play of the fourth quarter of Baltimore’s 18-16 loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Nov. 17 and did not return. How the Ravens will replace Smith remains to be seen. One option could be starting Malik Harrison and rotating in Chris Board. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr said last week the team would replace Smith by committee. “Not one person is going to replace Roquan,” Orr said. “Roquan’s an every-down linebacker [and] a top linebacker in this league [and] All-Pro for a reason. We like our guys that we have in the room. They got to step up, and we got to step up collectively as a defense, and that linebacker room [has] to step up collectively as a group.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers, November 25, 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers live updates: Baltimore leads 23-16 in 4th quarter Baltimore Ravens | Coaching, the ‘crab’ and water ping-pong: For Harbaugh brothers, the competition never stops Baltimore Ravens | Ravens reportedly interested in former Giants QB Daniel Jones Baltimore Ravens | For Ravens, facing Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers will be ‘like playing the L.A. Ravens’ Even with Smith, the Ravens’ defense has not played to its usual standard. Baltimore is 26th in yards allowed per game (362) and 23rd in points allowed per game (24.6). The middle of the field has also been a weak spot, particularly against the pass, with the Ravens ranking last in passing yards allowed per game (284.5) and 27th in yards per pass (7.7). Other inactives for the Ravens are cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf), rookie safety Sanoussi Kane (ankle), outside linebacker David Ojabo, backup center Nick Samac (chest) and rookie running back Rasheen Ali. Center Tyler Linderbaum (back) and defensive tackle Travis Jones (ankle) are active after being listed as questionable. Inactive for the Chargers are linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin), cornerback Cam Hart (concussion/ankle), wide receiver D.J. Chark, running back Kimani Vidal, offensive linemen Brenden Jaimes and Jordan McFadden, and quarterback Easton Stick, who is the emergency third quarterback. Wide receiver Ladd McConkey (shoulder), outside linebackers Khalil Mack (groin) and Bud Dupree (foot), and safety AJ Finley (ankle) are active after being listed as questionable. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens (7-4) and Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) face off on “Monday Night Football” in the third meeting between brothers John and Jim Harbaugh. In a matchup between two of the league’s top quarterbacks in Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert, Baltimore is looking to bounce back after a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Los Angeles seeks to continue its four-game winning streak. Follow along here for live coverage and analysis. View the full article

The Ravens had just demolished the Buffalo Bills on national television and the clock was nearing 11:30 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore when the phone rang inside the luxury box. As Jack Harbaugh was winding down a thrilling night with family and friends, his eldest son, John, called up from the jubilant locker room to request his pop’s presence. So the patriarch of the football family — the only one with two brothers to face off as opposing head coaches in the championship game of a major American team sport — ambled down the maze of stairs and down a hallway to find out what the fuss was all about. To Jack Harbaugh’s bewilderment, he ended up in the interview room, where the assembled media was already gathered and awaiting the winning coach’s news conference. Jack, 85, wasn’t lost; he quietly turned to his boy to ask what was going on. “I had no idea what he’s talking about, I see all of you and I’m thinking what am I doing here?” Jack recalled in an interview with The Baltimore Sun. “He’s says, ‘Dad, you got a question for me?’ So of course I yelled out ‘Whooo’s got it better than us?!’” Except, awkward silence. “I don’t know if it ever fell flatter,” Jack continued, letting out a self-deprecating laugh. “I told John, ‘I don’t think this is working too well.’ “Maybe the most embarrassing moment of my life. But in a moment when you win a game like that, that’s what you remember.” It’s one of countless memories big and small that Jack has shared with his sons John and Jim, who will face off against one another when the Ravens (7-4) and Chargers (7-3) meet at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Monday night. It will mark just the third meeting between the coaches, the most recent coming on the game’s biggest stage, the Super Bowl, in February 2013 when Jim was coach of the San Francisco 49ers (or fourth, if you count a preseason game in 2014, as John once eagerly pointed out). John has won them all, though whether it stays that way doesn’t really matter for parents Jack and Jackie, sister Joani or even the two coaches. It’s the journey that stands out. “I think we’re just older, a little wiser, probably appreciate even more how cool it is, the gravity of it, how amazing it is to be in this situation get to play each other,” John Harbaugh, 62, told The Sun. “I think we’re both like, this really is unbelievable. But then you get back to reality and you’ve got work to do.” That work — competition — has been going on their whole lives. When they were young, there was one fight or another “every day,” said John, who is 15 months older than Jim and until about 18 or 19 was bigger than him, too. Until then, Jim used to fend John off with a “crab” technique, in which Jim would be on his back with hands and feet flailing upward as they wrestled in the family basement. John responded by grabbing one of the big brown corduroy body pillows nearby, swiping at his brother’s feet with it and then pouncing on him. An 11-year-old John Harbaugh, left, poses for a picture outside the family’s home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with brother, Jim, and little sister, Joani. John is 15 months older than Jim. (Courtesy Jacqueline Harbaugh) Of course, that only lasted so long. Jim played quarterback for 14 seasons in the NFL, mostly for the Chicago Bears, who drafted him 26th overall in 1987, and the Indianapolis Colts before spending one season in Baltimore and then finishing his career with the Chargers and finally Carolina Panthers. Along the way, he was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1995 and led the Colts to the AFC championship game the same year. John’s playing days ended at Miami University, where he was a defensive back before he turned to coaching — first as running backs and outside linebackers coach under his dad at Western Michigan, then in various roles at four other schools before finally landing with the Philadelphia Eagles as a special teams coordinator in 1998. He remained there until 2008, when a phone call from Bill Belichick helped get him hired as the Ravens coach. In Baltimore, he became the only coach to win a playoff game in six of his first seven seasons, won a Super Bowl and has been a model of consistency as the second-longest tenured coach in the league behind only Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Eventually, the younger Harbaugh joined his older brother in the coaching ranks, first as an offensive consultant at Western Michigan in 1994, then as the then-Oakland Raiders’ quarterback coach in 2002 before being named head coach at the University of San Diego in 2004. From there, it was off to Stanford in 2007, the 49ers in 2011, his alma mater Michigan in 2015 (with a national championship in 2023) and finally back to the Chargers earlier this year. Along the way, the competition never stopped, be it on the half-basketball or shuffleboard court or billiards table at John’s house. Or in the pool playing water ping-pong against each other, which was, as John puts it, “a neck and neck battle” that grew intense until Jim’s wife Sarah stepped in “and beat us both.” Their parents, meanwhile, have simply been along for the joyous ride. Jack still sometimes makes appearances at practices and games for both of his sons. This week, they’ll watch the game from their daughter’s house in Bradenton, Florida, where they’ll be joined by son-in-law and former college basketball coach Tom Crean along with their grandkids. Perhaps fittingly, the game will also take place on their 63rd wedding anniversary. Occasionally, there’s still some coaching wisdom dispensed, too. Jim Harbaugh, left, and his father Jack Harbaugh speak to a player before the Ravens’ divisional round playoff game against the Texans on Jan. 20 in Baltimore. (Nick Wass/AP) For years, Jack has been getting game film after each of his son’s contests. After more than 40 years coaching at the college level, he will lend insight when asked. “I don’t overwhelm them; I don’t call them, I don’t text,” Jack said. “If they have a question I can help them with, I’m open to part of the discussion. My wife Jackie, though, she’s been around it enough that if she sees something, she’s likely to let you know what she saw. “When they were younger, just getting started I was more likely to say something. But I tell them this often: I wish I would’ve known what those two know, they are so good. Not the aspect of Xs and Os, it’s dealing with all they deal with. There’s so many things a coach is responsible for now.” That includes managing the hoopla around a brotherly rivalry renewed that also includes a number of reunions among former Ravens now with the Chargers. “I’m sure he doesn’t want to make it about him,” Jim said this week. ”I don’t want to make it about me. It is what it is. Big game, for sure. Two teams having at it.” John, of course, views it similarly. “It’s a tough matchup,” he said Thursday. “It’s a very good football team we’re playing this week. [The Chargers are] highly ranked in pretty much every area. [They’re] a winning football team, very physical, very tough [and an] extremely well-coached football team — no question about it. [Jim Harbaugh] is one of the best coaches of this generation, no question — I believe that. Even if he weren’t my brother, I would say the same thing. We have our work cut out for us.” But will there be a moment when the two coaches step back from that intensity to appreciate the uniqueness of the moment? Don’t count on it. “I’m sure we’ll talk before the game, chit chat before the game, and it’ll be different because it’s my brother than it is with other coaches, and it’ll be great,” John said. “We had that moment before the Thanksgiving game [in 2011], we talked before the Super Bowl [the] same way. I don’t think it’s different in that sense. It’s really cool, but even when you’re talking, your thoughts are on the game and on the teams.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens reportedly interested in former Giants QB Daniel Jones Baltimore Ravens | For Ravens, facing Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers will be ‘like playing the L.A. Ravens’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith questionable to play vs. Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens waive S Eddie Jackson amid latest turmoil for secondary Baltimore Ravens | Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum, WR Rashod Bateman pop up on injury report Instead, they’ll leave that to the man who will be watching from afar. After all, who knows how many more times Jack will get to see his sons stand across from each other doing what no other brothers have yet to do? “The moments are fleeting,” Jack said. “We were at the Thursday night [Ravens vs.] Bengals game a couple weeks ago when they were down and came back and won. I went to the locker room and they were celebrating and excited and I wake up the next morning and John is already gone. He left for the office at 5:30 in the morning. “It’s about an eight-hour deal. It reflects life so much — you can’t spend too long patting yourself on the back, and you can’t spend too long lamenting feeling sorry for yourself. It’s not a quality you want in this business and in life.” After all, after a dozen-year gap, it’s time to find out who’s got it better between John and Jim Harbaugh. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens could be targeting an upgrade at backup quarterback. Baltimore is one of several teams interested in signing former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones, according to multiple reports. The 27-year-old veteran is expected to become a free agent once he clears waivers Monday afternoon. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Ravens and Minnesota Vikings are two of the likeliest teams to land Jones, who reportedly wants to sign with a playoff contender. The Ravens, who are 7-4 and in second place in the AFC North, have a 97.4% chance to make the playoffs and a 18.7% chance to make the Super Bowl, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index. Other possible options for Jones include the San Francisco 49ers, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders. Jones was benched by the Giants for third-string quarterback Tommy DeVito before being released Friday in a “mutually agreed” move to allow him to join another team before the end of the season, according to team owner John Mara. The 2019 first-round draft pick signed a four-year, $160 million contract in March 2023, but New York cut ties in part to avoid a $23 million injury guarantee if Jones did not pass a physical this upcoming offseason. While the Ravens have two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson at quarterback, the options behind him are thin. The backup is 38-year-old journeyman Josh Johnson, who has not started a game since filling in for an injured Jackson in a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021. Devin Leary, a rookie sixth-round draft pick who struggled in the preseason, is on the practice squad. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith questionable to play vs. Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens waive S Eddie Jackson amid latest turmoil for secondary Baltimore Ravens | Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum, WR Rashod Bateman pop up on injury report Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers staff picks: Who will win Monday’s game in Los Angeles? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson reflects on time with former OC Greg Roman Jones could join the practice squad, which means a team would not have to cut a player on its 53-man roster to sign him. For the Ravens, there’s also the appeal of a potential extra draft pick because Jones will count toward the compensatory free agent formula this offseason. Although Jones had a rocky start to his career after being the surprising No. 6 overall pick in the 2019 draft, he enjoyed a bounce-back year in 2022 with coach Brian Daboll, leading the Giants to a playoff berth and a wild-card-round win over the Vikings. But after signing the extension, he struggled amid New York’s 1-4 start to the 2023 season, missed three games with a neck injury and then tore the ACL in his right knee in a Week 9 game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Giants entered this season with playoff expectations but have cratered to 2-8, tied for the league’s worst record. Jones has completed 63.3% of his passes for 2,070 yards with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions while rushing for 265 yards and two scores, ranking 26th in QBR and 28th in expected points added per play. For his career, Jones is 24-44-1 as the starter while passing for 14,582 yards with 70 touchdowns and 47 interceptions. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Football is a sport bound together and upheld by family trees. In rare cases — the Shanahans, the Harbaughs — these trees are rooted in biology. More often, they grow from coaching relationships — a shared mentor, long years spent side by side on the same staff, belief in the same tactics and philosophies. And then we get a game such as Monday night’s showdown between the Ravens and the Los Angeles Chargers, which will bring two branches of the same tree into sharp conflict. The headlines begin with the brothers atop these two AFC contenders. John and Jim Harbaugh have not coached against one another since Super Bowl 47, 12 years ago. With Jim in the college ranks and John still in the NFL, it was easy for them to maintain a mutual support network, even shipping developing coaches back and forth from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Baltimore. Now, the brothers are back to chasing the same prize, and a passel of those coaches, executives and players who cut their teeth with the Ravens will be on the other side. It’s an important game for the Ravens as they try to bounce back from an error-filled loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and maintain a foothold in the AFC North race. To win it, they’ll have to overcome the one opponent most built in their image. “We’ve been joking that it’s going to be like playing the L.A. Ravens,” fullback Pat Ricard said. A not-so-quick rundown of the Chargers’ Baltimore connections: • General manager Joe Hortiz spent the first 25 years of his career with the Ravens, learning how to build a roster first from Ozzie Newsome and then from Eric DeCosta. • Offensive coordinator Greg Roman held the same position with the Ravens from 2019 to 2022, laying the framework for Lamar Jackson’s first NFL Most Valuable Player season. • Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter coached on the Ravens’ staff from 2017 to 2020, right beside his Baltimore counterpart, Zach Orr. • No. 1 and No. 2 running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards held the same positions on the Ravens as recently as the beginning of last season. • Reserve tight end Hayden Hurst was the Ravens’ first first-round draft pick in 2018, the year they traded into the last spot of that round to select Jackson. Starting center Bradley Bozeman was Baltimore’s sixth-round pick the same year. The ties that bind indeed. Running back J.K. Dobbins, right, is one of several Chargers executives, coaches and players with ties to the Ravens. (Ashley Landis/AP) There are tactical concerns at play with such familiarity. We’ll get to those. But Mark Andrews, who became a star in Roman’s tight end-friendly offense, pointed out that Monday night’s game will also be an unusual chance to celebrate the NFL roots reaching out from Baltimore. “I think it’s definitely a unique thing,” Andrews said. “I think it’s a tribute to the culture that we have here and just the type of organization that we have. We’ve had a bunch of incredible players and people and personnel that [are] on [the Chargers] and are doing great things. So it’s cool.” The Chargers (7-3) freely acknowledge the Baltimore influence on their franchise as they reset from a dispiriting 5-12 season under previous coach Brandon Staley. “Down throughout the roster, it’s kind of what we’re driving for,” Jim Harbaugh told the “Rich Eisen Show.” “When you watch the Ravens or watch our team, we hope to be looking in the mirror. That’s how much respect we have for the Baltimore Ravens.” John Harbaugh said he already sees his brother’s touch, and by extension those of all those other Ravens, in everything the Chargers do. “The culture, the way things are done, how they play, the schemes are very similar,” he said. “Not exactly the same but in a lot of ways, mirror images. With that, it’s two different football teams. It’s two teams squaring off in a really important game. That’s really what it’s going to be about, the guys out there playing the game.” So, is it harder to trick your mirror image when constructing a game plan? Players and coaches usually downplay the impact of having a former colleague embedded with a rival. In this case, however, several Chargers were intimately involved in designing the Ravens’ roster and strategy. Minter is four years and two defensive coordinators removed from his time in Baltimore. But Roman worked closely with Jackson and many other key offensive players, and Hortiz scouted most of the Ravens’ roster. Dobbins and Edwards played in coordinator Todd Monken’s offense a year ago. John Harbaugh said he couldn’t remember a game in which he faced two coordinators who’d worked for him. “It’s different than other games, sure,” he said. “We know the schemes pretty much. But there will be wrinkles. It’s the old ‘they know what we know that we know that they know that we know that they know what we know.’ With that, there will be wrinkles. But it’s going to come down, in the end, to the players. All the scheme stuff is important, but most important is really how the game is played.” The Ravens don’t seem concerned about the Chargers having inside knowledge of their playbook. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith questionable to play vs. Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens waive S Eddie Jackson amid latest turmoil for secondary Baltimore Ravens | Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum, WR Rashod Bateman pop up on injury report Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers staff picks: Who will win Monday’s game in Los Angeles? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson reflects on time with former OC Greg Roman “Teams see everything we do on film anyway,” Ricard said. “The thing they know is us personally.” For all the acclaim around quarterback Justin Herbert’s efficient performance in Jim Harbaugh and Roman’s system, Minter’s defense has been the unexpected star, going from 24th in points allowed last season to first this season. The Chargers are doing it without a signature element. They deceive with ever-changing coverages, get to the quarterback without relying on all-out blitzes and take the ball away, much like the Ravens did last year. On offense, Roman can’t use all the run designs he developed for Jackson, but Ravens defenders see plenty that’s familiar when they peruse Chargers film. “It’s two like-minded teams,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. “It is somewhat similar. You don’t have the same people. You don’t have Lamar. … It’s hard-nosed football. You know where the ball’s going. You know what’s going to happen. It’s can you stop it or not? There’s some beauty in that.” Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Thursday that he wouldn’t rule out inside linebacker and leading tackler Roquan Smith for Monday night’s game against the host Los Angeles Chargers “by any stretch.” Two days later, that remained the case. Smith, who suffered a hamstring injury in last week’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and hasn’t practiced all week, is listed as questionable for the critical AFC showdown. Smith leads Baltimore (7-4) in tackles (110) while contributing an interception, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. The two-time All Pro has also been incredibly durable, having not missed a regular-season game because of injury since 2019, his second year in the league with the Chicago Bears. If he can’t play, the Ravens’ options are less than ideal, particularly with a defense that has struggled in the middle of the field. Baltimore could shift linebacker Malik Harrison to more of an inside role to fill in for Smith. They also have Chris Board, who plays primarily on special teams, and Kristian Welch, whom they signed to the 53-man roster after waiving struggling safety Eddie Jackson on Saturday. Or the Ravens could deploy a dime linebacker look, though that would make them more vulnerable against the run against an offense led by former Baltimore coordinator Greg Roman and running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. “If ‘Ro’ can’t go, it’ll be linebacker by committee, depending on what we want to run and what they want to run, as well,” defensive coordinator Zach Orr said Friday. “You’ll see a mixture of guys in there.” The only players the Ravens will definitely be without are cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf) and rookie safety Sanoussi Kane (ankle). Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens waive S Eddie Jackson amid latest turmoil for secondary Baltimore Ravens | Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum, WR Rashod Bateman pop up on injury report Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers staff picks: Who will win Monday’s game in Los Angeles? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson reflects on time with former OC Greg Roman Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith misses practice Thursday but could play vs. Chargers Defensive tackle Travis Jones (ankle) is listed as questionable after being limited during Saturday’s walk-through practice. Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum (back) was also limited and is questionable. The Chargers (7-3), meanwhile, will be without former Ravens tight end Hayden Hurst (hip) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin), who ranks third on the team with 54 tackles. Outside linebacker Khalil Mack (groin), wide receiver Ladd McConkey (shoulder), outside linebacker Bud Dupree (foot), safety AJ Finley (ankle) and cornerback Cam Hart (concussion/ankle) are all questionable. The 33-year-old Mack, who has 4 1/2 sacks in a resurgent season, missed last week’s game. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Eddie Jackson’s Ravens career didn’t last long. The Ravens waived the veteran safety Saturday, less than a week after he didn’t make the trip to Pittsburgh for Sunday’s game against the Steelers. Coach John Harbaugh declined to say why Jackson did not travel with the team. “I really don’t have anything to say about those personnel decisions that get made, or why they get made,” he said. “Some of those things are just in-house conversations that we have, and it stops there.” Jackson participated in practice Friday in Owings Mills but a day later was cut loose before the team traveled to Los Angeles for Monday night’s game against the Chargers. Baltimore signed the 30-year-old former All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl selection to a one-year, $1.5 million contract in July as a replacement for Geno Stone, who signed with the Cincinnati Bengals in the offseason. But Jackson’s play was underwhelming from the start and he seemed to get worse as the season wore on. Jackson had 30 tackles in eight games for the Ravens but struggled mightily against the pass. He allowed a passer rating of 144.9 in coverage and surrendered 15.6 yards per catch, per Pro Football Focus, which has him ranked 83rd out of 89 safeties. He also had just one pass breakup. One of Jackson’s worst games came in Week 7 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Ravens won, 41-31, but Jackson allowed four catches on five targets for 75 yards. A week later was even worse. Starting over a likewise struggling Marcus Williams, he was burned for six catches on 10 targets for 79 yards and two touchdowns and dropped two would-be interceptions in the Ravens’ 29-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith questionable to play vs. Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens C Tyler Linderbaum, WR Rashod Bateman pop up on injury report Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers staff picks: Who will win Monday’s game in Los Angeles? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson reflects on time with former OC Greg Roman Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith misses practice Thursday but could play vs. Chargers Jackson was a healthy scratch the following week in Baltimore’s win over the Denver Broncos, then played just 16 snaps in a Thursday night win over the Bengals four days later in what turned out to be his final game in Baltimore. His departure is only the latest in a series of moves for what has been the NFL’s worst pass defense. Baltimore has also flip-flopped between Williams and Ar’Darius Washington at safety alongside All-Pro Kyle Hamilton. Washington will be the starter going forward, Harbaugh said. In a corresponding move to Jackson being waived, the Ravens signed inside linebacker Kristian Welch from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Welch has played the past two weeks on special teams but could see an increased role if Roquan Smith (hamstring) is ruled out against the Chargers. Smith is questionable after missing practice all week. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman and Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum popped up on the team’s penultimate injury report after missing practice Friday in Owings Mills three days ahead of a crucial Monday night showdown against the host Los Angeles Chargers. Bateman, who is second on the team in catches (33) and receiving yards (531) this season, is listed with a knee injury, though he was in good spirits and did not appear to be in pain in the locker room after the snowy session. Linderbaum, meanwhile, missed practice with a back injury, and his backup, rookie Nick Samac (chest), was limited. On the flip side, running back Justice Hill (concussion protocol) and wide receiver Nelson Agholor (illness) were both full participants after Hill was limited a day earlier and Agholor was out sick. The biggest concern for Baltimore (7-4) ahead of its showdown with the Chargers (7-3) remains the status of All-Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith, who did not practice for a third straight day because of a hamstring injury he suffered in Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. “It will be a challenge if Roquan can’t go,” defensive coordinator Zach Orr said Friday, adding that Smith’s role will be filled by a committee of Trenton Simpson, Malik Harrison and Chris Board if he doesn’t play. “Not one person is going to replace Roquan. Roquan’s an every-down linebacker [and] a top linebacker in this league [and] All-Pro for a reason. Not one guy’s going to replace him. We like our guys that we have in the room — they’re here for a reason, and somebody [has] to step up.” There were no changes to the rest of the Ravens’ injury report, with safety Kyle Hamilton (neck) and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (neck) both full participants for a second straight day and defensive tackle Travis Jones (ankle), rookie safety Sanoussi Kane (ankle) and cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf) all not practicing again. The Chargers, on the other hand, appear to be getting healthier with a few key players back on the field. Notably, outside linebackers Khalil Mack (groin) and Joey Bosa (hip), rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey (shoulder), tight end Hayden Hurst (hip) and rookie cornerback Cam Hart (concussion/ankle) all practiced Friday. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers staff picks: Who will win Monday’s game in Los Angeles? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson reflects on time with former OC Greg Roman Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith misses practice Thursday but could play vs. Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers scouting report for Week 12: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers Week 12 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Mack, who is third on the team with 4 1/2 sacks and hasn’t played since injuring his groin three weeks ago in a win over the Cleveland Browns, practiced for a second straight day, though he was limited again. Bosa, outside linebacker Bud Dupree (foot), safety Derwin James Jr. (groin) and offensive tackle Trey Pipkins III (ankle) were also limited. Mack’s return would be an added boost to a defense that already leads the NFL in points allowed per game (14.5) and is tied for the fourth-most sacks with 34. Meanwhile, McConkey, who leads Los Angeles in catches (43) and receiving yards (615) to go with four touchdowns, was limited after not practicing Thursday, as were Hurst, a 2018 Ravens first-round draft pick, and Hart, a Baltimore native. Linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) did not practice, nor did former Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins, who was given a rest day. With the game Monday night, the final injury report with game statuses will come out Saturday. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Monday’s Week 12 game between the Ravens (7-4) and Chargers (7-3) at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles: Brian Wacker, reporter Ravens 30, Chargers 20: As bad as Lamar Jackson was last week in an ugly 18-16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s unlikely he’ll struggle the same way against the Chargers. Jackson is 19-5 as a starter in prime-time games, which includes an 11-1 mark in his past 12, and L.A.’s defense has benefitted from a fairly easy schedule. I also suspect Derrick Henry will get more than the 13 carries he had last week. The biggest concern for Baltimore, of course, is its defense, particularly if Roquan Smith (hamstring) is out. That could spark a big day for former Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins and tight end Will Dissly, who had four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown in last week’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Still, Baltimore’s offense hasn’t had two bad games in a row and I don’t expect that to change here as coach John Harbaugh improves his record to 3-0 against younger brother Jim. Childs Walker, reporter Ravens 31, Chargers 23: The Chargers are a balanced team capable of winning ugly. The Steelers just used that formula to beat the Ravens. Unlike Pittsburgh’s Russell Wilson, Justin Herbert will attack in the middle of the field, where the Baltimore defense is weakest. That said, Los Angeles has built its winning record and impressive defensive statistics against opponents that can’t touch the Ravens’ firepower. Cincinnati scored in bunches against the Chargers and that was without a notable running attack. If the Ravens get ahead early, Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will control this one. Mike Preston, columnist Ravens 30, Chargers 23: The Ravens lost a tough one to Pittsburgh last week, but they earned it by losing two fumbles and throwing an interception. Quarterback Lamar Jackson played his worst game of the season and consistently missed open receivers, especially in the first half. The Chargers’ defense has gotten better every game, but the Ravens will rebound with a stellar offensive effort. On defense, the Ravens will be challenged because Los Angeles has a good quarterback in Justin Herbert, but the Chargers lack a quality receiver who can challenge the Ravens downfield even though Baltimore still has one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. C.J. Doon, editor Ravens 27, Chargers 20: If you were building a team to defeat the Ravens, it would closely resemble the Chargers. Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack can rush the passer and set hard edges. Poona Ford can hold up in the middle. Kristian Fulton, Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still can play sticky coverage. Daiyan Henley, Derwin James Jr. and Elijah Molden can tackle in space. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will not have an easy time against Jesse Minter’s defense. On the other side of the ball, L.A. has one of the league’s best quarterbacks in Justin Herbert who has taken a big step forward this season by playing much more aggressively. He’s capable of torching the Ravens’ secondary … if he had a better group of receivers. Even if rookie Ladd McConkey does play, the Ravens’ have the clear edge in offensive talent. It should be enough to win, but Baltimore needs to play a clean game to keep its offense on schedule and avoid giving the Chargers extra possessions. Tim Schwartz, editor Ravens 35, Chargers 24: The NFL’s second-highest scoring team meets the league’s stingiest defense in terms of points allowed. But before we go too much further, it’s worth noting that the Chargers have feasted on terrible teams for much of this season. Their four-game winning streak features victories over the Saints, Browns, Titans and Bengals. In their three losses, they’ve scored 10 points in two and 15 in the other. For all the talk about the Chargers’ offense, Justin Herbert and coordinator Greg Roman, they average just 22 points per game, fewer than the Steelers and middle of the pack in the NFL, and have scored more than 30 points just once — last weekend against the Bengals. It will take more than 30 points to beat the Ravens on Monday night, and nobody is more familiar with the Chargers’ scheme and personnel than John Harbaugh. They don’t call ’em the L.A. Ravens for nothing. Bennett Conlin, editor Ravens 31, Chargers 24: The Ravens have stumbled twice this season against awful teams, losing to the Browns and Raiders. The Chargers have done the opposite in their march to a 7-3 record, going 6-0 against opponents with losing records. While Los Angeles thrives on beating up bad teams, the Ravens dominated the Bills and Broncos and controlled their win over the Commanders. Even in close losses to the Chiefs and Steelers, John Harbaugh’s team showed it’s more capable of beating playoff-caliber opponents than Jim Harbaugh’s group. It’s hard to pick against Lamar Jackson in prime time. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13. View the full article

Monday night’s Ravens-Chargers game in Los Angeles will of course pit Baltimore coach John Harbaugh against his younger brother Jim in the third edition of a “Harbowl” and the first meeting since the Ravens’ Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers in February 2013. But there will also be another intriguing reunion of sorts at SoFi Stadium. It will mark the first time that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and former Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman will be on the field together since the latter’s departure from Charm City a little under two years ago. When Jackson was asked Thursday how he looks back at his time with Roman, his reaction was curious. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player turned and looked straight ahead, paused for a handful of seconds and bobbed his head back and forth. “It was good,” Jackson finally said. “I mean, we had a lot of success. I won my first MVP with G-Ro’s system. We had a lot of great seasons.” In 2019, his first year as Baltimore’s full-time starter and just his second in the league, the Ravens went 14-2 during the regular season. Under Roman, Jackson led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes, threw for 3,127 yards and set the single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,206. That led to Jackson becoming just the second unanimous NFL MVP, joining Tom Brady. But the top-seeded Ravens stunningly lost to the Tennessee Titans, 28-12, in the divisional round, and the honeymoon didn’t last. Baltimore announced Roman’s resignation in January 2023 after a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the wild-card round of the playoffs, a game that Jackson missed because of a knee injury he suffered in Week 13 of the regular season. While Roman’s scheme unleashed Jackson as the game’s most potent player, critics believed the passing attack was lacking. In his first season under coordinator Todd Monken, Jackson won his second MVP Award after setting career highs in passing yards (3,678) and completion percentage (.672) and the Ravens reached the AFC championship game. Roman, meanwhile, spent the year out of pro football before being hired by Jim Harbaugh this past February shortly after the former quarterback led his alma mater Michigan to the national championship. Roman’s results in Los Angeles so far have been mixed. The Chargers (7-3) rank 18th in points per game (22) and yards per game (326.4), though they are 12th in rushing yards per game (121.6). They have also won four games in a row and five of their past six. The Ravens (7-4) have been more streaky, though Monken’s offense ranks first in yards per game (430.1) and second in scoring (30.4) with Jackson once again putting up MVP-worthy numbers. After an 0-2 start to the season, Baltimore won five in a row before splitting its next four, which included a sloppy, mistake-filled loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. In that 18-16 defeat, Jackson was held to just 207 passing yards and a 48.5% completion rate, easily his lowest mark of the season. Now comes a Chargers defense that ranks first in points per game (14.5). Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens LB Roquan Smith misses practice Thursday but could play vs. Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers scouting report for Week 12: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers Week 12 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Were the Ravens bullied by the Steelers? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Former Raven Terrell Suggs’ trial in Arizona postponed amid potential plea negotiations “We’re not doing a good job of being consistent,” Jackson said. “We having our moments where, go into the game scoring first drive. Then there’s been a couple weeks we haven’t been scoring first drive and it’s been taking us a little while to get our groove. We gotta work on that.” It starts with the details, Jackson said. “Just being locked in on practice, every little detail, the smallest details, things from the game that we probably made a mistake on, cleaning that up. Small things like that and I feel like we’ll be on our way to being consistent.” And as for that time with Roman? Said Jackson: “I believe it was just short, that’s all.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Thursday that middle linebacker Roquan Smith, who is dealing with a hamstring injury he suffered Sunday in Pittsburgh, is “not ruled out by any stretch” for Monday night’s prime-time matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Smith hasn’t practiced this week and was absent again Thursday but is “working hard to get healthy,” Harbaugh said. The Ravens have an extra day of practice this week because they play on “Monday Night Football.” Whether Baltimore’s leading tackler returns Friday could be more telling about his status for Week 12. Should Smith miss Monday’s game, safety Kyle Hamilton would likely wear the green dot, which signifies who relays the defensive play calls, in his place. “I’ve had it in my helmet pretty much every day in practice for the past 12 weeks,” Hamilton said, insinuating he’d be comfortable with that role. “They never told me I had the mic in my helmet until Day 1 of practice and I was hearing [defensive coordinator Zach Orr] in my ear.” Defensive lineman Travis Jones (ankle) was another notable absence from the first full practice of the week. He was a limited participant last week, then appeared to shuffle in and out of Sunday’s game with a noticeable limp. His status for Monday has not yet been determined. Wide receiver Nelson Agholor didn’t practice because of illness. Running back Justice Hill, who was seen wearing a red noncontact jersey and Guardian cap during the open portion of practice, was limited as he works through concussion protocol. Neither cornerback Arthur Maulet (calf) nor safety Sanoussi Kane (ankle) practiced Thursday. Maulet, who did not play in Pittsburgh, was out of the boot he wore last week. Kane, a rookie primarily playing on special teams, left Sunday’s game early and did not return. Hamilton and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh were listed with neck injuries but practiced fully. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson reflects on time with former OC Greg Roman Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers scouting report for Week 12: Who has the edge? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers Week 12 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Were the Ravens bullied by the Steelers? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Former Raven Terrell Suggs’ trial in Arizona postponed amid potential plea negotiations The team on the other side of the “Harbowl” included a few notable names on their injury report, too. Chargers outside linebacker and four-time Pro Bowl selection Joey Bosa was limited with a hip injury, but he hasn’t missed a game. Outside linebacker Khalil Mack (groin) did not play Sunday night against the Bengals but was limited Thursday, which could signify he’s nearing a return. The Chargers’ report is an estimation because they did not practice. Both wide receiver Ladd McConkey (shoulder) and cornerback Cam Hart (concussion/ankle) missed practice, as did safety AJ Finley (ankle) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin). Outside linebacker Bud Dupree (foot), safety Derwin James Jr. (groin) and tackle Trey Pipkins III (ankle) were listed as limited participants on Los Angeles’ first injury report of the week. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

The Ravens made too many mistakes in losing to the Steelers, 18-16. The Chargers survived a furious comeback to beat the Bengals, 34-27. Who will have the edge when these AFC playoff contenders meet on “Monday Night Football”? Ravens passing game vs. Chargers pass defense Lamar Jackson had his worst game of the season against the Steelers, completing just 16 of 33 passes for 207 yards. Pittsburgh did a good job pressuring him without sacrificing containment and stuck to his receivers when he scrambled. Jackson still leads the league in passer rating, and the Ravens remain No. 1 in passing DVOA. The interception Jackson threw against the Steelers was a perfect strike that was snatched away from Justice Hill. His two favorite targets, wide receiver Zay Flowers and tight end Mark Andrews, combined for just four catches and 61 yards in the loss. Jackson’s pass protection wasn’t terrible, but the Ravens’ offensive line committed five penalties. Coach John Harbaugh pointed to those setbacks as the major reason his offense could not achieve its usual flow. Jackson will face another very good pass defense Monday night. The Chargers allow just 5.5 yards per attempt, rank second in third-down efficiency and preventing touchdowns in the red zone and hold a 13-5 turnover advantage over their opponents. Coordinator (and former Ravens assistant coach) Jesse Minter does it while blitzing on just 22.9% of dropbacks. Minter has two proven stars on the edges in Joey Bosa and the ageless Khalil Mack; second-year outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu has outproduced them both with seven sacks and 12 quarterback hits. Mack missed the Bengals game with a groin injury, so his status will be something to watch over the next few days. Defensive tackle Poona Ford will push Jackson’s pocket from the interior. In the secondary, safety Derwin James Jr. isn’t playing at his former Pro Bowl level but still has five passes defended. Cornerback Kristian Fulton is playing well. His partner, Cam Hart, had to leave last Sunday’s game with a head injury. This is a well-balanced defense that won’t give Jackson a ton of easy reads, but the Bengals’ Joe Burrow (356 yards, three touchdowns) showed an elite quarterback can do damage against it. EDGE: Ravens Chargers passing game vs. Ravens pass defense Quarterback Justin Herbert is off to the most efficient start of his career, averaging 7.9 yards per attempt with 13 touchdown passes and just one interception. He didn’t use his powerful arm enough in the past but is throwing downfield about as much as Jackson this year. Coordinator Greg Roman’s offense actually ranks higher in pass efficiency than run efficiency and will attack the soft middle of the Ravens’ defense with rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey (43 catches, 615 yards, four touchdowns) and tight end Will Dissly. Quentin Johnston (16.1 yards per catch, six touchdowns) is Herbert’s top vertical threat, and the 2023 first-round pick has taken a significant step forward after a disappointing rookie season. It will be interesting to see if the Ravens give more of cornerback Brandon Stephens’ snaps to trade deadline acquisition Tre’Davious White, who did a good job against Pittsburgh’s best downfield threat, George Pickens. Baltimore’s league-worst pass defense played one of its best games of the season against the Steelers, aided by White and Ar’Darius Washington, who replaced Marcus Williams as a starting safety. Harbaugh said Washington and Kyle Hamilton will continue to be responsible for the back end going forward. The Ravens might also go with four cornerbacks more routinely as they look to get their best coverage units on the field. Linebacker Roquan Smith is dealing with a hamstring injury. Though Smith hasn’t played consistently well in coverage, his potential absence could leave a heavy burden for second-year starter Trenton Simpson and Malik Harrison. The Ravens’ pass rush has picked up its production over the past two weeks, and they’ll need more of the same against the Chargers, who feature a pair of very good tackles in Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. Herbert will hold the ball as he surveys downfield, and he’s taken 23 sacks in 10 games. That could translate to happy hunting for outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and Kyle Van Noy and defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. The Ravens hope defensive tackle Travis Jones will provide push from the interior as he continues to manage an ankle injury. EDGE: Chargers Ravens running game vs. Chargers run defense The Ravens still lead the league in rushing and yards per attempt, but their pace has slowed considerably over the past month. Derrick Henry carried just 13 times for 65 yards in Pittsburgh, fading from the game plan as the Ravens played from behind in the second half. Jackson was efficient with 46 yards on four carries but opted against taking off several times when he appeared to have plenty of room. He has not hit double-figure carries since the Ravens’ Oct. 13 win over the Washington Commanders. This could be a week for the Ravens to grind out a win on the ground because the Chargers have allowed 4.7 yards per carry, 23rd in the league, against a schedule packed with mediocre running attacks. Ford is tough inside. Bosa and Mack set sturdy edges. But linebackers Daiyan Henley and Denzel Perryman (dealing with a groin injury) are nothing special. EDGE: Ravens Ravens running back Derrick Henry was used sparingly in last week’s loss to the Steelers, but he was productive on his limited touches. (AP Photo/Matt Freed) Chargers running game vs. Ravens run defense The Ravens will see a pair of familiar faces in running backs J.K. Dobbins (726 yards, 4.8 per carry) and Gus Edwards (3.6 yards per carry). When Roman goes to a new team, it usually becomes an immediate running juggernaut, but that hasn’t been the case in Los Angeles, where the Chargers rank just 20th in the league at 4.2 yards per carry. They rank 10th in attempts, so they’ll at least try to keep the Ravens’ defense honest. The 6-foot-6, 236-pound Herbert is also a threat on scrambles as he showed with 65 yards on five carries against the Bengals. The Ravens have allowed just 3.4 yards per carry, best in the league, and rank second in total run defense. Smith and Jones are two of their most important run defenders, and their injuries could leave voids, though Simpson and Harrison are solid at linebacker. Hamilton’s role will be something to watch. The Ravens used him as a deep safety more than usual against the Steelers, but he’s also perhaps their best run defender. EDGE: Ravens Ravens special teams vs. Chargers special teams Justin Tucker missed two more field goal attempts, from 47 and 50 yards, against the Steelers, though he bounced back to hit from 54 yards in the third quarter. His 72.7% success rate would be the worst of his career by almost 10 percentage points. Largely because of Tucker’s woes, the Ravens rank 21st in special teams DVOA. The Chargers rank 17th in DVOA. Kicker Cameron Dicker has made 21 of 23 field goal attempts, including five of six from 50 yards or beyond. Derius Davis has averaged an impressive 14.3 yards on punt returns. Los Angeles is weakest on kickoff and punt coverage. EDGE: Chargers Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens vs. Chargers Week 12 betting guide: Picks, predictions and odds Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Were the Ravens bullied by the Steelers? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Former Raven Terrell Suggs’ trial in Arizona postponed amid potential plea negotiations Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ path to Super Bowl complicated after loss to Steelers Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda among Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists Ravens intangibles vs. Chargers intangibles This might be the most fascinating game of the year in this category and not just because the head coaches are brothers. The Chargers’ offensive and defensive coordinators worked for the Ravens. Their offense is full of former Ravens. Jim Harbaugh has quickly built a winning culture in his return to the NFL, getting the most of Herbert and elevating a defense that ranked 24th in points allowed last season. The Chargers (3-2 at home) haven’t played a tough schedule, but they don’t beat themselves and believe in where they’re headed. The Ravens, meanwhile, are coming off one of their most disappointing performances of the year. Fans aren’t happy that John Harbaugh’s team added to its league-high penalty count and stumbled through a failed 2-point attempt that could have sent the game to overtime. Harbaugh hasn’t coached against his younger brother in 12 years and won the Super Bowl the last time he did. He has certainly never coached tentatively when the NFL world turns its eyes to this fraternal matchup. The Ravens will benefit from an extra day of rest as they recover from their brutal battle against the Steelers and travel west. They need to win to stay within shouting distance of Pittsburgh in the AFC North, so they’ll have plenty of incentive. EDGE: Even Prediction The Chargers are a balanced team capable of winning ugly. The Steelers just used that formula to beat the Ravens. Unlike Pittsburgh’s Russell Wilson, Herbert will attack in the middle of the field, where the Baltimore defense is weakest. That said, Los Angeles has built its winning record and impressive defensive statistics against opponents that can’t touch the Ravens’ firepower. Cincinnati scored in bunches against the Chargers and that was without a notable running attack. If the Ravens get ahead early, Jackson and Henry will control this one. Ravens 31, Chargers 23 Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

All eyes will be on Los Angeles when two of the NFL’s best quarterbacks — Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert — square off on “Monday Night Football.” The clash of AFC contenders in prime time is an intriguing matchup on its own, but the additional storyline of John Harbaugh coaching against his brother, Jim, for the first time since a 2012 Super Bowl showdown surely has ESPN executives excited. Familial storylines might partially cloak the importance of the game for both sides, at least in national media discussions. For Baltimore, the Ravens could use a win to stay in the AFC North race and not lose potential playoff-seeding ground to teams like the Chiefs and Bills. The Ravens’ current projected Super Bowl path would include road games with Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Kansas City. For the Chargers, a win would validate the team’s early success in Year 1 of Jim Harbaugh’s tenure. They’ve dominated lesser competition but looked slower against the NFL’s elite. Are the Chargers a Super Bowl threat or just a solid team destined for a quick postseason exit? We’ll learn more about the eventual answer to that question Monday. “It’s another opportunity to go play football and to show the world what we’re able to do,” Herbert said this week. What are the odds? Much like the spread of the Ravens-49ers Super Bowl clash in the 2012 season between the Harbaugh brothers, the betting spread separates the teams by a field goal. The underdog Ravens won that matchup, but this time around it’s John Harbaugh’s team that’s favored. Spread: Ravens -3 (FanDuel) Total: 50.5 points Moneyline: Ravens -152, Chargers +128 On the season, the Chargers are 7-2-1 against the spread, one of the best records in the NFL. Jim Harbaugh isn’t content with his team’s overall record, though, citing what his former college coaches used to tell him about handling success at this week’s media availability. “When people are giving you accolades and compliments and telling you you’ve arrived, kick them in the shins,” Jim Harbaugh said. “You kick them right in the shins. That’s what you do.” The Ravens are 5-5-1 against the spread. Baltimore games have often gone over the projected point total — that’s what happens when a team has a Most Valuable Player candidate at quarterback coupled with a porous secondary — while the Chargers live in low-scoring games. Nine of Baltimore’s 11 games have resulted in over bets winning, but just three of Los Angeles’ 10 games went over the total. Chargers struggle against top competition The Chargers have dominated lesser competition this season, going 6-0 against teams .500 or below and just 1-3 against opponents with winning records. The Chiefs beat the Chargers, 17-10, despite spotting Los Angeles a 10-0 first-quarter lead. Pittsburgh also trailed Los Angeles, 10-7, at halftime before scoring the final 13 points of the game. Baltimore ranks second in the NFL in DVOA and ESPN’s Football Power Index. Advanced metrics love the Ravens, suggesting they’re the AFC’s top team despite sitting at 7-4 on the season. Only the Detroit Lions rank higher in DVOA and FPI. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens mailbag: Were the Ravens bullied by the Steelers? | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Former Raven Terrell Suggs’ trial in Arizona postponed amid potential plea negotiations Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ path to Super Bowl complicated after loss to Steelers Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda among Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Ray Lewis reportedly emerges as college coaching candidate While the Ravens have inexplicable defeats to the Raiders and Browns, they’ve looked good when playing the best teams in the NFL. Baltimore beat the Bills, 35-10, and owns a 31-point win over the Broncos. The Ravens beat the Commanders by seven and suffered one-score losses to the Chiefs and Steelers in games that featured 19 combined Baltimore penalties. If Baltimore avoids mind-numbing penalties, the Ravens have a few matchup advantages that should lead to a win. Among the edges for Baltimore is the Chargers’ defense against athletic quarterbacks. Bo Nix, Kyler Murray, Will Levis and Joe Burrow all averaged over 10 yards per rush against Los Angeles, with Nix and Murray both rushing for over 60 yards on just six carries each. Jackson should find running lanes Monday, even if he only runs a handful of times. Player props for the games aren’t out as of Thursday afternoon, but it’s worth looking at Jackson’s projected rushing total and touchdown props. He hasn’t reached the end zone rushing since late September. Don’t be surprised if that changes Monday night. It’s hard to bet against Jackson in prime time. Best bet: Ravens -2.5 (DraftKings) Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston will answer fans’ questions in the middle of each week throughout the Ravens season. After an 18-16 loss to the Steelers, Baltimore (7-4) faces the Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) on “Monday Night Football” in a matchup of AFC contenders coached by Harbaugh brothers. Here’s Preston’s take on a handful of questions from readers: (Editor’s note: Questions have been edited for length and clarity.) The Ravens lead the NFL in number of penalties as well as penalty yardage by a large margin. This just costs the Ravens time and again. Doesn’t this have to be a coaching problem? And as usual, Mike Tomlin outcoaches John Harbaugh again. — Bob in North Carolina Bob, whenever a team has a high number of penalties, it goes directly back to the head coach. It shows that a team lacks discipline and direction, and Harbaugh is fully accountable. It reminds me of the days when Brian Billick was the coach, and the Ravens had similar problems. As for Tomlin outcoaching Harbaugh again, I don’t know about that one, but Tomlin has outcoached a lot of his peers. His .639 career winning percentage ranks 23rd all-time, and he’s never had a losing season. I’m amazed that since being named the Steelers’ coach on Jan. 22, 2007, at the age of 34, Tomlin has never won the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year Award. He is only the third coach hired by Pittsburgh since 1969. My question involves the personnel package that Todd Monken used for the 2-point conversion attempt in the fourth quarter of the Steelers game. If the play call was for Lamar to run left, why not have Derrick Henry and Patrick Ricard in the backfield to attract some attention and to potentially block? Also, why not have Zay Flowers running a route, since he was attracting two defenders all afternoon? Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace were on the field. Once again, it appears that our OC choked in a big game. And in my opinion, Henry and Ricard should be on the field for every 2-point conversion, regardless of the play call. It just gives the defense more to think about. — Richard Peltz Richard, I agree with almost every point you covered. Yes, Henry and Ricard should have been on the field because it at least makes the inside linebackers freeze for a second because they have to honor the run. Without those two in the game, it at least indicates the Ravens were going to either pass or come up with some type of trick play. As for Flowers, there was no cause for concern because there was very little room to run. I prefer bigger targets such as tight ends Mark Andrews or Isaiah Likely. I also would have pounded Henry more, even though the Steelers seemed to know what was coming with the Ravens tossing to Henry on the outside. I understand the logic of Monken’s call. He gave Pittsburgh a different look, which is why Tomlin called the timeout. The Ravens used a similar play with Jackson going to the short side of the field a week earlier against Cincinnati and were successful. This time it didn’t work, even though the Ravens appeared to have enough blockers. It would have helped if Agholor had gotten a better block, too, at the point of attack. I used to have an offensive line coach at Towson University named Rich Bader, and one of his favorite sayings was “sometimes you get the bear, and sometimes the bear gets you.” This time, the bear was dressed as cornerback Joey Porter Jr. He wasn’t fooled at all and took Jackson down. To me, part of the Ravens’ problem is since the Ray Lewis and Ed Reed era, they can be bullied and thrown off their game. Why won’t the leaders step up and say to just walk away and take it to them on the field? It’s tough watching the Ravens get bullied and, worse yet, not know how to respond. — Jay Parker in Salisbury I don’t think the Ravens were bullied. Regardless of whether players want to say it or not, the Steelers own the Ravens, winning eight of the past nine matchups. Rivalry? It’s not one anymore because Pittsburgh has dominated this series lately. It wasn’t like the Steelers just pushed the Ravens all over the field. Baltimore lost two fumbles and Jackson threw an interception. When a team has three turnovers and is penalized 12 times for 80 yards, it’s probably not going to win. Jackson played poorly, and the offensive line struggled as well. Defensively, the Ravens played better than in recent weeks, but that was more because of Pittsburgh’s “small ball” passing game instead of significant improvement in the secondary. There is a lot of gloom in Baltimore this week because of the loss, but I will repeat this again and again: There are no great teams in the NFL in 2024. The Ravens can be as good as any of them, but they need to get hot going into the postseason. It’s not where you start, but where you finish. The Ravens’ loss to the Steelers was disheartening, but the team’s goal of winning a Super Bowl remains attainable. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) Why are Eddie Jackson and Marcus Williams healthy scratches? What’s going on inside the Ravens? Harbaugh used to be a players’ coach, but it seems like there are personality/motivation issues going on inside the locker room. — David M. Yousem Sorry, David, but both Jackson and Williams as well as outside linebacker David Ojabo have not played well. There isn’t much else to discuss. You perform well, you play. If you don’t, you sit. It’s not hard to understand. I know the Ravens would like to maintain consistency with the starting offensive line, but with the number of penalties that Patrick Mekari has accumulated so far this season, is it time for Andrew Vorhees to be back in the lineup and Mekari return to being a backup again? — Paul in Orlando Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Former Raven Terrell Suggs’ trial in Arizona postponed amid potential plea negotiations Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ path to Super Bowl complicated after loss to Steelers Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda among Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Ray Lewis reportedly emerges as college coaching candidate Baltimore Ravens | What’s wrong with Ravens kicker Justin Tucker? Nope. The Ravens are ranked No. 1 in the NFL in total offense, averaging 430.1 yards a game. They are No. 2 in rush offense and No. 3 in pass offense while scoring 30.4 points per game, which is third best in the NFL. They also have the league’s No. 1 ranked offense in red zone efficiency. Sorry, I’m not making any changes to the offensive line, especially after Mekari played against standout tackles Cameron Heyward and Keeanu Benton. Entering Sunday, Pittsburgh was ranked No. 4 in rush defense, allowing an average of 87.1 yards per game. This makes my head hurt, but is it time for a new kicker? I wonder if Justin Tucker’s legs aren’t what they used to be and he overcompensates, thus pulling the ball? — Jim Lahman Tucker is in his 13th season, and I suspect his leg strength isn’t what it used to be. Is he overcompensating? Probably, but he has one of the better kicking coaches in the NFL in Randy Brown. The problem is that there aren’t any kickers available better than Tucker, and I’d still take him in crucial situations with the game on the line. With that said, I’d bring in another kicker to challenge him in training camp next year. Competition is a good thing. Why is Keaton Mitchell not in the running back rotation? — Rich Lee I assume he isn’t ready yet. Plus, the ACL damage in his left knee was significant last December. There is no need to rush him back, especially with Henry and Justice Hill playing so well. Have a question for Mike Preston? Email sports@baltsun.com with “Ravens mailbag” in the subject line and it could be answered in The Baltimore Sun. View the full article

Terrell Suggs’ trial in Arizona won’t be held until 2025 after the former Raven’s defense attorney asked for a delay to give Maricopa County prosecutors time to review a request that could settle the former linebacker’s criminal case, according to court records. The request for a delay came ahead of a scheduled pre-trial hearing last week in advance of Suggs’ trial date, which had been set to start Tuesday morning in Phoenix. It was also just over a week before the two-time Super Bowl champion was named a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025. The paperwork indicates that plea negotiations were likely underway. In his motion for a delay, defense attorney Craig Penrod wrote that the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office was in the midst of reviewing a “proposed deviation request” — a formal ask from the defense during pre-trial negotiations in criminal cases for prosecutors to offer a defendant more favorable terms, either through a less-harsh plea deal or by not taking certain charges to trial. Suggs’ trial on charges of disorderly conduct involving a weapon and misdemeanor intimidation had been planned for September, but was postponed until Tuesday after Penrod asked for a postponement to gather information for the request. Penrod did not return a request for comment Wednesday. The request could ultimately settle the case, Penrod wrote in his Nov. 12 motion, though lawyers “may need to participate in a settlement conference” if they can’t reach an agreement. Otherwise, Suggs’ lawyer will need additional time to prepare for trial, if one becomes necessary, he wrote. Suggs’ criminal case stems from a March incident where prosecutors allege the 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year threatened to kill a motorist and pulled out a gun after backing into the driver’s vehicle in a Starbucks drive-through in Scottsdale, Arizona, where the retired Raven lives. Suggs, 42, has said through a representative that he feared for his safety when the man in the vehicle escalated an “incident,” adding that he was simply getting coffee near his home and “not looking for any trouble.” Suggs was arrested on April 9 and released from jail the next morning. An Arizona grand jury indicted him days later, and he subsequently pleaded not guilty to both charges. Suggs, drafted out of Arizona State by Baltimore in 2003, spent 16 years with the Ravens before his final NFL season in 2019, when he played for the Arizona Cardinals and then the Kansas City Chiefs. Have a news tip? Contact Dan Belson at dbelson@baltsun.com, 443-790-4827, on X as @DanBelson_ or on Signal as @danbels.62. View the full article

For much of this season, the prevailing opinion around the NFL was that the Ravens were perhaps best suited to unseat the two-time reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. After Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore might have a much bumpier path to the promised land. As coach John Harbaugh often says, “it’s a week-to-week league.” The tide can turn quickly in a tightly contested AFC. But the 7-4 Ravens — the only current wild-card team with multiple losses to teams with losing records, two of which are now 2-8 — are now two games back of the Steelers (8-2) in the AFC North, tight-roping a sixth-place wild-card spot. If the season ended today, Baltimore would travel back to Pittsburgh for the wild-card round. Should quarterback Lamar Jackson exorcise his black-and-gold demons, the Ravens would likely fly north to face the Bills (9-2), who the Ravens beat at home in Week 4. A win there would likely mean an AFC championship game rematch in Kansas City (9-1) with a Super Bowl trip on the line. It’s a gantlet, but not unprecedented. Remember 2012? Baltimore beat the Indianapolis Colts headed by NFL Rookie of the Year runner-up Andrew Luck, albeit at home. It took a “Mile High Miracle” to get past Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos. And what closer comparison is there for a potential bout with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City than having beaten Tom Brady’s Patriots in Foxborough? The Athletic’s 2024 playoff prediction model, which factors in projected strength, current health and remaining strength of schedule, spits out a 6% chance of Jackson hoisting his first Lombardi Trophy. A possible trio of playoff road games in Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Kansas City — Harbaugh’s record in such contests is an inconclusive 6-6 since 2009 — would supplementarily require the Bills to advance past the Broncos (6-5) in the divisional round and the Chiefs, who maintain the first-round bye, to get past the winner of the Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) vs. Houston Texans (7-4). Both of those teams lead Baltimore in the standings by a hair. They’re also included in what ESPN’s Football Power Index considers the 17th easiest remaining schedule. The Athletic model pegs Baltimore to finish with 11 wins. That would mean four wins over this next stretch: Monday, Nov. 25 at Los Angeles Chargers Sunday, Dec. 1 vs. Philadelphia Eagles Sunday, Dec. 15 at New York Giants Saturday, Dec. 21 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Wednesday, Dec. 25 at Houston Texans Sunday, Jan. 5 vs. Cleveland Browns Sunday’s loss to the Steelers could prove to be no more than an anomaly. Baltimore has only beaten its biggest rival once in its past nine meetings. They’re a statistical kryptonite. But the Ravens still boast the league’s most potent offense. And despite looming injury concerns to linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) and defensive tackle Travis Jones (ankle), the defense played one of its best games of the season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Former Raven Terrell Suggs’ trial in Arizona postponed amid potential plea negotiations Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda among 25 semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Ray Lewis reportedly emerges as college coaching candidate Baltimore Ravens | What’s wrong with Ravens kicker Justin Tucker? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bolster secondary, add former All-Pro CB Desmond King to practice squad Sunday was also oddly Pittsburgh’s first divisional game of the year. Facing the 11th toughest remaining schedule, the Steelers have five of their final seven games against AFC North foes. Kansas City and Philadelphia are the other two opponents. Should the Ravens bypass Pittsburgh for the top seed in the AFC North, beating the Chargers, Texans and Steelers along the way, the entire playoff picture swiftly reshuffles. The jury doesn’t pay much mind to how the Ravens do in the regular season, anyway. They’ve been to the playoffs every year Jackson has been healthy since they drafted him in 2018. He’s a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player. Pundits, rightfully, only care about his and Baltimore’s postseason resume. “[Backup quarterback] Josh Johnson broke down practice today,” fullback Pat Ricard said Wednesday. “He said we have to attack each game here on out as if it’s a playoff game. That’s the level of focus we need to have.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Former Ravens Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda moved closer to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Both are among 25 modern-era semifinalists for the Class of 2025, the Hall of Fame announced. Suggs and Yanda have a chance to join Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Jonathan Ogden in being enshrined as first-ballot selections. Other semifinalists who also played for Baltimore include Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith Sr., Willie Anderson and Earl Thomas. Former Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata did not make the cut from last month’s list of 50 that had been whittled down from 167 initial nominees. Suggs ranks eighth all-time in sacks with 139 over 17 seasons, all but once of which he spent with the Ravens. Drafted 10th overall out of Arizona State by Baltimore in 2003, the outside linebacker was also the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 with a career-high 14 sacks and seven forced fumbles and the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003 with a dozen sacks. He was also an All-Pro in 2011, selected to seven Pro Bowls and won two Super Bowls, including one with the Ravens during the 2012 season and another with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 in the final year of his career. Suggs, 42, was arrested in Arizona earlier this year after allegedly threatening to kill another driver and pulling out a gun at a Starbucks drive-through in what was the latest incident in a long list of legal troubles, but the Hall of Fame explicitly instructs voters to consider only what players do on the field. Yanda, meanwhile, was a two-time All-Pro and selected to the Pro Bowl in eight of his nine seasons at right guard. He was also named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and like Suggs helped Baltimore to its second championship in 2012. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Ray Lewis reportedly emerges as college coaching candidate Baltimore Ravens | What’s wrong with Ravens kicker Justin Tucker? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bolster secondary, add former All-Pro CB Desmond King to practice squad Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 11: Maybe the Ravens are just undisciplined Baltimore Ravens | Coach John Harbaugh thinks Ravens might have found ‘formula’ at safety He spent his entire 13-year career with the Ravens before retiring in 2019. Smith, who was with Baltimore for his final three years in the league from 2014 to 2016, was a two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection and ranks eighth on the all-time receiving list (14,731). Boldin, who played for the Ravens from 2010 through 2012 and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection before his arrival, was also a key contributor to Baltimore’s title run and ranks 14th in the NFL in career receiving yards (13,779). The list of 25 nominees will be cut to 15 finalists later this year, with between four and eight being selected for induction into the class of 2025. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Ravens legend and Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis is being floated as a college football coaching candidate. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday morning that the 49-year-old is in the mix to be Florida Atlantic University’s next football coach. However, CBS’ Matt Zenitz reported shortly after that it’s “highly unlikely” and there has been no direct communication between Lewis and FAU, which fired coach Tom Herman on Tuesday after he went 6-16 in two seasons. Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger posted on X that folks involved with the coaching search said pretty bluntly, “It’s not happening.” Lewis, who retired in 2013 after winning two Super Bowl titles in 17 seasons with Baltimore and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018, has no previous coaching experience. He has worked as an NFL analyst for ESPN and wrote a New York Times bestselling memoir. If Lewis were to make the leap into coaching — at FAU, which is located in Boca Raton, Florida, and near where Lewis grew up in Miami, or elsewhere — he would be following a precedent set by Colorado coach and fellow NFL legend Deion Sanders. Sanders was hired to coach at Jackson State in 2020 and led the Tigers to consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference titles. He left in 2022 to coach in Boulder and this season has led Colorado to an 8-2 record, a No. 16 ranking and in the mix for a Big 12 Conference championship. Unlike Lewis, however, Sanders had multiple high school coaching gigs before moving to the college ranks. Even if Lewis doesn’t wind up coaching, Ravens fans still might gush at the thought of his legendary pregame speeches regularly finding their way into a college program. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article

Most would remember NFL kicker Matt Stover for an enduring career that spanned 19 years, mostly with the Ravens, and in 2000 saw him help them to their first Super Bowl title. It was in that season that Baltimore failed to score an offensive touchdown in five straight games but won two of them on the right leg of its All-Pro, who went on to lead the league in attempts and makes during the regular season and booted the game-winner against the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round of the playoffs. But “Automatic Stover,” as Ravens legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis dubbed him, wasn’t always so. Over Stover’s first three years in Baltimore from 1996 through 1999, he made just 75.9% of his field goals. That included missing his last five attempts of the 1997 season and three more in the 1998 opener. Former coach Brian Billick also once chased him down the sideline in front of his teammates, demanding to know if he could just make the next kick. Current Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has yet to endure such discomfiture from current coach John Harbaugh, but he has sunken to a similar level of struggle. Tucker has missed five field goals in the Ravens’ four losses this season. That included failing to convert a 56-yarder in a three-point loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 and missing from 47 and 50 yards in Sunday’s ugly 18-16 defeat against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. Through 11 games, his six misses are already one more than all of last season and with one more miss he will tie his career high, which came in 2015 when he connected on 33 of 40 attempts. “Certainly haven’t lost any confidence in Justin Tucker,” Harbaugh said Monday, adding that he has no plans to bring in any competition for the job. “He’s definitely our best option, and he’s going to make a lot of kicks — I really believe that — going forward.” Tucker, who turns 35 on Thursday and has slipped from the most accurate kicker in league history to second, believes that as well. “I’m still confident I’m going to go out there and nail every single kick,” he said following Sunday’s game. “Part of the way we stay confident is by continuing to work and trust the process. I might sound like a broken record, but it’s a part of what brings us success — is just trusting the process and then taking it one kick at a time.” But as uneasiness grows among the fan base, there is at least some reason to believe and not fret. For one, none of Tucker’s misses (53, 56, 46, 50, 47 and 50 yards) have come up short — all have been wide left. For another, history. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is enduring the worst slump of his NFL career. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Some of the best kickers have overcome periods of turbulence in otherwise long and fruitful careers, including Stover, who bounced back to make 83.8% of his 563 career attempts and landed in the Ravens Ring of Honor. He did so by going back to fundamentals. Sometimes, that meant praying to remind himself that he would be OK no matter what happened on the field. Sometimes, it meant figuring out with his wife how to reduce some stresses of home life. Sometimes, it meant reviewing his kicking journals to see what worked in previous seasons. “I had to work through a lot. I had to overcome bad performance. It’s part of the game,” Stover said. “The desire to want that ball is the No. 1 trait a kicker has to have. I always worked myself back into that mode after I had a poor performance. It didn’t make that next kick easy. In fact, it was a bit more difficult. But I wasn’t running from it. I jumped right back into the fire, and that’s how I handled it emotionally.” Others turned to outside help. Morten Andersen’s Hall of Fame career spanned a quarter century, mostly with the New Orleans Saints, and he connected on the second-most field goals in history. But the “Great Dane” — Andersen was born in Copenhagen — wasn’t always great. Just three seasons after being the NFL’s best kicker in terms of accuracy in 1986, when he made 26 of 30 attempts and missed just one from inside 50 yards, he was one of the worst. In his eighth season and just two years removed from a league-high 28 field goals made, Andersen connected on only 20 of 29 kicks for what ended up being a career-low 69% (minimum 20 attempts), which ranked in the bottom third in the league that year. Five other times, he failed to crack 75%. Which is why early in his career he tapped sports psychologist Dr. John Silva to help him out of a funk. “It didn’t take that long after we started working to straighten a few things out,” Silva, an emeritus professor of sports psychology at the University of North Carolina, recalled. “We had to tighten up Morten’s routine and get him really disciplined that no matter what happens, make or miss, he stayed steadfastly with his preparation routine on the sidelines and with the routine he used on the field. We took away the mystique about different distances.” Silva advised Andersen and other clients to put “situational” confidence — the elation felt after a made kick or the devastation from a miss — in their back pockets and instead focus on “dispositional” confidence, a belief in their abilities over the long haul. “You’re only as good as your last kick; that’s such nonsense, to be honest with you,” Silva said, arguing against an “old-fashioned” method of motivational thinking that he considers damaging to elite athletes. Silva doesn’t know Tucker but said he would advise him not to mess with his technique or let in too many outside voices. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker connected on a 54-yard field goal against the Steelers after shifting his aim slightly. (Gene J. Puskar/AP) “His skill and routine have gotten him this far in his career,” he said. “The worst thing he could do now is start fooling around with it in season. … I would imagine he’s going to come out of this slump. I worked with a lot of placekickers. If they’re good and they have long careers, they all go through some period of time where things aren’t exactly right for them.” Varying examples abound, present and past. Before Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson went on to become one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history, his entree into the league was abruptly interrupted. A fifth-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2017, he beat out veteran Kai Forbath for the starting job only to promptly miss three field goals, including two in overtime, in a Week 2 game against the Green Bay Packers that ended in a 29-29 tie. He was waived the next day and replaced by Dan Bailey. “I think most of it was just technical things,” Carlson told AL.com in 2018. “Things that I had known about and wanted to improve for quite some time, even before my senior year of college at Auburn, I wanted to work on some things, but just was kind of too close to the season that I didn’t want to make those adjustments. “So there were adjustments that needed to be made before I obviously got to that, that technically would have helped me out a lot. And so, you know, of course I got cut, and I actually was able to make those adjustments after. That is kind of one of the bright side of things, silver lining is that I was finally able to make those adjustments that I needed to for a long time. You don’t have a lot of time off after your senior season of college.” Two months after being fired by the Vikings, Carlson hit three field goals for the Raiders in a 23-21 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, including the game-winner as time expired. He went on to make all but one of his field goals that season and his 94.1% set a then-franchise record, a mark he eclipsed by converting on 33 of 35 attempts (94.3%) in 2020. Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson hit the game-winner against the Ravens earlier this season at M&T Bank Stadium. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) “I learned a couple things,” Carlson said. “I think it was a little bit of redemption from that. And just to kind of have that feeling, ‘OK, I’m confident again, I’m back to where I wanted to be back then.’” Former longtime kicker Gary Anderson, who played for the Steelers from 1982 to 1994 and the Vikings from 1998 to 2002, along with four other teams, likewise wasn’t immune in a career that lasted over two decades. Though he was a two-time All-Pro, four-time Pro Bowl selection and ranks third in games played (353), points scored (2,434) and field goals made, he is perhaps most often remembered for a kick that he missed. In 1998, Minnesota went 15-1 and Anderson became the first kicker to convert every field goal and extra point during the regular season and had connected on 122 straight kicks. But in the NFC championship game at home against the Atlanta Falcons, he missed a 39-yarder with 2:11 remaining that would’ve given the Vikings a 10-point lead. Instead of Minnesota playing in its fifth Super Bowl and first since the 1976 season, the Falcons tied the game then won in overtime — with Andersen, the former Saint, knocking in a 38-yard field goal for the victory. The losing Anderson, meanwhile, went into a tailspin the next season, making just 19 of 30 field goals with his 63.3% a career low. But the following year he rebounded by converting on 22 of 23 attempts and over the final four seasons of his career he never made fewer than 77.3% of his field goals. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda among 25 semifinalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame Baltimore Ravens | Ravens legend Ray Lewis reportedly emerges as college coaching candidate Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bolster secondary, add former All-Pro CB Desmond King to practice squad Baltimore Ravens | NFL winners and losers, Week 11: Maybe the Ravens are just undisciplined Baltimore Ravens | Coach John Harbaugh thinks Ravens might have found ‘formula’ at safety “It certainly was difficult,” Anderson told the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2019 on the 20-year anniversary of the painful memory. “I took tremendous pride throughout my career about being the one guy on the team that everyone could count on in a critical situation and that time, that particular kick, I missed the kick. So, yeah, that was certainly a difficult thing to deal with.” “I always had an understanding that as a field-goal kicker, part of your job description is you’re kind of the most visible guy out there,’’ he said. “That’s just the nature of the job. As hard as you try to make all your kicks, you’re not going to make them all. Unfortunately, sometimes you’re going to miss a very important kick. You’d be in dreamland if you’d think everything was going to be rosy all the time.” And that’s why there is still plenty of belief in Tucker, from the man himself to those in the building to those who have been in his shoes. “What’s going on with Justin is very micro,” Stover said. “It could be a technique thing he’s fighting through. You kick great all week and then you get out there and your heart rate gets up a little bit and you try a little too hard. You try a little harder and you attack it too much. You ask a lot of golfers. You’ve got to get comfortable in your skin and just hit it easy. “Justin has set a standard that’s never been seen in the NFL. Who am I to say he’s not going to work out of it? Of course he is.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Week 12 Ravens at Chargers Monday, 8:15 p.m. TV: ABC, ESPN Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM Line: Ravens by 3 View the full article