The Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers haven’t played up to expectations this season, but that doesn’t make their upcoming meeting any less interesting. Both teams entered the year with legitimate aspirations, and neither has consistently looked like the team many expected. That makes their Week 10 meeting an intriguing opportunity to see which team can start turning things around.
This will be the 17th meeting between the franchises, with Baltimore holding a 10-6 advantage in the all-time series. The Ravens have won three straight and five of the past six meetings. The lone loss during that stretch was their only postseason matchup, a 23-17 loss to the Chargers on January 6, 2019, at M&T Bank Stadium.
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Several interesting individual battles are worth watching when these teams meet. Here are four early matchups worth watching.
Jesse Minter vs. Mike McDaniel
This season was supposed to represent new beginnings for Jesse Minter and Mike McDaniel. Both accepted new roles with new teams, bringing considerable responsibility and expectations. Minter oversees Baltimore’s defensive playcalling, while McDaniel handles the offensive playcalling for Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers.
Neither has seen the season unfold as planned. Los Angeles has experienced particular difficulty generating offense. The Chargers didn’t reach 100 points until their eighth game in Week 9, an alarming statistic for a team with this much offensive talent.
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Finding a consistent identity has been a challenge, and McDaniel needs to get more out of the unit. Baltimore has its own problems to address. The Ravens have allowed at least 30 points four times this season, including each of their past three games.
Not all of that responsibility falls on the defense, especially with opposing teams benefiting from field position and other opportunities, but those numbers are hard to ignore. Minter’s defense needs to find some answers before another opponent takes advantage.
Justin Herbert vs. the Ravens’ secondary
It hasn’t been Justin Herbert’s best season, but nobody needs a reminder of how dangerous he can be when everything clicks. The problem for Los Angeles is that things haven’t clicked very often. Herbert has thrown just six touchdown passes and 11 interceptions, for a 70.4 passer rating.
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Baltimore’s secondary has experienced its own struggles. Nate Wiggins’ absence in Week 9 didn’t help that. The Ravens need better consistency from their coverage unit, particularly against a quarterback capable of making difficult throws when given opportunities.
This presents an interesting test for both sides. Herbert needs to show that his early-season struggles aren’t indicative of his capabilities, while Baltimore has a chance to take advantage of a passing game that hasn’t been consistent. Something has to give.
The Ravens’ pass rush vs. the Chargers’ offensive line
Football games at every level are often won in the trenches, and Baltimore has an opportunity to make that part of the game count. Herbert has been sacked 23 times this season, creating an opening for a Ravens pass rush that could use a productive afternoon.
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Baltimore needs to generate pressure without constantly having to manufacture it through elaborate blitz packages. Getting after Herbert with the front four would let the secondary focus on coverage rather than having to account for extra blitzers and the space they leave behind.
This could be an opportunity for the Ravens’ pass rush to rediscover its mojo. Making Herbert uncomfortable early would put additional pressure on an offense that has already struggled to find its rhythm.
Zay Flowers vs. Tarheeb Still and the Chargers’ secondary
The Chargers play plenty of zone coverage, so Zay Flowers and Tarheeb Still might not find themselves matched up in traditional man-to-man situations very often. Still, that doesn’t make this matchup any less interesting. Still is an accomplished slot cornerback.
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Entering Week 9, his 79.5 Pro Football Focus coverage grade ranked seventh among the top 104 NFL cornerbacks. Following last Sunday, he now ranks 24th among the top 104 cornerbacks after allowing seven receptions and a touchdown on eight targets. His ability to handle receivers in the middle of the field gives Los Angeles an important piece in its coverage structure.
Flowers remains an important part of Baltimore’s passing attack, and his ability to create separation and make defenders miss can present problems even against zone coverage. The Ravens will need to get him involved without allowing the Chargers to dictate where and how he receives the football.
Ravens’ underneath passing game vs. Chargers’ changing linebacker group
Los Angeles’ agreement to trade Daiyan Henley to Denver adds another personnel change for Baltimore to evaluate. With Denzel Perryman still working through his return-to-practice window, the Chargers’ linebacker combinations will be worth monitoring as the week progresses. The Ravens should examine how those combinations handle play-action, crossing routes, and receivers entering the middle of the field, rather than treating every passing opportunity as a matchup against the secondary.
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Add before the concluding H2:
These matchups also connect. Pressure on Herbert can help Baltimore’s coverage, but poorly controlled rush lanes can create opportunities for him to extend plays. On offense, getting Flowers involved requires protection and timing as much as an advantageous coverage look. The Ravens need those elements working together after a stretch in which individual flashes haven’t produced a complete performance. Winning an isolated matchup will matter less if penalties, missed assignments, or explosive plays undo the advantage.
An opportunity for both teams to make a statement
Neither team can afford to overlook the importance of this meeting. Baltimore and Los Angeles have enough talent to be considerably better than their performances suggest, but potential only goes so far when it doesn’t translate into results on the field.
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The interesting question is which team can make its opponent uncomfortable while finally playing closer to its capabilities. At this point, both have more to prove than to celebrate.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens vs. Chargers: 4 key matchups that could decide Monday’s clash
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
