John Harbaugh remained undefeated against his brother Jim as his Baltimore Ravens defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 30-23 on Monday.
The Ravens dominated on the ground, running for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Lamar Jackson added 177 yards passing and two scores in the air.
Chargers signal-caller Justin Herbert completed 21 of 36 passes for 218 yards, but he didn’t throw for any scores and was sacked four times.
The Harbaugh brothers were coaching against each other for the third time, and the first since Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. John, the older brother, is 3-0 in those contests.
Los Angeles raced out to a 10-0 lead in the first half Monday.
The Chargers opened the game with a nine-play, 70-yard drive capped by a five-yard touchdown run by Herbert. Baltimore gained only five yards on its first two drives, and Los Angeles added a field goal after an 11-play drive that bled into the second quarter.
The Ravens finally answered with a 10-yard touchdown run by Lamar Jackson on their third possession. They followed up their first scoring drive with an eight-play, 93-yard drive touchdown jaunt late in the second — which included a conversion on 4th-and-1 from their own 16-yard line.
Baltimore was aggressive on fourth down all game, converting all three of their attempts.
After the teams traded field goals on three straight possessions — including the first two of the second half — the Ravens began to put the game away. They went 70 yards for a touchdown on their second drive of the third quarter, which featured another fourth-down conversion.
Following a Los Angeles three-and-out, Justice Hill scored on a 51-yard run to make the score 30-16. The Chargers added a touchdown in the final minute, but by then it was too late.
Despite a slow start, Baltimore outgained Los Angeles 389 yards to 285. The Chargers couldn’t slow down the Ravens’ three-headed rushing attack of Hill, Jackson and Derrick Henry. Baltimore averaged a robust 5.7 yards per carry. Henry led the team with 140 yards on 24 carries.
The Ravens improved to 8-4 with the win, bouncing back from a two-point loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11. Baltimore will play the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 13.
Los Angeles is now 7-4 after the loss. The Chargers’ next game is against the Atlanta Falcons.
Final: Ravens 30, Chargers 23
That’s all, folks.
John Harbaugh is now 3-0 against his brother Jim after tonight’s win by the Ravens.
Baltimore improves to 8-4 with the victory.
The Chargers drop to 7-4.
Touchdown, Chargers
The Chargers score after an 11-play, 63-yard drive that was aided by multiple pass interference penalties.
Los Angeles now trails 30-23, and will now need to recover an onside kick.
Ravens punt after six plays
The Ravens punted but took over three minutes off the clock on their last drive.
The Chargers have the ball, but need two touchdowns to tie the game with only 3:08 remaining in regulation.
Chargers punt despite being down two scores
The Chargers punted after only one first down. After Justin Herbert was sacked on second down, he threw incomplete on 3rd-and-18.
Los Angeles opted not to go for it on 4th-and-18, but trailing by two scores with less than seven minutes to go, that’s putting quite a bit of pressure on the defense.
Touchdown, Ravens!
Wow!
Only six plays from scrimmage after the Chargers’ three-and-out, the Ravens are leading by two touchdowns thanks to a 51-yard run by Justice Hill.
Baltimore has run for 194 yards on 29 carries so far tonight.
The Ravens lead 30-16.
Chargers go three-and-out
That’s a brutal three-and-out for the Chargers. They punted after Quentin Johnston dropped a perfect pass from Justin Herbert on third down.
Johnston was running into wide-open field on a drag route but couldn’t make the play.
The Ravens will take back possession leading 23-16.
J.K. Dobbins is officially out
The Chargers will have to come back without running back J.K. Dobbins, who has been downgraded to out.
Dobbins left in the first half with a left knee injury and hasn’t been seen on the field since. He was initially ruled questionable but is now unable to give it a go.
Touchdown, Ravens!
The Ravens go 70 yards in 14 plays to add to their lead.
The long drive featured two fourth-down conversions, and ended with an impressive catch by Mark Andrews in the back of the end zone.
Baltimore couldn’t convert a two-point attempt to go up two scores. The Ravens now lead 23-16.
End of third: Ravens 17, Chargers 16
Good game so far!
Each team added a field goal in the third quarter to keep the score within one headed to the fourth.
The Ravens will have a 4th-and-1 from the Chargers’ 25-yard line when play resumes.
Chargers add another field goal
It’s a one-point game again after another 52-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker. The Chargers moved the ball well on that drive, but stalled out after 10 plays and 36 yards.
The Ravens lead 17-16.
Ravens get three to start second half
A 10-play, 43-yard drive by the Ravens ends with a 45-yard field goal from Justin Tucker. Baltimore now leads 17-13.
Halftime: Ravens 14, Chargers 13
Very nice work by Justin Herbert and the Chargers, who picked up 36 yards in only 22 seconds to set up a field goal right before halftime.
Cameron Dicker drilled the 52-yard attempt to make it a one-point game.
J.K. Dobbins questionable to return
Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins is questionable to return with a knee injury. He went to the locker room in the second quarter after running six times for 40 yards.
Touchdown, Ravens!
What a drive!
The Ravens take a 14-10 lead late in the first half after a 40-yard bomb from Lamar Jackson to Reshod Bateman.
Baltimore went 93 yards in eight plays — including converting a 4th-and-1 from their own 16-yard line. The gamble paid off.
Chargers punt after four plays
The Chargers decided not to attempt a 4th-and-3 from near midfield, and instead punted the ball back to the Ravens.
Baltimore will take over inside its own 10 trailing 10-7.
Touchdown, Ravens!
The Ravens finally got a drive going, rushing for 59 yards on a seven-play, 70-yard drive that culminated in a 10-yard touchdown run by Lamar Jackson.
Baltimore hasn’t had much success through the air yet, but its ground attack has made it a 10-7 game.
Chargers add three points to lead
After a 10-play, 40-yard drive, the Chargers settled for a 42-yard field goal to take a 10-0 lead. Los Angeles converted a 4th-and-1 on the possession, but opted not to go for it on 4th-and-7 from the 24.
End of first: Chargers 7, Ravens 0
No scores after the Chargers raced out to a one-touchdown lead on their first possession. Los Angeles will have a first down on the Baltimore 39 when the second quarter begins, though.
Ravens go three-and-out
The Ravens look lost on offense so far. After a Derrick Henry run for five yards, Lamar Jackson threw two straight incomplete passes that weren’t particularly close.
The Chargers will go back on offense leading 7-0.
And now the Chargers punt after six plays
The Chargers converted a 3rd-and-13 from their own 10, but couldn’t convert a 3rd-and-4 a few plays later. Nate Wiggins delivered a nice hit on Jalen Reagor to break up a potential first down.
The Ravens take over in their own territory after the punt.
Ravens punt after five plays
The Ravens picked up one first down on their opening drive, but it stalled after a 15-yard leg whip penalty by Patrick Ricard set them back.
The Chargers will take over on their own 13 after the punt.
Touchdown, Chargers!
That felt quick!
The Chargers marched down the field on their opening possession, going 70 yards in only nine plays for a touchdown. The methodical drive ended with a five-yard run by Justin Herbert for a score.
Los Angeles — and the younger Harbaugh — now leads 7-0.
We’re off!
The Harbaugh Bowl is underway! The Chargers start with the ball and the first play from scrimmage is a J.K. Dobbins run that gets stuffed in the backfield.
Familiarity goes beyond the Harbaughs
These teams know one another well beyond the Harbaugh brothers. Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz, who learned the front-office game while with the Ravens, is one of 16 former Ravens who are now Chargers. That includes Jim Harbaugh himself (a former Ravens QB for 14 games in 1998), the Chargers’ offensive and defensive coordinators and running back J.K. Dobbins, who sealed the Chargers’ Week 11 victory on 'Sunday Night Football' with his game-winning touchdown run.
Baltimore’s defense vulnerable after halftime
For as quickly as Baltimore’s offense can score, its defense can give up damaging plays, too. The Ravens are allowing 15.2 points per second half this season, and only the Raiders allow more. Baltimore ranks among the league’s 10 worst defenses in most passing-related categories, from yards allowed per attempt (7.2), per completion (11.0) and dead last in first downs allowed by passes (14.8).
Ravens, Chargers both have transitioned to run-heavy offense
In broad strokes, this has been the year of the running back in the NFL. The Ravens and the Chargers are two teams that have used the run to change their offenses. Baltimore’s 177.3 rushing yards per game rank second-most in the NFL behind Philadelphia, a Ravens average that increases when on the road to 187.7. Last season, prior to Derrick Henry’s arrival, Baltimore averaged about 21 fewer yards per game despite averaging slightly more rushing attempts.
There was no surprise that Jim Harbaugh would instill a running priority in his first season in Los Angeles. After averaging 96.6 yards on the ground last season, Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman have seen their offense average 121.6 this season.
Where both teams sit in the standings
How the Ravens sit in the standings
Baltimore (7-4) enters tonight second in the AFC North, one game behind 8-3 Pittsburgh, which won their head-to-head matchup. Until those teams meet again in Week 16, the Ravens have to keep pace in the standings.
Pittsburgh: 8-3
Baltimore: 7-4
Cincinnati: 4-7
Cleveland: 3-8
How the Chargers sit in the standings
Staying in the AFC, but in the west, the Chargers are a distant second in their division at 7-3. The NFL rates the Chargers probability of making the playoffs at 90%, and 97% with a win tonight.
Kansas City: 10-1
Chargers: 7-3
Denver: 7-5
Las Vegas: 2-9
Ravens coming off brutal loss
The Ravens lost 18-16 at the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11… despite not allowing a touchdown (allowed 6 field goals). Baltimore scored a touchdown with 1:06 left in regulation but failed on the two-point conversion attempt to tie game.
It was their fourth loss this season, the same total they had all of last year.
Chargers on fire as of late
The Chargers are coming off a thriller in Week 12 when they beat the Bengals 34-27. L.A. led 27-6 in the third quarter before nearly blowing the game (it was tied 27-27 in fourth quarter).
RB J.K. Dobbins scored the game-winning 29-yd touchdown with 0:18 left in regulation
The Chargers have won four straight games and five of the last six since starting 2-2 and returning from a Week 5 bye.
Roquan Smith unlikely to face Chargers
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Ravens’ All-Pro linebacker, questionable for tonight’s game due to a hamstring injury, is unlikely to play. He did not practice this week and did not take part in the team's Saturday walk-through.
Brothers squaring off
This is the third time that brothers John and Jim Harbaugh will coach against each other, and the first since meeting in Super Bowl XLVII in the 2012 season. John and the Ravens are 2-0 against his little brother Jim (both losses were while Jim was head coach of the 49ers).