5 takeaways from Ravens' 20-10 win vs. Chargers on Sunday Night Football

Defenses dominated in a matchup of two top quarterbacks

It was a game billed as Lamar Jackson versus Justin Herbert, but defenses stole the spotlight on Sunday Night Football.

The Baltimore Ravens won 20-10 versus the Los Angeles Chargers and it came down to the wire.

The Chargers had a chance to score a touchdown and steal the win after a rare Justin Tucker field goal miss, but Herbert failed to drive his team down with Baltimore up 13-10.

Then rookie wideout Zay Flowers sealed the deal by taking a handoff 37 yards to the house.

Zay Flowers with the exclamation point!📺: #BALvsLAC on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/4A9GOmQsZC pic.twitter.com/em5hdCopf3

— NFL (@NFL) November 27, 2023

Baltimore moved to a solid 9-3 with a resilient showing while the Chargers plummeted to 4-7 in what continues to be a bleak season.

Let’s analyze the game further with five takeaways:

Quiet night for QBs

Neither Jackson or Herbert looked the part as both defenses had their say throughout the night. Jackson completed just 18 of 32 passes for 177 yards, one touchdown and one pick while rushing for 39 yards on 11 attempts.

Herbert didn’t fare much better, completing 29 of 44 passes for 217 yards, one touchdown and one pick while rushing for 47 yards on four carries, led by a 37-yarder late in the second half.

Either quarterback could’ve gotten the dub for their team, but it always appeared to be in Jackson’s favor.

Zay Flowers continues to shine

If you are to nitpick on Baltimore’s flaws, it’s fair to point out the lack of high-quality gamechangers around Jackson. Jackson himself checks that box, but there’s not much else to point to. Keaton Mitchell’s emergence as an undrafted running back has been a great story, but they need more.

That’s where Zay Flowers, the Ravens’ rookie second-rounder, stepped in on Sunday. Odell Beckham Jr.’s name carries weight, but it no longer translates to the field. Flowers delivered with the game-winning rushing touchdown on his sole carry of the night while also grabbing the sole passing touchdown that helped Baltimore have a cushion in the first place.

Flowers caught five passes for just 25 yards, but his first touchdown made a vital difference.

Don’t celebrate hard when losing

Gerald Everett caught Herbert’s sole touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter, but his celebration may have come at the wrong time. Down 13-10 after the score, the tight end pulled out Ray Lewis’ infamous celebration.

Gerald Everett makes it a one-possession game 🙌📺: #BALvsLAC on NBC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/4A9GOmQsZC pic.twitter.com/sju7H6CNcJ

— NFL (@NFL) November 27, 2023

The Chargers never scored again after that, instead failing on two fourth-down chances. If you have a sizeable lead and want to pull that card to troll your opponents, by all means go for it. But when the game — and on a more dramatic outlook, your season — you might want to think twice.

Chargers’ playoff outlook looking bleak

The AFC is, simply put, logjammed. A handful of solid teams will not be making the playoffs despite some good performances. The Chargers, though not always consistent, are on the outside looking in at 4-7.

They still have both divisional games versus the rising Denver Broncos to go along with the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, both at home. But as we’ve already seen this season, home field hasn’t really mattered for the Chargers.

They’ll need to go on an improbable run and pull off some narrow wins to make it happen, but as the past has already revealed, they’re probably not built for it. The time has been up for Brandon Staley for quite some time.

Ravens’ elite defense can take them far

We can question whether the offense has enough to win in the margins, but the Ravens’ elite defense can definitely take them far. After all, defense wins championships. Baltimore is stacked with fast and athletic defenders who thrive in high-pressure scenarios.

That’s a great combination that can see them pull off some upsets against talented offenses down the stretch, but they’ll just need to remain healthy. You don’t hear much about the Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith linebacker duo, but they have a case as the best in the league.