With the Ravens starting 5-1 for the fourth time in team history after a 34-6 blowout victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. Though West Coast teams flying across the country for 1:00 kickoffs are definitely at a disadvantage, that can easily become a self-fulfilling prophecy. The Chargers looked lethargic and unprepared while Baltimore started very strong and is now 14-1 playing on a short week since 2016. Credit John Harbaugh for that.
2. The weekly updates on new records set by Lamar Jackson are sometime too trivial for my taste, but passing Dan Marino to become the youngest quarterback in NFL history with 35 wins is special. Yes, wins are a team accomplishment, but no one means more to his team than Jackson.
3. Little that Jackson does surprises anymore, but how easily he can overcome an undesirable down and distance with his legs always amazes. Everyone but him appeared to be in slow motion on his 22-yard scramble on first-and-20 early in the second quarter. The Ravens scored a touchdown two plays later.
4. The ground game definitely performed at a more Ravens-like clip, but here’s why I’m not ready to claim all is well in that department just yet: their 187 rushing yards ranked third and their 4.9 yards per carry fourth among the Chargers’ six opponents. That run defense is putrid.
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5. How often does a team return a kickoff almost to midfield and proceed to take 7:21 to drive 12 plays for a touchdown to begin the second half? What little optimism to which the Chargers may have been clinging during intermission had to vanish after that.
6. Rashod Bateman played 45 snaps — second to only Marquise Brown at wide receiver — and moved the chains with each of his four catches covering 29 yards. He’ll want back the fourth-quarter drop that turned into Jackson’s second interception, but it was a promising debut for the rookie.
7. Justin Houston sacked Justin Herbert on the Chargers’ penultimate play of the game, but the veteran edge rusher was very disruptive before that with multiple pressures and a couple nice plays against the run. He’s now at 99 1/2 sacks for his career.
8. Especially with their current running backs not looking terribly explosive, I’d like to continue to see more runs and jet-sweep action for Devin Duvernay in the way some other wide receivers such as Curtis Samuel have been used. Duvernay continues to be a valuable weapon in the return game too.
9. Patrick Queen returned after his thigh injury, but I’m interested to see how his role evolves with Josh Bynes now starting at Mike linebacker. Streamlining Queen’s responsibilities will hopefully help, but this isn’t the most encouraging development for a first-round pick.
Harbaugh on Patrick Queen moving to Will linebacker: "I think he played with confidence. I think the pressure was off him just a little bit with some of the calls that have to be made in there & it freed him up a little bit. But OK, next week's a new week & let's keep improving."8
10. The impact of Josh Oliver has been minimal, but you don’t want to stand out for a holding penalty and a fumble nearly giving your opponent a chance to climb out of an early hole. With a crowded wide receiver group, is there game-day space for a third tight end?
11. Oliver was credited for recovering his fumble, but I’m not sure that happens without Kevin Zeitler trailing the play and fighting for the football. The veteran right guard doesn’t draw much attention, but his rock-solid play has been valuable at a position that was a regular concern last season.
12. Brandon Staley was mocked for going for it on multiple fourth downs and failing, but what’s the alternative when down multiple scores against an opponent controlling the clock? Do you actually try to improve your dwindling win probability or just save face? That first-quarter challenge was a different story, however.
