Monday night gives the Los Angeles Chargers a rare opening to stop the bleeding.
At 0-8, they are down to precious few chances to rescue their season, and Baltimore looks like one of the better ones left on the schedule. The Ravens are 4-5, dealing with injuries, and they’ll be without Lamar Jackson. That means Jacoby Brissett will make his first start for Baltimore after being newly acquired, and he’ll do it at home against a Chargers team coming off a rough loss to Houston.
The Chargers’ defense had no answer for C.J. Stroud last week, when he lit them up for 384 yards and five touchdowns.
Still, Baltimore is asking Brissett to step in quickly, and Los Angeles does have a defense that usually makes opposing quarterbacks work. This time, though, Brissett should have enough around him to create some problems of his own.
At least two of his throws are expected to end up in the end zone, with Zay Flowers positioned for a productive night.
One of the more intriguing angles in this matchup belongs to the backfield. Kimani Vidal Mitchell is set to face the team that gave him his NFL opportunity for the first time since joining the Chargers, and there’s a real chance he makes that reunion count.
He has one touchdown this season, and it came as a receiver. On the ground, he’s logged 46 carries for 178 yards, a 3.9-yard average, and he’s added 18 catches for 103 yards.
With the Chargers still rotating backs, his workload is hard to pin down, but the expectation is that he gets a shot near the goal line and finishes it off.
There’s plenty of coaching intrigue here too. Jesse Minter, who once worked as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator, will be on the other sideline against Jim Harbaugh for the first time as opposing head coaches.
Harbaugh’s first year in Los Angeles has gone badly, but this is still a chance to leave with something positive. Justin Herbert needs a much cleaner showing than he had against Houston, and a stronger response feels likely.
Baltimore can still make life miserable, though. Marlon Humphrey and Roquan Smith are both capable of slowing Herbert down, and Kyle Hamilton would be another major factor if he’s healthy enough to play.
This has the feel of a messy game, with both offenses having stretches where nothing comes easy. Even so, the Chargers are being picked to finally break through.
Score prediction: Chargers 20, Ravens 17. Cameron Dicker is projected to hit four field goals, and Los Angeles is expected to avoid another nightmare night by taking advantage of one of its best remaining chances.
In Other News...
Ravens Were Quietly Pulled Into A Trade Deadline Running Back Story
The Giants spent part of the trade deadline window kicking around the running back market, and Baltimore got pulled into the conversation through Justice Hill, whose name surfaced among the backs New York reportedly explored. It was part of a broader search that also included Bijan Robinson, Tony Pollard and Jonathan Taylor, a sign the Giants were at least looking hard at ways to stabilize their backfield rather than simply riding out the stretch.
In the end, no deal got done, and the bigger immediate storyline in New York remains Cam Skattebos expected return to his role as the primary back after a hamstring injury. For the Ravens, Hills inclusion is more of a footnote than a looming development, but it does serve as a reminder that even after the deadline passes, teams are still sorting through what might have been and what they still need to make work internally. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Add Needed Line Depth But Cam Jurgens Pressure Hasn't Changed
The Ravens made a modest but practical move to shore up the offensive line, landing Ryan Neuzil from the Falcons in exchange for Andrew Vorhees and a conditional 2028 sixth-round pick. It is the kind of trade that does not change the top of the depth chart, but it does give Baltimore another experienced body in a room where versatility matters and injuries can quickly force a team to shuffle pieces around.
Even with Neuzil in the building, coach Jesse Minter said Cam Jurgens remains the starting center and is viewed as the future of the Ravens' offensive line. So the acquisition reads less like a challenge to Jurgens than a safeguard behind him, with Neuzil expected to step in as a backup who can help wherever needed. The bigger question now is how Baltimore sorts out the rest of its line depth after moving Vorhees, and how quickly the new addition settles into the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Need A Defensive Spark And Jesse Minter Has One Chance
Jesse Minters first game against the Chargers since joining Baltimore comes at a time when the Ravens could use a lift on defense and a little extra edge anywhere they can find it. The Week 10 matchup has taken on added weight because Baltimore sees it as a chance to steady its season, and Minters familiarity with Los Angeles gives the Ravens a potentially useful head start against a team that has struggled offensively.
Minter has already talked about the unusual challenge of lining up against familiar faces, which is part of what makes this one feel different from a standard regular-season game. For Baltimore, the hope is simple: turn that inside knowledge into a defensive advantage and use a vulnerable opponent to get the kind of spark that can change the tone around the team. [Read more 🡒]