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...
Jim Harbaugh Just Turned A Failed Chargers Trade Into AFC West Drama
A quiet roster move turned into a little AFC West theater when the Chargers tried to send linebacker Daiyan Henley to Denver for a fourth- and fifth-round draft pick. The deal had been lined up, but the Broncos backed away after reviewing Henleys medical report and then asked for lesser draft compensation, a change Los Angeles was not willing to accept.
Jim Harbaugh did not hide his frustration with how it unfolded, making the failed trade a public point of irritation for a Chargers team that would have preferred the matter stay behind closed doors. Instead, the episode added another layer to a division rivalry that already has enough edge, with one side believing terms were agreed to and the other deciding the price no longer fit. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Fans Have Every Reason To Question Joe Hortiz Today
The Chargers entered the trade deadline with a clear chance to start reshaping a roster that has gone nowhere this season, and for a moment it looked like they had at least one move lined up. A deal to send Daiyan Henley to the Broncos for future draft picks was agreed to before it was ultimately canceled, leaving Los Angeles without even that small step toward stockpiling assets.
What followed only sharpened the scrutiny on Joe Hortiz. With the team still winless and in obvious need of a reset, the Chargers made no other significant moves at the deadline, a passivity that has fueled criticism of how the front office handled the day. For a fan base looking for signs of a real rebuild, the silence was almost as loud as the canceled trade. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers LB Daiyan Henley Trade Collapse Leaves One Big Question
The Broncos proposed trade for Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley has fallen apart, leaving a notable ripple in a division that already knows each other too well. The deal had been set to send mid-round draft picks to Los Angeles, but it was still waiting on Henleys physical after he went through the exam at Denvers facility.
With the move off the table, Denver will move ahead with its current linebacker group of Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad. For the Chargers, the collapse leaves one big question hanging over the situation, because a transaction that looked close enough to announce never made it across the finish line. [Read more 🡒]