By Chris Schisler
1. The Baltimore Ravens are one of the best teams in football:
The Baltimore Ravens beat the Los Angeles Chargers. In theory, anything can happen on any given Sunday. This wasn’t a fluke though, the Ravens came in ready and rolled over the Chargers. The Ravens haven’t lost since week 1.
They’ve done this with no less than 13 players on injured reserve. They lost J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Marcus Peters. They lost L.J. Fort and have been playing without Ronnie Stanley and Nick Boyle. The Ravens have been exceeding expectations with enough adversity for two seasons. This is insanely impressive.
The Ravens came into this game needing to make a statement. They needed a win that didn’t come down to a comeback or a heart-pounding finish. They needed to beat a quality opponent in a convincing fashion. The Ravens just showed how good they can be. This was the best all-around game for the Ravens.
2. Don Martindale knows what he’s doing:
Defensive coordinator, Don Martindale held the Chargers to just one touchdown. That touchdown was basically a gift after a Ravens turnover. Justin Herbert had a lot of trouble against Martindale’s defense. The Ravens were aggressive and disrupted the timing of the Chargers’ passing game.
Herbert couldn’t rely on his first read. The Ravens knew that they couldn’t sit back and try to cover everybody. Martindale knew he had to force the issue. This was a masterfully called game and the players stepped up.
3. The Baltimore Ravens run game isn’t dead:
The Baltimore Ravens can run the ball after all. This week saw positive production from Devonta Freeman and Latavius Murray. The Chargers showed a lot of respect for Lamar Jackson as a passer. It led to the run game stepping up. The run blocking was much improved and everything was a bit smoother. The Ravens rushed for 187 yards and Jackson only pitched in 51 of those yards. This offense will keep you honest and can dictate how they beat you by the poison you choose.
4. Rashod Bateman has the goods:
Rashod Bateman had a dropped pass that led to an interception. It happens. We certainly saw more positives than negatives from the rookie wide receiver. Bateman came into this game with essentially no expectations because it was week six and he’s just getting into the action. Four catches and four first downs make a nice start to your NFL career, I don’t care who you are. Bateman looked the part. After a small sample size, it’s definitely going to be exciting to see more.
5. The Baltimore Ravens have an impact play secondary:
The Ravens defense has a lot of exciting pieces. This may have been the best game that DeShon Elliott has played with the Ravens. He had three tackles, a sack, and an interception. Brandon Stephens was incredibly impressive. After his only bad game of the season, Anthony Averett played a nearly flawless game. Justin Herbert tested Marlon Humphrey and Humphrey won. Chuck Clark had a strong day as well and tipped the pass on the first third-down stop.
6. Devin Duvernay is going to be a weekly factor
Devin Duvernay made an impact on offense and on special teams. As a kick-off return specialist, he had two kickoffs for 70 yards. He started the second half with a long kickoff return. Duvernay was great on punt returns as well. He had three returns and averaged 14.7 yards per return. Add 15 rushing yards on offense and an 11-yard reception and you have a solid day for a young role player at receiver. If Duvernay continues to play with confidence, he’s going to be an underrated impact player on a weekly basis.
7. Patrick Queen may be able to turn things around
Patrick Queen has had a rough season. Before getting hurt in this game he was off to a great start in this game. Queen did return to the game and he played his best game of the season overall. With Queen, it comes down to him playing fundamentally sound football. If he reads his keys and stays out of the trash he has the athletic ability to be a big play-maker. This was a step in the right direction for the struggling linebacker.
NEXT POST: Baltimore Ravens crush the Chargers and put the AFC on notice
There you have it. There are seven lessons from the Ravens win over the Chargers. What a week this was for Ravens Football!
