INGLEWOOD–The Los Angeles Chargers are in a state of disarray after another close loss to the visiting Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night, 20-10 at SoFi. Many of these narrow defeats are self-inflicted, and last night was no exception as turnovers and a sputtering offense finds the Bolts at a record of (4-7).
The four turnovers occurred in a span of five drives spread across the second, third and fourth quarters. A Cameron Dicker field goal on the night’s opening drive put the Chargers up 3-0.
Afterwards, the Chargers managed only 38 yards of offense on 14 plays the rest of the first half. Chargers Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore has been a terrible fit for the organization so far after extremely high expectations.
How can Justin Herbert improve? Everyone blames the abundance of coaches and offensive coordinators he has had in his tenure for Justin Herbert not reaching his potential, perhaps it’s Herbert who has stopped growing and maturing into the franchise QB the Bolts need.
Justin Herbert has regressed, now it makes sense why the Miami Dolphins chose Tua Tagovailoa over Herbert in the NFL Draft. At least for the time being.
As far as the Ravens go at the tail end of a strong drive, Jackson found rookie wideout Zay Flowers in the back of the end zone from three yards out to give the team its first lead of the night. The 2019 NFL MVP finished with 177 passing yards and one passing touchdown on 18 of 32 passing while also rushing for 39 yards on 11 carries.
Keenan Allen as well as Austin Ekeler both fumbled the ball away to Baltimore. Herbert kick-started the scoring in the final frame with a three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Gerald Everett that capped a seven-play, 60-yard march to the end zone.
All of a sudden, Los Angeles was within three with 8:32 left to play. Then, something else happened that the NFL world almost never sees; Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker missed his first field goal inside of 50 yards in 2023, hooking it left of the post on a 44-yard attempt wide left with 2:57 left in the game. That miss opened the door for Herbert and the Chargers to send the game into overtime, or a game winning touchdown.
Every lifelong Chargers fan knows the ending of this story.
A blitz by cornerback Arthur Maulet on fourth-and-six was enough for Maulet to pop Herbert as he released the football, causing it to bounce harmlessly to the SoFi Stadium turf. Herbert finished with 217 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception on 29 of 44 passing while leading the Chargers with 47 rushing yards on four carries.
Zay Flowers provided the exclamation point in Baltimore’s victory, taking a shotgun handoff 37 yards for a touchdown that put the Ravens up 20-10 with 1:36 to go.
Next week, the Chargers will face the (2-9) New England Patriots at Gillete Stadium.
