Much of the attention leading up to Monday night’s game between the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers has focused on the first coaching matchup since 2012 between John and Jim Harbaugh.
But once the game starts, all eyes will be on the quarterbacks: Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert.
“To be honest, I don’t think about it,” Jackson said, referring to the excitement around the Harbaugh Bowl. “I can’t speak for everyone else. I remember watching them, not literally play against each other, but coach against each other in the Super Bowl. I remember watching that. I thought that was dope, but I don’t think about it right now.”
Jackson leads a Ravens offense that’s averaging a league-high 430.1 yards per game. The seventh-year quarterback also leads the NFL with a 117.3 passer rating and is second in the league with 25 touchdown passes.
Herbert had foot and ankle injuries during the first part of the season, which also made learning the new offense harder. However, since the Chargers’ bye week in Week 5, their offense has been much more consistent, averaging 368.2 yards per game, which ranks eighth in the league over the past six games.
Both quarterbacks have played well on “Monday Night Football.” Jackson is 6-2 with a 124.0 passer rating, 20 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Herbert is 4-3 with nine touchdowns and three interceptions.
“Coach Harbaugh has done a great job, and we enjoy playing for him so much,” Herbert said. “We know how important it is for him. It is another very important game for us, but also understand it is a special moment for him.”
Jackson’s biggest strength this season has been intermediate passes. He’s completing an NFL-best 69.1% of his passes that are 10-19 yards downfield, totaling 965 yards with 11 touchdowns and only one interception.
Herbert and the Chargers have rediscovered their deep passing game under Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Herbert has seven touchdowns and no interceptions on passes thrown 20 yards or more downfield.
He’ll face a Ravens defense that has allowed the second-most yards and tied for the most touchdowns (seven) on deep passes. This matchup is getting a lot of attention because it’s crucial for both teams to boost their playoff chances.
Los Angeles (7-3) has won four straight games and holds the fifth seed in the AFC. Baltimore (7-4) is in sixth place and cannot afford to lose another game to the Chargers if they want to catch Pittsburgh for the AFC North title.
