Eric Williams
NFC West Author
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Baltimore Ravens dynamic quarterback Lamar Jackson reached uncommon air in his crew’s 20-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday in a nationally televised sport.
The Louisville product completed with 39 dashing yards on 11 carries, turning into simply the fourth quarterback in NFL historical past to achieve 5,000 profession dashing yards. He joins Michael Vick, Cam Newton and Russell Wilson in that elite 5,000-yard membership. What’s extra, Jackson is the quickest QB to the mark, with 5,011 dashing yards in simply 82 video games, 22 fewer than Vick wanted.
However the smooth-as-silk runner supplied a one-word response when requested what he considered reaching the historic mark as he left the rostrum at his postgame presser.
“Cool,” Jackson mentioned, cracking a wry smile.
The 26-year-old signal-caller additionally completed 18-of-32 for 177 passing yards, with a landing and no interceptions.
Whereas not enjoying their greatest soccer offensively, Jackson and the Ravens relied on the crew’s trademark protection and a grind-it-out working sport to outlast the bumbling Chargers, enhancing to an AFC-best 9-3 heading into Baltimore’s bye week.
The Ravens have received six of their previous seven video games and at present maintain the highest seed within the AFC. However Jackson has larger aims in thoughts for the season.
“Attending to the Tremendous Bowl is the objective,” Jackson mentioned. “We’re simply going to take it one week at a time. That is all we are able to do. We won’t fear about being the No. 1 seed or something like that. It is the NFL. Something can occur.”
With the loss, the Chargers dropped to 4-7 on the 12 months, with the crew’s playoff hopes and head coach Brandon Staley’s job standing on life help.
The Ravens protection compelled a season-high 4 turnovers and held the Chargers to 279 complete yards as Los Angeles appeared disconnected and inept on offense. Getting into Sunday’s contest, the Chargers had a league-low eight turnovers. Baltimore saved L.A.’s offense, led by strong-armed quarterback Justin Herbert, underneath 17 factors for the primary time this season.
As they’ve all season, the Ravens created havoc up entrance with disguised strain and blitzes. In response to Subsequent Gen Stats, the Ravens pressured Herbert on 41% of his drop backs. Baltimore despatched greater than 4 go rushers 27.5% of the time, ending with three sacks and 9 quarterback hits. When the Ravens blitzed, Herbert completed 4-of-13 for 33 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.
“I have been saying it since final summer time that we had an opportunity to be this type of unit,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh mentioned. “And we have got 5 extra regular-season video games and no matter comes after that to essentially decide what the ultimate chapters are going to be within the story of our protection. I am fairly happy with these guys.”
Chargers coach Staley had been underneath siege due to the struggles of his protection. However the Bolts offense was in charge for this loss, the crew’s third straight and fifth in its previous seven video games. And L.A.’s greatest gamers have been at fault. Keenan Allen and Austin Ekeler had back-to-back fumbles within the first half, whereas Herbert threw an interception on a Hail Mary on the finish of the half.
Then, early within the fourth quarter, Ravens edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney got here up with a strip sack on Herbert and the fumble restoration on the Baltimore 24-yard line.
“It is powerful to win soccer video games whenever you flip the ball over that many instances,” Herbert mentioned. “We’ve to do a greater job, as an offense, and I’ve to do a greater job of defending the ball, not turning the ball over like that. It is actually powerful to win video games like that.”
The Bolts may have put the sport into additional time after the often dependable Ravens kicker Justin Tucker missed a 44-yard discipline objective, giving the Chargers the ball on their very own 34-yard line with 2:57 left and down 13-10. However L.A.’s drive stalled at Baltimore’s 46-yard line when Herbert as soon as once more succumbed to strain up entrance and was referred to as for intentional grounding on fourth down.
Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack continued his sturdy efficiency this season, ending with two sacks and 6 mixed tackles. The Buffalo product is tied for second within the league in sacks with 13.
For Baltimore, rookie receiver Zay Flowers had a breakout efficiency, reeling in a three-yard reception for a rating and sealing the sport on a 37-yard landing with 1:36 left. Flowers obtained some chiding from teammates for his landing celebrations, which included throwing an imaginary bouquet over his head on the primary one.
“I advised him that was the worst celebration I’ve ever seen. However he scored,” Jackson mentioned, laughing.
Flowers’ second celebration was a penalty kick in homage to soccer gamers like Lionel Messi, a favourite of the Baltimore wideout within the FIFA online game.
And on the finish of the sport, among the defensive gamers would have appreciated Flowers to get down so the Ravens may run the clock as an alternative of working into the tip zone.
“We labored on that, however no one advised me, so I simply went to the tip zone,” Flowers mentioned concerning the second landing.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Observe him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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