Come to think of it, the Baltimore Ravens had a chance to remain undefeated if not for that touchdown pass from Derek Carr to Zay Jones in Week 1.
But while they won four of their first five games, the Ravens still didn’t have a statement victory.
What about their 36-35 win against the Kansas City Chiefs?
Well, they only won by one point, thanks to an interception of Patrick Mahomes.
A Sunday W at the Bank. pic.twitter.com/YluWKlWM35
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 17, 2021
Likewise, that’s technically not a marquee win because the Chiefs are struggling.
Therefore, a win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6 proved their doubters wrong.
John Harbaugh did not have any particular game plan against Justin Herbert and company.
Instead, they gained control by executing their strengths.
Their defense finally came alive by creating constant pressure on Herbert.
This Ravens defense is locked in. 😈 pic.twitter.com/NIkyoLgiBR
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 17, 2021
They also confused him with several formations that made it harder for the sophomore quarterback to decipher their motives.
Whenever they had the ball, their strategy was simple: dominate the ground game.
It’s a marvel that the Ravens are still one of the league’s best rushing offenses despite losing J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards to season-ending injuries.
Lamar Jackson’s versatility allowed him to take off by himself when needed.
But they had a dilemma on who would compensate for Dobbins and Edwards.
Their offseason acquisitions contributed in a huge way against the Chargers.
Latavius Murray, Devonta Freeman, and Le’Veon Bell played like Pro Bowlers again to keep Baltimore’s ground attack going.
.@LataviusM to the HOUSE!
Tune in on CBS! pic.twitter.com/2PDJ9lsacm
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 17, 2021
The Chargers had no answer for the Ravens’ 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
In contrast, Austin Ekeler had seven yards on six carries, and the Chargers had 26 total rushing yards.
The Ravens offensive line bullied the Chargers defense to create huge gaps for their running backs.
It was a dominating performance and the game was practically over after three quarters.
The Ravens Are Soaring
It takes a certain level of confidence to let your opponent know that you’re going to run the same play.
That’s how the Ravens played with the Chargers in their Week 6 encounter.
Brandon Staley’s men knew that the run was coming but couldn’t stop Baltimore from gaining yards.
Prioritizing the run game allowed the Ravens to have 38 minutes of possession time.
RING THE BELL 🔔@LeVeonBell TD!
Tune in on CBS! pic.twitter.com/1XMkftGJTy— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 17, 2021
They also gained an average of 4.9 yards per carry, which essentially gave them a first down every two plays.
True enough, they nearly doubled the Chargers’ first downs, 27-14.
It’s also impressive that everyone had a share of the pie.
When the Chargers thought they figured it out, another running back led the surge.
Freeman led the way with 53 rushing yards, Jackson had 51, Murray added 44, and Bell finished with 18.
It’s @devontafreeman’s turn to score in Baltimore. #RavensFlock
📺: #LACvsBAL on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/bTCgTXaeqi— NFL (@NFL) October 17, 2021
Even wide receiver Devin Duvernay and backup quarterback Tyler Huntley combined for 21 yards.
This game starts another Baltimore streak of consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
Unfortunately, their streak ended at 43 games when they only had 86 against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5.
More importantly, the Ravens are still the fourth-best rushing team, averaging 155.2 yards per game.
Lamar Jackson could have the most wins by any QB under the age of 25 if he beats the #Chargers on Sunday.
That would be his 35th win, passing #Dolphins Hall of Famer Dan Marino.
His birthday isn't until January, so he should run laps around that record putting it out of reach. pic.twitter.com/qgcBLZrccg
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 17, 2021
The Ravens hopes to continue their stampede against the division rival Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7.
NEXT: Lamar Jackson Reacts To Having His Number Retired At Louisville
