Ravens stepped up at SoFi Stadium.
The Baltimore Ravens got their season back on track with a convincing 30-23 win on the road against the LA Chargers.
The offence was back to its best. Baltimore scored four touchdowns and a field goal on five consecutive possessions to recover from a 10-0 hole and take the game out of reach at 30-23.
That is a particular achievement against the second best scoring defence in the league.
The defence even showed signs of improvement, limiting the Chargers, even without Roquan Smith.
That follows on from keeping the Steelers out of the endzone last week.
The exception was the opening drive, as LA scythed through with ease on a nine-play, 70-yard drive. Excluding that – and a 63-yard garbage time drive – Baltimore allowed only 155 yards and three field goals on the remaining drives.
Beyond the opening drive jitters, the biggest concern were the penalties. The Ravens were flagged nine times for 102 yards.
Though it has to be said that some flags seemed soft to a partisan viewer.
Three of those penalties resulted in first downs and extended drives.
John Harbaugh gets bold
The key play of the game has to be the Ravens going for it on 4th and 1 on their own 16.
Failure to convert would likely have made the score 17-7 to LA at halftime.
It looked as though Baltimore would try and draw LA offside and the clock was ticking down quickly to the two minute warning.
But they went for it, converting with a Mark Andrews sneak.
It was the launching point of a eight play, 93-yard drive. As a result it was Baltimore who lead 14-13 at the break.
It was also the first of three crucial fourth downs for the Ravens. All of which were converted as the league’s best offence could not stop scoring.
John Harbaugh is not scared of a fourth down or two point attempt. However this may have been his boldest offensive gameplan in years.
The challenges do not get any easier for the Ravens, as the 9-2 Philadelphia Eagles visit on Sunday night.
