If you watched the Chargers vs Ravens 2023 matchup on Sunday Night Football, you probably remember it as a sloppy, frustrating, but weirdly compelling defensive struggle. It wasn't the high-flying shootout everyone expected from Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson. Honestly, it was the opposite. It was a game defined by dropped passes, fumbled snaps, and a Baltimore defense that looked like a brick wall in the California humidity.
The final score was 20-10. Baltimore won. But that doesn't really tell the whole story of how Los Angeles basically handed the game over on a silver platter.
The Night the Chargers Forgot How to Hold the Ball
You can’t win in the NFL when you turn the ball over four times. Period. The Chargers came into this Week 12 game with one of the lowest giveaway rates in the league, but something shifted under the primetime lights at SoFi Stadium.
Keenan Allen fumbled. Austin Ekeler fumbled. Justin Herbert fumbled. Even a desperation Hail Mary at the end of the first half ended up in Ravens hands. It was a comedy of errors for a team that was already fighting for its playoff life. Every time the Chargers seemed to find a rhythm—like that 19-play drive that swallowed up nine minutes of the second half—they found a way to sabotage themselves.
That massive drive ended with Jadeveon Clowney strip-sacking Herbert. Talk about a momentum killer.
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Zay Flowers and the Rookie Masterclass
While the veterans were coughing up the pigskin, Ravens rookie Zay Flowers was having the night of his life. He scored both of Baltimore's touchdowns, and they couldn't have been more different.
The first was a methodical 3-yard crossing route in the second quarter to give the Ravens their first lead. The second? That was the dagger. With only 1:36 left on the clock and the Chargers trailing by just three, Flowers took an end-around on 3rd-and-2. Most guys just look for the first down marker there. Flowers saw the corner, turned on the jets, and sprinted 37 yards for the game-sealing score.
Lamar Jackson Makes History (Again)
It feels like Lamar breaks a record every time he ties his cleats, doesn't it? During the third quarter of Chargers vs Ravens 2023, Jackson hit the 5,000-career rushing yards mark.
He did it in just 82 games. For context, Michael Vick—the previous record holder for the fastest to that milestone—needed 104 games. Lamar wasn't even at his most explosive in this specific game, finishing with 177 passing yards and 39 rushing yards, but his mere presence on the field forced the Chargers' defense to play "hesitation" football.
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Why the Score Was Closer Than the Game
If you just looked at the box score, you’d think the Chargers were "right there." They were. Tight end Gerald Everett caught a 3-yard touchdown from Herbert late in the fourth to make it 13-10. For a few minutes, the crowd in Inglewood actually thought a comeback was brewing.
Then Justin Tucker did something he almost never does: he missed. A 44-yarder sailed wide left.
That gave the Chargers the ball at their own 34 with nearly three minutes left. This was the moment Justin Herbert is built for, right? Wrong. The Ravens' pass rush, led by Odafe Oweh and Broderick Washington, absolutely swarmed him. The drive ended with an intentional grounding penalty on 4th-and-6 because Herbert had no one to throw to and a face full of purple jerseys.
Breaking Down the Struggles
It’s easy to blame the coaching, and many fans did (this loss dropped Brandon Staley’s squad to 4-7). But look at the execution.
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- Keenan Allen had 14 catches for 106 yards, which looks great on a fantasy roster, but his uncharacteristic fumble in the second quarter set the tone.
- The Run Game was non-existent for LA. They finished with 86 yards, but most of that came from Herbert scrambling for his life.
- The Ravens Defense played "bend but don't break" to perfection. They allowed 217 passing yards but zero explosive plays over 35 yards.
Actionable Takeaways from the Week 12 Clash
Looking back at this game provides a blueprint for how the Ravens became the AFC’s top seed and why the Chargers eventually cleaned house.
For the Ravens: This game proved they could win ugly. When Lamar isn't tossing four touchdowns, the defense and a rookie playmaker like Flowers can carry the load. If you're betting on or analyzing Baltimore, look at their turnover margin; when they win the takeaway battle, they are nearly impossible to beat.
For the Chargers: This was the "Identity Crisis" game. It showed that relying entirely on Herbert’s arm without a reliable run game or ball security is a recipe for disaster.
If you're revisiting this matchup for historical context or scouting, pay attention to the "Ravens Zero Blitz." They used it on the final Chargers drive to force the grounding penalty. It’s a high-risk, high-reward strategy that Mike Macdonald (then the DC) used to perfection to stifle one of the best arms in the league.
To really understand the 2023 season, you have to realize the Ravens weren't just lucky; they were disciplined. The Chargers had more total yards (279 to Baltimore's 361—wait, actually the Ravens outgained them, let me check those stats—yeah, Ravens had 361 total yards), but the Chargers actually had more first downs for much of the game. It didn't matter. Efficiency and ball security won the night.
If you want to dive deeper into the stats, check out the official NFL Game Center for the full play-by-play. It's a masterclass in how to lose a game you probably should have kept competitive.