Chargers vs. Ravens: Postgame Grades, Notes and Quotes for Baltimore

The Baltimore Ravens played host to the San Diego Chargers in a Week 8 matchup of two teams looking to end losing streaks amid disappointing seasons.

Baltimore entered this game on a three-game losing streak and a 1-6 record during which all six losses came by one score. San Diego came into this one with a 2-5 record and four losses coming by one score.

Needless to say, both teams could and should have come into this matchup with better records and still in the hunt for a playoff spot. Instead, this was a game in which both clubs were simply trying to get back to winning ways and salvage lost seasons. 

The Ravens opened the game with a pair of solid offense drives that netted them two Justin Tucker field goals. It was done with a nice mix of passes and runs that garnered big plays, highlighted by a 46-yard catch by Steve Smith. 

Baltimore led 6-3 as the first quarter ended, but from there, the secondary began breaking down and allowing big play after big play as this game turned into a quarterback duel. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers began heating up before hitting Malcom Floyd for a 13-yard touchdown to give his team a 10-6 lead. 

Joe Flacco answered by leading the Ravens down the field before hitting Crockett Gillmore for a three-yard score to give Baltimore a 13-10 lead.

Rivers would guide the Chargers right back down the field before halftime and hit Keenan Allen for a 13-yard score to give the Chargers a 16-13 lead at the break after kicker Josh Lambo missed the extra point. 

The Ravens would open the second half with a promising drive that ended in another field goal to tie the game at 16-all. Rivers and the Chargers would again respond after he threw a 70-yard bomb to Floyd to give San Diego a 23-16 lead after the extra point.

After the Ravens got another field goal, the fourth quarter began with the Ravens trailing 23-19. This could have been yet another one-possession loss, but despite more adversity, this fourth quarter would belong to the Ravens.

It didn't exactly get off to a great start as both teams traded punts before Flacco was finally able to lead the Ravens down the field with five minutes left thanks to Jeremy Ross' punt return down to the Chargers 38-yard line.

Six plays later, Flacco snuck it in from the 1-yard line to give the Ravens a 26-23 lead. Rivers would again respond and lead the chargers back down the field, but Baltimore's defense managed to hold them to a field goal to tie the game at 26-all with 2:27 left.

The next drive saw Flacco complete big passes to Chris Givens and Kamar Aiken while Justin Forsett ripped off an 11-yard run. All of this and a pass interference penalty on the Chargers got Baltimore down to the 21-yard line, where Justin Tucker would hit the game-winning 39-yard field goal. 

The win ended Baltimore's three-game losing streak and put it at 2-6 on the season. While there's still a lot of work to be done, a win is a win, and this team fought hard to earn this one. 

Postgame Grades for Ravens

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Position	Grade
QB	B+
RB	C+
WR	B-
TE	C+
OL	B-
DL	B
LB	B
DB	D+
Special Teams	A
Coaching	B

This was a good performance by the offense as a whole, but too many missed chances and stalled drives led to field goals that could have been touchdowns. 

Joe Flacco looked good at times and shaky at others. He threw a pass right to Chargers corner Jason Verrett that was dropped that easily could have been a pick-six.

Flacco would finish the game with 319 yards passing and two touchdowns (1 rushing), including a go-ahead score on a QB sneak late in the fourth quarter. He wasn't always great, but Flacco was great when the Ravens needed it most. 

The real story on offense was receiver Steve Smith Sr., who caught five passes for 82 yards, including a 46-yard grab that set up a field goal. It looked like Smith was on pace for a monster game, but then the unthinkable happened.

The injury came late in the third quarter after Smith caught a pass and went down awkwardly. After sitting on the field for a minute, Smith was carried off the field putting no weight on his right leg and was later ruled out for the game. 

With him out, no other Ravens receiver stepped up, which crippled the Ravens offense in the second half. Gillmore did catch a touchdown, but he finished with just two catches for eight yards. 

The ground game was off and on in this game and really struggled in the second half. Running back Justin Forsett did have a solid game with 69 yards on 17 carries, but rookie Javorius "Buck" Allen gained just one yard on four carries. 

On defense, it was the same old song and dance as the Ravens did great stopping the run but struggled mightily at defending the pass. The front seven held the Chargers to just 81 yards rushing, and inside linebacker Daryl Smith was all over the place en route to a 14-tackle performance.

However, neither he nor the rest of the front seven did much in helping the secondary stop the pass. Baltimore had just one sack in this game, but it did have six QB hits, five of which came from the front seven.

It wasn't enough to keep Rivers and the Chargers at bay as he threw for 301 yards and three scores with no turnovers. Thankfully for Baltimore, it was enough to get a hard-fought win.

Steve Smith Tears Achilles; John Harbaugh Unsure If This Is End

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Even when the Ravens get a big win, they suffer a brutal loss.

That came in the form of star wide receiver Steve Smith Sr., who had five catches for 82 yards, including a 46-yard grab that set up a field goal in the first half. However, Smith was injured in the third quarter after catching a pass, being tackled by his ankle and landing awkwardly.

Smith would remain on the ground for a minute in clear pain, and when he eventually got off, he was carried off the field putting no weight on his right leg. He was later ruled out, and it was obvious something serious had happened.

Head coach John Harbaugh announced after the game that Smith suffered a torn Achilles. That's a devastating injury not only for a receiver-deficient Ravens team, but for Smith, who may have just played his final game.

The 36-year-old Smith originally announced this summer that 2015 would be his final season before retiring in 2016. However, Harbaugh isn't so sure this is the end for Smith. 

"I have a feeling Steve Smith will be back," Harbaugh said after the game. "I love him, respect him and admire him. I told him that. That's the kind of man he is. He'll be back."

That's a pretty strong statement by Harbaugh, given how adamant Smith has been about retiring. Still, with no other clear-cut receivers on the roster now or in the long term, the Ravens could certainly use Smith next year if he comes back. 

Whatever happens, Smith's 2015 season is over, and it will be hard for an already-limited Ravens offense to move on without him. 

Left Tackle Is a Major Issue

Nick Wass/Associated Press

The Ravens were already behind the eight ball coming into this game with starting left tackle Eugene Monroe out with a shoulder injury. 

This marked the fourth time Monroe has missed a game this season and left Baltimore without a reliable blindside protector. He's now missed 10 games since the 2013 season, when Monroe was traded from the Jaguars to the Ravens.

You can't have your left tackle and blindside protector missing that much time, and it's really hurt Baltimore. What's made it worse is that it doesn't have a capable backup behind Monroe.

Second-year man James Hurst got the start at left tackle and proceeded to get destroyed in this game. He ended up allowing two sacks, both of which came in Chargers territory. 

Both of those sacks led to field goals on drives that could have ended in touchdowns and allowed the Ravens to easily win this game. That's how big of an impact Monroe not playing had. 

Whatever happens, Baltimore has to find a better option at left tackle, whether it means finding a better backup, or finding a more durable guy to start there full-time. 

Starting Center Jeremy Zuttah Injured

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

The Ravens could not afford an injury to another starting offensive lineman, but that's exactly what happened in this one.

Jeremy Zuttah suffered a shoulder injury in the second half that led to him not playing the rest of the game. That led to backup guard John Urschel having to play the rest of the way there.

It was less than ideal given that Urschel, a fifth-round pick from the 2014 NFL draft, had rarely played to this point, and most of his snaps had come at guard.

With him now playing center, Urschel did just enough to help Baltimore get the win. But even snapping the ball was an adventure for him. He had several erratic snaps, including one that Flacco was unable to get and had to fall on for a loss.

It's never good when a backup at another position has to play a position as important as center. Zuttah knows that's the case. As he told the Baltimore Sun's Jon Meoli, snapping the ball is "tougher than it looks."

Hopefully, Zuttah's injury isn't major and he can return soon. If he can't, though, Baltimore needs to start looking for another center who can at least back up Urschel if it determines he's the best option. 

Jerry Rosburg Draws Praise for Special Teams Game Plan

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

A big reason why Baltimore won this game was due to the play of the special teams. 

Kicker Justin Tucker converted all five of his field goals, four of which came from 39 yards or beyond. That included the game winner with time expiring to give Baltimore just its second win this season.

Punter Sam Koch consistently pinned the Chargers with big punts, including a 60-yarder and 62-yarder. The special teams also did great in terms of kickoff and punt coverage, as well as some nice returns by Ravens returners.

Newly-signed running back Raheem Mostert had a nice 33-yard return on a kickoff, but it was receiver Jeremy Ross' late in the fourth quarter that was most critical. It came with 7:42 left as Ross caught a punt and took it 17 yards to the Chargers 38-yard line.

The Ravens would score a touchdown on the drive to take the lead before eventually winning on Tucker's 39-yard field goal as time expired. While all of the those plays were big, it was Ravens special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg who is getting the praise. 

As Koch told the Meoli, Rosburg did a great job of putting players in positions to make those crucial plays that helped Baltimore earn a much-needed win. 

“Congrats to Tucker and us, but Jerry Rosburg deserves the credit," Koch said. He did a very good job of putting us in the right situations every time today.

“We were excited to give him the game ball, and well deserved. Special teams came up and showed well today. It helped the win and Jerry deserves it. He’s such a great coach and puts so much heart and his soul into each and every player that we have here.

"He demands the best, and wants the respect that he deserves.”

Rosburg has been a big reason why Baltimore has had a great special teams unit every year since he joined the team in 2008. It's good to see him finally getting some much-deserved praise for his work.