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Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff Writer
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Baltimore Ravens head into their bye atop the AFC by delivering one of their most decisive finishes this season.
In Sunday’s 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Ravens closed out the final two minutes with two fourth-down stands on defense and a 37-yard run by rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers.
Finishing games has been a problem for Baltimore (9-3) this season. All three losses have come when the Ravens had the lead in the fourth quarter, which is why Sunday’s victory represented a big moment.
“I thought the fourth quarter was a statement,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “We put an exclamation point on the fourth quarter.”
The Ravens defense recorded a season-high four takeaways and three sacks on Sunday night. Baltimore stepped up in the fourth quarter, stopping the Chargers on fourth down on their final two series with pressure from a blitzing cornerback Arthur Maulet on the first one and a pressure from outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney on the other.
The Ravens have allowed an NFL-best 15.5 points per game, their fewest through 12 games since 2006.
“The biggest thing is championship teams are built on great defense and defensive teams making those stops and covering for the offense,” Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. said. “That’s what I feel like happened [Sunday].”
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense struggled though most of the game. Baltimore only converted three points off three forced fumbles, and the Ravens were 4-of-13 on third downs.
It wasn’t until there was 1:36 remaining when the offense put the finishing touches on the game, with Flowers scoring on a 37-yard run off a jet sweep. Flowers became the first rookie in Ravens history with a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game.
“We need a lot more,” Jackson said. “If anything, I’ve been waiting on him to score multiple times in the game.”
With six weeks remaining, the Ravens currently have the top spot in the AFC. Their chances of earning the No. 1 seed are at 26%, which is second behind the Kansas City Chiefs (36%), according to ESPN Analytics.
“Getting into the Super Bowl is a goal, but we’re going to just take it a week at a time,” Jackson said. “That’s all we can do. We can’t worry about being the No. 1 seed or anything like that. It’s the NFL. Anything can happen.”