The Baltimore Ravens will be without a key defender for Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Chargers.
For the first time in his Ravens career, Roquan Smith will miss a game. The linebacker is dealing with a hamstring injury and was listed as questionable leading up to the Primetime matchup. Now, he’s been ruled out, per Adam Schefter.
The Ravens haven’t been the best defensive team this season. They’re 25th in total yards allowed but their run defense has thrived, which definitely has to do with Smith’s dominance. The All-Pro has 110 total tackles and 61 solo tackles. That includes three for loss and one interception. He’s played in 94% of the team’s defensive snaps.
Smith is a player who will be missed. The Chargers also playing very well at the moment, winning four in a row. Baltimore could’ve used him against LA’s Justin Herbert-led offense. The Bolts also have a solid running back room led by JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards. The Ravens will need to slow them down in this Week 12 contest.
With Smith sidelined, Malik Harrison will see more playing time as one of the Ravens’ main linebackers. He’s a good option as well, tallying 24 tackles this season. The Ravens really need a win here after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11. A victory could move them closer to first place in the AFC North.
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Baltimore was held to just 16 points last Sunday, which is unheard of for this offense in ’24. Lamar Jackson and Co. won’t have it easy against the Chargers’ stout defense, but the Ravens haven’t lost back-to-back games since the beginning of the season. Derrick Henry is also due for another big game.
Kick-off is scheduled for 5:15 PM PST at SoFi Stadium. The Ravens are a very slim road favorite as they look to improve to 8-4 on the year.
Quinn Allen is a Senior Associate Editor with ClutchPoints. He specializes mainly in soccer, basketball, and baseball. When Quinn isn’t producing content for CP, he’s writing sports betting predictions for numerous sites across North America.