Chargers hold off Ravens in playoff opener
BALTIMORE — The Los Angeles Chargers kept Lamar Jackson grounded, and by the time the rookie got the passing game going it was too late for the Baltimore Ravens.
0LFKDHO %DGJOH\ NLFNHG ¿YH ¿HOG JRDOV and Los Angeles harassed and hounded Jackson during a 23-17 victory Sunday in the opening round of the NFL playoffs.
The Chargers (13-4) will next face the second-seeded New England Patriots (11-5) on the road Sunday. The Chargers last won two games during a single postseason in 2007, when the franchise was in San Diego.
Of course, going deep in the playoffs are old hat for the Patriots.
“Yeah, I mean, gosh, we know the run they’ve had,” Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. “It seems like forever. They’re always in these games and games beyond.”
Rivers went 22 for 32 for 160 yards for Los Angeles, providing just enough offense to help the Chargers get even for a 22-10 loss to Baltimore (10-7) just two weeks ago.
%DGJOH\ VHW D IUDQFKLVH UHFRUG IRU ¿HOG goals in a playoff game. He connected from 21, 53, 40, 34 and 47 yards.
The Chargers built a 23-3 lead in the fourth quarter before Jackson threw two touchdown passes to make it close. *LYHQ RQH ¿QDO FKDQFH WR FRPSOHWH WKH comeback, the 21-year-old looked every bit like the youngest quarterback to start an NFL playoff game when he lost the ball on his third fumble of the game.
-DFNVRQ ¿QLVKHG IRU IRU \DUGV with an interception. He was sacked seven times.
“I wasn’t playing my game today. ,¶P WLFNHG RII DERXW WKDW GH¿QLWHO\ ´ Jackson said.
The AFC North champion Ravens were PDNLQJ WKHLU ¿UVW SOD\RII DSSHDUDQFH since 2014 after Jackson led the team on a 6-1 season-ending run following an injury to long-time starter Joe Flacco.
In the days leading up to the game, Jackson — the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner — was lauded for the job he did to get Baltimore into the postseason. With the former Louisville star leading the way, the Ravens went on a tear by combining a time-consuming ground game with the league’s top-ranked defense.
-DFNVRQ ¿QLVKHG ZLWK \DUGV UXVKLQJ but he was booed by many in the crowd of 70, 432 after the Ravens fell behind by 20 points.