The Chargers continue their quest for their first win of the season against a familiar foe, traveling to meet former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter in his new digs as the Ravens head coach.
Here's a few reasons to be pessimistic about a win for Los Angeles.
Awkward reunion
Jim Harbaugh and Minter will lead the ticket on Monday, but the Chargers also will be re-incorporating linebacker, team captain, and defensive signal-caller Daiyan Henley into the defense this week after LA initially agreed to trade him to the Broncos for a 2027 4th and 2028 5th round pick. Denver failed Henley on his physical and the two sides were unable to come to a revised deal, so Henley got back on the plane to his native Los Angeles and returned to the Chargers late Wednesday night.
He did not practice on Thursday and Harbaugh acknowledged the emotional toll the situation has likely taken on Henley. What does the Chargers defense look like as Henley gets back in the mix?
Continued injuries
LA's offense has been nearly inoperable without Ladd McConkey this season, and the third-year receiver suffered back spasms in pregame warmups and is now back on the injury report. McConkey did not practice Thursday because of the issue, and although he's day-to-day, it's hard to imagine the Chargers getting his best on Monday. Add a shoulder injury for wide receiver Tre' Harris (limited), an ankle injury for guard Branson Taylor (did not practice), a hip injury for running back Keaton Mitchell (limited), and continued issues for rookie wide receiver Brenen Thompson (hamstring) and guard Kayode Awosika (fibula), and LA still looks remarkably banged up on offense. Defense isn't much better - all told, the Chargers had 16 players on the injury report on Thursday.
Defensive style
The Chargers are not keen on loading the box defensively, which has caused problems against the league's better run games this season. While Baltimore has struggled up front with injuries and poor play, the Ravens still have Derrick Henry in the backfield, and asking Chargers defenders to tackle him one-on-one will be a tall task. In the pass game, wide receiver Zay Flowers has been dynamite after the catch for the Ravens, but Chris O'Leary's unit is happy to play off zone coverage to allow catches but limit explosives. Against a receiver like Flowers, that could lead to some gashes after the catch.
Returning secondary players
Some of Baltimore's defensive struggles in the last three games have come from facing three high-powered offenses (Cincinnati, Buffalo, and Jacksonville), but the Ravens have also dealt with injuries to cornerback Nate Wiggins and safeties Kyle Hamilton and Jaylinn Hawkins during that stretch. All three of those players were able to practice in some capacity on Thursday, however, with only Hawkins (knee) limited. With the Chargers hurting on offense and Baltimore getting healthier, it might set up for a resurgent Ravens performance as Minter looks to bury his former team.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: 4 causes for concern for Chargers against the Ravens in Week 10
