The last time that John Harbaugh and Jim Harbaugh’s teams faced one another was in Super Bowl 47 when John’s Baltimore Ravens staved off a furious comeback from Jim’s San Francisco 49ers to win the Lombardi Trophy.
More than 11 years later, the two again face off in a “Monday Night Football” showdown between two of the AFC’s top wild-card contenders.
Jim’s new team, the Los Angeles Chargers, hosts the Ravens for the pre-Thanksgiving “MNF” clash in Week 12. The two seven-win squads will battle to determine which has the inside track to the No. 5 seed, which could prove important if neither can climb to the top of their respective divisions.
The game has a familiarity that extends beyond just the Harbaugh brothers. Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter worked in Baltimore before becoming a part of Jim’s NFL coaching comeback. The same is true of Los Angeles running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards.
The old saying goes that familiarity breeds contempt, so this showdown could be a window into what could develop into one of the NFL’s more intriguing rivalries.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Here’s what to know for tonight’s “Monday Night Football” game:
OPINION:Jets should split with Aaron Rodgers – right now – as next move in teardown
In Week 12, the Chargers (7-3) will host the Ravens (7-4) on “Monday Night Football.”
Both teams are coming off hard-fought games against AFC North opponents, but Los Angeles beat the Cincinnati Bengals 34-27 in its Week 11 game. Conversely, the Ravens fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 18-16.
The Ravens are a tough test for the Chargers’ top-ranked scoring defense. Los Angeles allows a league-low 14.5 points per game, but Baltimore is scoring 30.4 points per game, which is good for second-most in the NFL. The Chargers had trouble slowing Joe Burrow down in the second half last week and allowed a season-high 27 points to the Bengals. Lamar Jackson should be expected to post similarly strong numbers and make this a high-scoring contest.
Of course, Justin Herbert has been playing at a top-tier level for the Chargers recently, so he could turn this game into an offensive showdown. The Ravens have the NFL’s worst passing defense, so Herbert should be able to get Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston open for deep plays during this contest.
The Ravens have played in higher-scoring games than the Chargers this season, so one would presume that type of contest would benefit Baltimore. Still, Jim Harbaugh will be motivated to exact revenge upon his brother for his loss in Super Bowl 47. The younger Harbaugh brother has never beaten his older counterpart, so that will give the Chargers extra motivation throughout this game.
Either way, this potential playoff preview has the makings of an entertaining Week 12 closer. It should get NFL fans in the right mood for Thanksgiving while further clarifying the AFC playoff picture.
ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” will begin at 8:15 p.m. ET in Week 12. The game is being played in Los Angeles, so it will be 5:15 p.m. locally when the contest kicks off.
ESPN’s Joe Buck (play-by-play) and Troy Aikman (game analyst) will call the game on ESPN. Lisa Salters will continue to serve as the broadcast’s main sideline reporter. Laura Rutledge, who has worked in tandem with Salters as a sideline reporter, figures to join her for this marquee Week 12 clash.
Pre and post-game analysis for “Monday Night Football” will occur in the ESPN studio with analysts Adam Schefter, Alex Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Ryan Clark, Marcus Spears, and Jason Kelce.
NFL THANKSGIVING GAMES:What NFL games are on Thanksgiving? Teams, matchups for the three games in 2024
ESPN and ABC will air “Monday Night Football” in Week 12. ESPN is the typical home of the program but ABC – which is owned by parent company Disney – has simulcast several NFL games during the 2024 season.
Fans who prefer to stream football games can watch “MNF” with an ESPN+ subscription or with Fubo, which offers a seven-day free trial.
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
