The Baltimore Ravens have been marred by injuries to tons of players throughout the year, but two names that have missed some time over the past couple of months have returned to practice.
Conveniently, they're both All-Pros: Ronnie Stanley and Marlon Humphrey.
Stanley (knee) is the anchor of the Ravens' offensive line, and given how the Chargers pass rush has played against frothy offensive lines, the absence of Stanley would've been a huge advantage for the Bolts coming off of the edge.
Further, he opens up the outside run game greatly, which is a major boost for Baltimore, but a major problem for the Chargers. Given the Bolts' tendency to give up big plays, improved blocking on the outside would lead to much more opportunity for the Ravens to get their running backs the ball into space.
Humphrey (calf) is a shutdown corner that plays a big role for the Baltimore defense. Their corner talent isn't great, and to combat the elite inside-outside threat that Keenan Allen is, Humphrey's presence will be much appreciated.
For Baltimore and per Ryan Mink of baltimoreravens.com, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder), cornerback Arthur Maulet (illness), and tight end Mark Andrews (ankle), all missed practice, with Andrews being expected to miss the rest of the season.
With a top 3-5 player on the Ravens roster out for the foreseeable future, even with Stanley and Humphrey returning, the Chargers' odds of winning this game are much higher. Let's see how the Baltimore offense operates without its best skill player, while simultaneously seeing if the Chargers' defense ever plans to improve, any time soon.
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