What Happened: Year 1 in Los Angeles started slowly if not encouragingly for Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers. Two wins in four games and not a ton of points. Felt about right all around.

Now, the Bolts are 7-3 with a trip back to the postseason all but assured. Entering Monday Night Football on a 4-game winning streak, it appears that Harbaugh’s team is leveling up at just the right time.

Why It Matters: One constant so far this season has been the Chargers’ defense, which is allowing a league-low 14.5 points per game, more than two points fewer than Detroit in second.

Over the last few weeks, however, it’s been the offense opening eyes. It seems that Harbaugh is finally ready to unleash Justin Herbert.

Los Angeles’ offense has scored 26 points or more in four straight games, after having done that just once across its first six games. It’s no coincidence that Herbert is throwing the ball more as Harbaugh leans more and more into the aerial attack.

Of course, tonight’s opponent has no problem throwing the ball itself. The Ravens’ 7-4 record has been fueled not by the team’s defense as in years past, but because of Lamar Jackson’s brilliance orchestrating the offense.

If both quarterbacks are on their game, we could even get a high-scoring affair, something the Chargers have largely avoided this season. Eight of Baltimore’s 10 games have gone over the projected total; just three of LA’s have, although two have come in the last two weeks.

Playoff positioning is a major factor in this matchup pitting one Harbaugh brother against the other. If Jim’s team does succeed, the victory might not look like some of the season’s others, but it will count in the standings all the same.