The Chargers are locked in for Monday night's showdown with the Ravens.

Kickoff on Monday Night Football is at 5:15 p.m. (PT).

The Bolts are 3-point underdogs and the over/under for Sunday's game is 50.5 points.

Here are five final thoughts ahead of Week 12:

1. Battle of elite AFC teams

It's the game we've all been waiting for.

When the Chargers schedule came out in May, the Week 12 primetime showdown against the Ravens was surely one that many circled on their calendars.

For good reason.

Of course, there's The Harbaugh Bowl as Jim and John get set to square off for the third time in their respective careers.

The game also features a pair of elite quarterbacks in Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson, both of whom belong in the MVP conversation.

But don't forget that this is also a battle of two AFC teams that have aspirations of a deep playoff run and would be in the postseason if the season ended today.

"There's playoff implications, there's a lot of things around the game and it's also a big game," Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter said. "If you throw out [the Harbaugh] storyline and you just focus on the game, it's just a great challenge."

The Chargers turned some heads last week with a thrilling 34-27 win in primetime over the Bengals.

As the national buzz grows around the Bolts, players talked this week about staying even-keeled and focusing on the task at hand.

"It's a product of all the hard work that we put in," Justin Herbert said. "But at the same time, we have to focus up and realize that there's a lot of football left.

"To be where we want to be, to keep going where we want to go, this the most important stretch and it starts with the Ravens," Herbert added.

Alohi Gilman added: "I feel like everyone's done a good job. It's like a healthy balance of being confident in what we got going on and building upon a strong foundation, which we have. And at the same time, feeling like we still have a lot to prove. Everyone's really confident. A big win last week obviously is another confidence booster, but it's a week-to-week league and you've got to prove yourself every week."

Still, a Bolts win over the Ravens in the national spotlight would likely cement the Chargers as a team that will need to be taken seriously came January.

Harbaugh praised his team for the work ethic and attention to detail this week.

And even though there are a plethora of storylines heading into Monday night, the Chargers Head Coach said Week 12 is simply another rung on the ladder this season.

"Accolades could come from people you don't know, could come from the media, could come from your teammates, could come from friends, could come from your own family," Harbaugh said. "They're trying to make you soft. Kick 'em in the shins."

A victory would mean the Chargers first five-game win streak since 2018.

"We're just focused on continuing to separate [in the AFC] and get to five in a row," Joey Bosa said.

"Every game, like I've been saying, is a huge game this time of the year," Bosa added. "We don't really have any chance for missteps here, especially with kind of the goals we've set and where we're trying to get as a team."

2. Will the Bolts air it out?

Herbert has been letting it rip this season, as he leads the NFL with eight touchdown passes of 20-plus yards. (He only had five such scores in 2023).

Herbert has been consistent, too, as he's the league's only quarterback to post a passer rating of 90.0 or higher in every game this season.

"His talent, the effort that he puts in. Everything that you can say good about a quarterback and then some," Harbaugh said. "Talent and effort, and then intangibles that are off the charts. Any measurable you can have for a quarterback, tangible or intangible, he possesses at the elite, highest level."

Chargers Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman added: "When he's on fire, we're going to ride that pony."

Could we see another big game through the air Monday?

Baltimore's defense currently ranks last in the NFL by allowing 284.5 passing yards per game. The Ravens are also 28th in EPA allowed per dropback at 0.151.

Baltimore is second in rushing yards allowed per game (77.5) and are also second in EPA allowed per rush (-0.210).

"The defense is really great, one of the great run walls," Harbaugh said. "Consistently great."

Roman didn't bite on the notion the Ravens are susceptible in the secondary. Especially after the Ravens allowed just 205 passing yards in Week 11.

"The thing I would say is, I would look at the last game because things change in this league in a hurry," Roman said. "I know how these guys operate and if there's a problem, they're going to fix it and they're going to spend every waking hour trying to fix it and get it the way they want it.

"As I told the players, whatever you see on film, it might look, this, that or the other, they're going to try to fix whatever that was and you're going to see a better version of it," Roman added. "We know we got our work cut out for us, run and pass. They're a tremendous run defense and as you saw last week, I don't think Pittsburgh got in end zone. I think it's trending up over there."

Joshua Palmer added: "They fly around, an aggressive team. They play with passion so we have to match that intensity."

Keep an eye on how the Ravens deploy All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, who is 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds and has lined up for more than 500 snaps in the box and in the slot.

"He's really big. He's like 6-foot-4. He's definitely uncommon for a nickel [cornerback] to be 6-4," Palmer said. "We have to match that physicality … but at the end of the day, still play our game."

Palmer later added: "I feel like we're making our strides, the receiver core especially. But I feel like we have a lot more left in the tank. We're coming along."

3. Prepping for Derrick Henry

Jackson, the 2023 NFL MVP, once again leads all quarterbacks in EPA per play at 0.283.

"The most electric quarterback in the history of the National Football League," Minter said.

Minter said Baltimore's offense could be the biggest challenge the Bolts face all season.

"They led the league in rushing last year … and then you add the bell cow running back," Minter said. "And, by the way, he's 6-foot-4 and 250 [pounds]. Just another element to their offense. They have first-round star players all over their offense."

Oh yeah, that guy.

"It's Derrick Henry," Gilman said.

Henry leads the league with 1,185 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging 6.0 yards per carry.

The Chargers faced Henry each of the past two seasons when he was in Tennessee.

"He's a physical runner and he brings that dynamic where he can take any run to the house," Gilman said. "There's some backs who you respect a lot and then there's some backs that you know have that ability, and he's one of those guys. You have to be on it with him and you can't take any down lightly with him."

Derwin James, Jr. added: "All 11 on defense. You need every man. There's no 10-on-11. You need all 11-on-11 at all times."

4. Dye ready for potential bigger role

The Bolts could turn to Troy Dye to start at linebacker next to Daiyan Henley on Monday night.

Starter Denzel Perryman is out with a groin injury and Junior Colson is still on Injured Reserve.

Enter Dye, who was previously with Chargers Special Teams Coordinator Ryan Ficken in Minnesota and was a key offseason addition.

"When you look at Troy on tape, I thought, 'This guy can play football, he can play linebacker.' He started multiple games last year in Minnesota over his four years there … [Ficken] knew his past and really wanted him from a team standpoint," Minter said.

"But we want this guy on defense too," Minter added. "A versatile linebacker that could play multiple spots for us, is a pro who knows how to prepare. He may or may not get reps at times but he knows how to stay prepared, how to stay mentally into it."

Dye stepped in for Perryman in the second half in Week 11 and played 27 total snaps.

"I feel like I played pretty well," Dye said. "There's a couple of plays that I want back … but just glad that the coaches have a little bit of trust and faith in me to go out there and execute at a high level."

"Just looking forward to again this week and hopefully go out there and hold on my own and doing what I need to do for the team and do my own level," Dye added.

Dye, who played with Herbert at Oregon, has appeared in 70 games with eight starts in his career. His athletic traits could come into play as the Bolts try to slow down Jackson with the ball.

"I've started in this league before in Minnesota so I know what it takes to play," Dye said. "I'm excited for it and ready for the challenge if the opportunity does come my way.

"But every week you go and prepare like you're going to play as a starter because you never know what's going to happen," Dye added.

5. Minter's respect for Baltimore

The connections are aplenty this week between the Chargers and Ravens.

In fact, the Bolts have 16 members of their organization who used to either play, coach or work in Baltimore.

Minter has received national praise for his turnaround of the Bolts defense, but his NFL roots began in Baltimore under John Harbaugh.

"Love that man," Minter said.

Minter spent a total of four seasons, three as a defensive assistant (2017-19) and one as defensive backs coach in 2020.

"I have great memories of that place," Minter said. "I have great feelings about the people there."

If anyone knows what the Bolts are in store for Monday night, it's the Chargers Defensive Coordinator.

"You know how they're going to play," Minter said. "We talk about how we're going to play being so important … they're going to be tough, physical, relentless. They're going to have answers, they're going to be well coached."