OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter won a national championship together at the college level, then led the Los Angeles Chargers to back-to-back playoff appearances.
Now they're opponents, each in charge of his own team. And 2026 hasn't been easy for either.
“I know he’s really motivated to get his team prepared. We’re really motivated to get our team prepared,” Harbaugh said. “It’ll be opposing wills meeting Monday night.”
When Minter's Baltimore Ravens host Harbaugh's Los Angeles Chargers, it will be a reunion for the two coaches. Minter was Harbaugh's defensive coordinator on Michigan's title-winning staff in 2023, then followed him to the Chargers. Los Angeles won 11 games in each of the past two seasons, but then Minter left to take over the Ravens and now the Chargers are 0-8.
The Ravens (4-5) haven't been much better of late. They've lost four straight and are set to start their fourth quarterback in the past four weeks.
The last time these teams faced each other, in 2024, it was a matchup between Jim Harbaugh and his brother John. Now John is coaching the New York Giants, but Chargers-Ravens still includes plenty of familiarity — and two coaches who can relate to each other during a tough season.
“I love Jim Harbaugh, and a lot of people in that building,” Minter said. “They’re going to work. They’re going to keep their head down. They’re going to search for improvement. They’re going to try to find things each week that they can get better at and try to get better at them. I think he’s a leader through adversity.”
Baltimore has already had to put quarterbacks Lamar Jackson (thumb) and Tyler Huntley (toe) on injured reserve. Rookie Joe Fagnano started last week in a Thursday night loss to Jacksonville, but the Ravens traded for veteran Jacoby Brissett in the hopes of righting the ship with another primetime game coming up.
The Ravens will also have their third kicker in three weeks. Tyler Loop (groin) went on IR and was replaced by Jake Moody against the Jaguars. Then Atlanta signed Moody off Baltimore's practice squad, and the Ravens brought in Riley Patterson and Harrison Mevis as kicking options.
“It means a lot. This is a great organization. The Ravens are very historic,” Patterson said. “A lot of great players have come and played through here, a lot of great kickers. So, I’m excited for the opportunity.”
There have been few positives for the Chargers, but at least they still have their No. 1 quarterback. Justin Herbert took eight sacks in a loss to Houston last weekend, and he was taken out late in the game with what appeared to be an issue with his non-throwing hand, but imaging came back negative and he's expected to play against Baltimore.
“He should be good to go,” Harbaugh said.
Los Angeles Chargers (0-8) at Baltimore (4-5).
When/where to watch: Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ESPN.
Latest odds: Ravens by 4 1/2.
Against the spread: Chargers 0-7-1; Ravens 2-7.
Last week: Chargers lost to the Texans 44-22; Ravens lost to the Jaguars 33-10.
Last meeting: Ravens beat the Chargers 30-23 on Nov. 25, 2024, in Inglewood, California.
Series record: Ravens lead 10-6.
Baltimore's pass rush against the Chargers' offensive line. The Ravens have struggled to get consistent pressure — even after adding Trey Hendrickson in the offseason. But Herbert has already been sacked 31 times, and Baltimore will be ready to try to add to that total.
— The Chargers have turned the ball over 19 times. They have multiple turnovers in five straight games.
— Los Angeles went 37 consecutive offensive drives without a touchdown before finally scoring one in the fourth quarter against Houston.
— The Ravens have been outscored 84-10 in the second half over the past four games.
— Baltimore has lost six of its last seven at home, with three of the defeats coming at night.
— Calais Campbell of the Ravens needs two tackles for loss to become the first NFL player to reach 200 since the stat was first officially tracked in 2008.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter looks on first half against the Buffalo Bills during an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
Pete Crow-Armstrong had a majestic all-around season for the Chicago Cubs. Yordan Alvarez was an offensive force for the Houston Astros.
When it comes to the 2026 MVP awards, two players cleared the field.
Crow-Armstrong won the NL honor on Thursday, and Alvarez slugged his way to the AL prize. The winners were unanimous selections in each league in the same year for the third time, joining 2023 (Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuña Jr.) and 2024 (Aaron Judge and Ohtani).
“It seems like everybody else had a good feeling that I was going to win this besides me, really,” Alvarez said through an interpreter. “So when I heard the name, again that’s when the emotion came out and the feeling was amazing.”
Crow-Armstrong set career highs by batting .280 with 45 homers, 107 RBIs and 41 steals in 162 games. He tied Kyle Schwarber for the major league lead in home runs, and he led the NL in runs (119), slugging percentage (.570) and OPS (.942).
The center fielder also was one of the majors’ premier defensive players. The Southern California native won his second Gold Glove, and he led the majors with 26 Outs Above Average and 23 Runs Prevented, according to Baseball Savant.
“I still don’t feel satisfied with what I put out, with the product that I put on the field this year,” Crow-Armstrong said. “And it sounds so melancholy, but I’m so happy being able to say this because I really just, I know there’s more. I've decided there's more. That’s how I got here.”
Crow-Armstrong, 24, played in the postseason each of the past two years, but the Cubs were eliminated each time.
“Success in my eyes is being called a winner,” he said, “and I’m not necessarily there yet.”
Crow-Armstrong received all 30 first-place votes in balloting from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Ohtani was second after the four-time MVP was hampered by injuries this year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang was third.
Alvarez led the majors in batting average and finished in a tie for second in the AL in homers and second by himself in RBIs, trailing Pete Alonso’s 43 homers and 113 RBIs for Baltimore.
The four-time All-Star played in just 48 games last year because of injuries.
“Everybody knows what happened last year,” Alvarez said. “So yes, that was on my mind. I was anxious to get back to this season and now we see where that ended up here with an MVP award.”
Alvarez was Houston’s primary designated hitter, but his offensive brilliance was enough to overcome his limited contributions on defense. The four-time All-Star also led the majors in walks (109), on-base percentage (.432) and slugging percentage (.601).
The 29-year-old Alvarez became the first AL MVP from Houston since Jose Altuve in 2017. Tampa Bay third baseman Junior Caminero was second in the AL balloting, and Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. finished third.
Caminero batted .276 with 42 homers and 101 RBIs for the Rays, becoming the highest finisher in the MVP race in franchise history.
“Obviously, this time it was my opportunity to win it, my time to win,” Alvarez said, “but I wouldn’t be surprised if he very soon, that the award’s going to him.”
Alvarez broke into the majors with Houston in 2019. He hit .313 with 27 homers and 78 RBIs in just 87 games, earning the AL Rookie of the Year award.
Alvarez was the ALCS MVP in 2021 and helped the Astros to the 2022 World Series championship. He is a .300 hitter with 212 homers and 599 RBIs in eight big league seasons.
Crow-Armstrong, who agreed to a $115 million, six-year contract in March, is the first NL MVP from the Cubs since Kris Bryant in 2016.
Crow-Armstrong was selected by the New York Mets in the first round of the 2020 amateur draft. He was traded to Chicago in the Javier Báez deal in July 2021.
He had a breakout season last year, helping the Cubs qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and batting .247 with 31 homers, 95 RBIs and 35 steals in 157 games.
The left-handed batter made significant strides at the plate in his fourth season, namely against lefties. He hit .280 against southpaws in 2026 after that number was .188 last year.
“It’s funny that everybody seems to be talking about the offense,” Crow-Armstrong said. “That wasn’t always the case. I feel like I’ve spent the last five years of professional baseball trying to prove to people that I was more than a glove-first player.”
See AP’s full MLB coverage here
FILE - Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) is congratulated by manager Craig Counsell after hitting a two-run home run during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves in Chicago, Sept. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
FILE - Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong rounds third base on his way to scoring during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Sept. 20, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar, File)
FILE - Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez (44) bats against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a baseball game in San Francisco, Aug. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn, File)
FILE - Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez celebrates after hitting a grand slam against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning of a baseball game on June 30, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
FILE - Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, center, celebrates after his grand slam against the Athletics during the second inning of a baseball game, June 6, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith, File)
