It's a rare two-game week for Mike Tirico, as NBC broadcasted the 49ers' Thanksgiving win over the Seahawks on Thursday and jumps right back into the action with "Sunday Night Football" this weekend.
The Ravens, newly-minted leaders of the AFC at 8-3, travel to Los Angeles to face the struggling Chargers in a prime-time battle that will have ramifications for both teams.
Quarterback Justin Herbert is coming off back-to-back strong outings, but the Chargers didn't win either game. Los Angeles' defense struggled mightily against both the Lions and Packers, while Herbert's receivers had some tough moments as well. None were more impactful than a crucial drop by Quentin Johnston late in the loss to Green Bay.
The storyline entering Sunday isn't whether Herbert can match Lamar Jackson, but whether his supporting cast can rise to the challenge against one of the NFL's best teams. Tirico will be on the call when we find out the answer to that question, but he'll be joined by a new partner in the booth.
MORE: Why Jason Garrett joined NBC as analyst in 2022
Here's what you need to know about why Jason Garrett is calling Ravens vs. Chargers alongside Tirico.
Why is Jason Garrett calling Ravens vs. Chargers?
Cris Collinsworth is taking the night off during this holiday weekend, so Garrett will fill in as his replacement alongside Tirico.
This isn't the first time Collinsworth has sat out one of NBC's two games during Thanksgiving weekend. In 2022, Tirico called the prime-time Thanksgiving matchup between the Vikings and the Patriots alongside Garrett and Tony Dungy while Collinsworth took the holiday off.
Collinsworth opted to spend Thanksgiving in the broadcast booth this year, calling the NFC West showdown in Seattle on Thursday night, but he'll take the rest of the weekend off before jumping back into the booth next Sunday night in Green Bay.
As for Garrett, he joined NBC in multiple roles in 2022. The former Cowboys coach and Giants offensive coordinator initially served as a USFL broadcaster for NBC before becoming a part of NBC's Notre Dame broadcast crew and joining the network's "Sunday Night Football" studio coverage for the 2022 season.
Garrett has remained in the studio for "Sunday Night Football" this season, but he's next in line to step in for Collinsworth in Los Angeles. Dungy has also filled in for Collinsworth in the past, but it will be a two-man booth with Tirico and Garrett at SoFi Stadium.
MORE: Could the Chargers fire Brandon Staley?
Sunday Night Football Schedule 2023
| Week | Date | Matchup/Result |
| 1 | Sept. 7 (Thu.) | Lions 21, Chiefs 20 |
| 1 | Sept. 10 | Cowboys 40, Giants 0 |
| 2 | Sept. 17 | Dolphins 24, Patriots 17 |
| 3 | Sept. 24 | Steelers 23, Raiders 18 |
| 4 | Oct. 1 | Chiefs 23, Jets 20 |
| 5 | Oct. 8 | 49ers 42, Cowboys 10 |
| 6 | Oct. 15 | Bills 14, Giants 9 |
| 7 | Oct. 22 | Eagles 31, Dolphins 13 |
| 8 | Oct. 29 | Chargers 30, Bears 13 |
| 9 | Nov. 5 | Bengals 24, Bills 18 |
| 10 | Nov. 12 | Raiders 16, Jets 12 |
| 11 | Nov. 19 | Broncos 21, Vikings 20 |
| 12 | Nov. 23 (Thu.) | 49ers 31, Seahawks 13 |
| 12 | Nov. 26 | Ravens vs. Chargers |
| 13 | Dec. 3 | Chiefs vs. Packers |
| 14 | Dec. 10 | Eagles vs. Cowboys |
| 15 | Dec. 17 | Ravens vs. Jaguars |
| 16 | Dec. 23 (Sat., 4:30 p.m. ET) | Bengals vs. Steelers |
| 16 | Dec. 23 (Sat., 8 p.m. ET) | Bills vs. Chargers |
| 17 | Dec. 31 | Packers vs. Vikings |
