On paper, LAC seems the choice. But this game will be played on grass, not paper. The Ravens will win and cover.
WHAT: AFC Wild Card Weekend Playoff vs. Los Angeles Chargers
WHEN: 1:05 p.m. (ET); Sunday, January 6
WHERE: M&T Bank Stadium; Baltimore (71,008)
RECORDS: Chargers, 12-4, second in AFC West, fifth seed; Ravens, 10-6, AFC North champions, fourth seed
LIFETIME SERIES (regular season): Ravens lead, 7-5, with the Ravens having won three of the last four meetings overall; in Baltimore, the Ravens lead, 3-1; the teams have never met in postseason play
TV: WJZ-TV, Channel 13 (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, booth; Tracy Wolfson, sidelines)
RADIO: WIYY-FM, 97.9 (Gerry Sandusky, Dennis Pitta, booth; Kirk McEwen, sidelines)
REFEREE: Clete Blakeman
About the Chargers
–If the winner of Sunday’s game is the lowest-seeded survivor of Wild Card Weekend, it will travel to top-seeded Kansas City next Saturday for a 4:35 p.m. game (NBC). If the winner of Sunday’s game is the highest-seeded survivor of Wild Card Weekend, it will travel to New England for a 1:05 p.m. Sunday kickoff (CBS).
—The Los Angeles Chargers began their existence at the birth of the American Football League in the same area in which they play now. They played one season in Los Angeles – sharing the LA Coliseum with the Rams under a plan devised by owner and hotel tycoon Barron Hilton – before moving to San Diego’s expanded Balboa Park in 1961. They moved again into what is now Qualcomm Stadium in 1966, and stayed there through the end of the 2016 season, after which they returned to Los Angeles. The name came about because Hilton liked hearing the fans at Dodger baseball games yell “Charge!” whenever the bugler prompted the crowd.
–The Chargers had not made the playoffs since 2013 but, in their 59 full seasons, they have made 19 postseason appearances with 14 division championships (none since 2009) and five wild-card berths. In their AFL days, they made the championship game five times winning once (1963). As far as the modern-day AFC is concerned, the Chargers have made the conference title game four times losing in 1980, 1981 and 2007, but winning at Pittsburgh in 1994. That win put the Chargers into Super Bowl 29, where they were blown out by San Francisco, 49-26.
–When the Baltimore Colts were part of the NFL, that team played the Chargers five times, winning twice. In San Diego, the Chargers won one of three games against the Colts. San Diego was also the recipient of a few Colts players that were traded away throughout the ’70s, including quarterback Johnny Unitas and safety Bruce Laird.
–The Ravens-Chargers series has had a few colorful moments, including their meeting two weeks ago in a 27,000-seat soccer stadium. In 1998 in San Diego, Michael McCrary’s “leaping” penalty nullified a field goal. Given a second chance, the Chargers scored a touchdown and won, 14-13. In 2000, the Ravens–coming off a bye week–overwhelmed Ryan Leaf and the Chargers, 24-3, to clinch the Ravens’ first-ever playoff berth. In 2006, Todd Heap avoided a hit from Maryland grad Shawne Merriman and dove into the end zone to give the Ravens a last-minute, 16-13 home win. Three years later, Ray Lewis’ fourth-down stop of Darren Sproles sealed a 31-26 road victory. In 2012, Ray Rice’s fourth-and-29 conversion helped send the game to overtime. The Ravens won, 16-13.
–The Chargers stumbled to a 1-2 start this year with one of the losses coming to their new crosstown rivals, the Rams. But after that the team won six in a row with the bye week proving to be no obstacle at all–winning two of those games after the off-week. Following a narrow home loss to Denver, the Chargers won four straight and five of their last six to clinch a playoff berth and nearly claim the AFC’s top playoff seed. The Chargers’ most stunning accomplishment was going 8-0 on the road. They’ve won at tough venues such as Seattle, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh.
–The Chargers have outscored their opponents by 99 points this year. The biggest differential comes in the second quarter (151-66). Surprisingly, Los Angeles has been outscored in the first quarter of their games (98-78). The Chargers are known as a passing team; they’ve run the ball 399 times and passed it 546 (including sacks allowed) for a minus-147 run-pass ratio. They’ve scored 52 total touchdowns, 32 of them through the air.
—Currently, the Chargers sport a plus-1 turnover ratio, but there have not been many possession changes due to fumbles in games involving this team. Los Angeles has forced only seven lost fumbles, tied for the fifth-fewest in the league, and has coaxed only 20 takeaways from its opponents–only three more than the Ravens. The Chargers have fumbled the ball 17 times, losing just seven of them. According to STATS, Inc., the Chargers have been charged with just 16 dropped passes this year with no individual player charged with more than three.
—Los Angeles has committed 113 accepted penalties, the league’s ninth-most. That total is just two fewer than that of the Ravens. The Chargers’ seven encroachment penalties are the league’s fifth-most. They’ve been called for offensive holding 21 times, which is six fewer than league-leading Indianapolis. There have been 11 defensive holding calls and nine unnecessary-roughness fouls, which is the league’s third-most.
—Second-year head coach Anthony Lynn (21-11) is the first African-American head coach in franchise history and the 16th leader the Chargers have employed. After a spate of firings, Lynn and Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin are the only African-American head coaches remaining in the NFL. Lynn came to the team after serving as Buffalo’s assistant head coach and running backs coach. He has also worked for five other NFL teams.
–Notable assistants on Lynn’s staff include OC Ken Whisenhunt (Ravens tight ends coach, 1997-98), DC and ex-Jacksonville head coach Gus Bradley, and assistant special teams coach Keith Burns. Burns was the victim of a crunching Ray Lewis block on Chris McAlister’s missed field-goal return in 2002 during a Monday Night game against Denver.
—For most of the season, the Chargers were a balanced team, ranking in the top ten on both sides of the ball. But that performance level has changed recently. In total offense, LAC finished the regular season ranked 11th (15th rushing, tenth passing, tied for sixth scoring at 26.8 points per game). They are ninth defensively (ninth vs. rush, ninth vs. pass, eighth scoring). Offensively, they have the best fourth-down conversion rate in the league. Los Angeles is also ranked 16th in third-down situations and tenth in the red zone. On defense, they are surprisingly ranked 18th on third-down plays by their opponents and tied for fifth in the red zone.
–-Veteran quarterback Philip Rivers, a seven-time Pro Bowl pick, has made 208 straight regular-season starts–the longest current streak among quarterbacks. His 105.5 rating is fifth-best in the league. With 32 touchdown passes and 12 pickoffs, he’s one of seven quarterbacks in the league with more than 30 scoring tosses and fewer than 15 interceptions.
-In eight meetings with Baltimore, Rivers has lost five games. He has completed over 67 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns, six interceptions, for a gaudy 98.4 passer rating. Most recently, Rivers was picked off twice when the Ravens played a Los Angeles two weeks ago. The Ravens have sacked Rivers 16 times, the third-most against non-division opposition. Rivers threw two or more touchdown passes in 13 of 16 games this year. He is backed up by former West Virginia star and ex-New York Jet quarterback Geno Smith.
—On the ground, fourth-year running back Melvin Gordon missed three games (knee) before returning to face the Ravens in Week 16. Gordon, who has 885 rushing yards, is averaging 5.1 yards-per-carry with ten touchdowns. Austin Ekeler (neck, concussion) didn’t play in the earlier meeting with Baltimore. He has 554 yards, a five-yard average, and three scores. Rookie Justin Jackson has found the end zone twice. Receivers Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Travis Benjamin have carried the ball 23 times between them. The Chargers are not shy about running reverses and using the end-around.
—Top receiver Allen set a Chargers franchise record with 102 catches last year. He came close to matching that with 97 this season. He would have broken his mark had he not missed a game at Kansas City (hip). Allen has a 12-yard average and six touchdowns. Gordon is next on the chart with 50 catches and four touchdowns, while lanky Mike Williams has 43 catches–ten of them for scores–and a gaudy 15-yard average. Tyrell Williams carries a 16-yard average and five touchdowns, while Ekeler is next with 39 receptions and three scores. Travis Benjamin has one score in his short time with the team. Veteran tight end Antonio Gates has 28 catches with two touchdowns. Gates is listed as a backup to Virgil Green (19 receptions, one TD). TEHunter Henry (knee) has missed the whole season but is expected to play Sunday.
—The right side of the Chargers’ offensive line features two players not even listed on the depth chart as the season began. Right guard Michael Schofield was on the Denver team that won Super Bowl 50 and joined the Chargers last year as part of a line that allowed a league-low 18 sacks last year and 34 this season. First-year backup left tackle Sam Tevi now starts at right tackle. Center Mike Pouncey is an ex-Miami Dolphin and seven-year NFL veteran. 2017 third-round pick Dan Feeney starts at left guard. The left tackle is Russell Okung, a solid eight-year veteran, who was originally drafted by Seattle in 2010.
—Defensive end Melvin Ingram has missed just one game this year and has seven of the team’s 38 sacks. He, and opposite end Joey Bosa, combined for 23 sacks last year, the second-most among teammates. Ingram made his first Pro Bowl in 2017. Bosa has played just seven games this year due to injuries, but he has 5.5 sacks in limited action. On the inside, Darius Philbin (four sacks) has supplanted the injured Corey Liuget, while Brandon Mebane won a Super Bowl while playing with Seattle five seasons ago. Backup Damion Square has three sacks.
—The Chargers’ linebacking corps, not very deep to begin with, has been especially hit hard by season-ending knee injuries to Denzel Perryman and Ryan White. Outside linebacker Jatavis Brown is second on the team with 59 solo tackles, but the other two starting linebackers–outside man Uchenna Nwosu and middle backer Kyle Emanuel–have combined to contribute just 38 solo tackles and 4.5 sacks. The top outside backup is first-year player Tre’Von Johnson, who was signed when Perryman was placed on injured reserve.
—The Chargers have one of the league’s more formidable safety tandems in rookie first-round pick Derwin James and his undrafted fifth-year partner, Jahleel Addae. Respectively, they rank first and fourth on the team in tackles with 105 and 75 total stops. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound James also has 3.5 sacks, 13 pass breakups, and three of the team’s 13 interceptions (from nine different players), putting him in the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. James is the only player in the league with over 90 tackles, three sacks, and three interceptions.
–At corner, second-year player Desmond King also has three interceptions as well as ten pass breakups. Two-time Pro Bowl pick Casey Hayward has eight breakups. Fellow starter, Michael Davis, is a first-year undrafted player. Backup corner Trevor Williams, a Calvert Hall graduate, is on injured reserve with a knee ailment.
—Backup corner Desmond King is a fearless punt returner, calling for only eight fair catches in 31 punts. He is averaging 13.8 yards per return with a 73-yard touchdown to his credit. He has also run back 22 kicks for a 23.7-yard average, but with no return longer than 40 yards. The Chargers’ kick coverage team has allowed returns at a 21.7 yard-per-return rate, but the punt-coverage team has fared a bit worse, allowing 9.2 yards a runback, including a 91-yard touchdown.
—In limited duty, kicker Michael Badgley, was signed when Caleb Sturgis was waived. Badgley has scored 72 points, converting 15 of 16 field-goal tries with a missed extra point. Sturgis had missed an astounding four field goals and six conversions. Veteran punter Donnie Jones, who has punted for Dallas and the Rams during his long career, has just three touchbacks in 47 punts, putting 15 in the coffin corner. But poor coverage has lowered his net average to an even 38 yards.
Prediction
As was the case when these teams met two weeks ago, on-paper factors favor the Chargers. They are unbeaten on the road, having won in tough places like Seattle, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. The team is also getting a few more of its key offensive players back on the field, including TE Hunter Henry and RB Austin Ekeler. They will complement recently-recovered RB Melvin Gordon and WR Keenan Allen.
But when the stadium is full–as it will be this weekend–the Ravens play in front of one of the loudest home crowds anywhere. Fans are hungry, too. It has been six years since the last home Ravens playoff game.
The Chargers are the first team to play against quarterback Lamar Jackson twice. And while they are sure to have made adjustments, it probably won’t be enough to slow him much.
The rest of the running game is solid. And the Ravens’ home defense is the league’s best.
Ravens 23, Chargers 17
