NFL Baltimore RavensSan Diego Chargers

Week 13 San Diego Chargers vs. Baltimore Ravens Preview, Prediction

Fresh Videos

By

Jake Roth - USA TODAY Sports

Jake Roth – USA TODAY Sports

Week 13′s matchup that has the San Diego Chargers on the road to face the Baltimore Ravens has very important divisional and conference implications for each team. With both teams sitting at 7-4 and in the midst of tight division races, the result of this game will help to make the AFC playoff picture a bit more clear.

The AFC North offers the NFL‘s tightest divisional race at the moment. The Cincinnati Bengals lead the division at 7-3-1, and a three-way tie for second place makes the AFC playoff picture nearly impossible to predict at this time. The Ravens are in a situation in which every game from here on out needs to be treated as a playoff game as there is minimal room for error in the midst of such a tight race.

The Chargers are also in the midst of a tight divisional race as they too are in a tie for second place and are at the heels of the Denver Broncos, who lead the AFC West with an 8-3 record. A Chargers win and Denver loss to the Kansas City Chiefs would create a three-way tie for the division’s top spot. Needless to say, the implications of this game between Baltimore and San Diego are very significant.

One of the most important aspects of this game will be whether the Ravens can continue to pressure the quarterback the way the have all season and keep Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers from taking advantage of a Ravens secondary that has been shaky. Baltimore linebacker Elvis Dumervil has 12.5 sacks on the season, second most in the NFL, and his ability to pressure Rivers will take some pressure off of Baltimore’s secondary.

On the other side of the ball, Ravens running back Justin Forsett has given the Ravens the rushing attack they’ve been looking for. Averaging over 80 yards a game, and seeing as how the Chargers give up nearly 110 rush yards per game, Forsett will be a huge factor in this game if he’s able to put up some big yards and open up the pass game for quarterback Joe Flacco.

Another big edge for the Ravens is that they’ve been great at home this year. They’re 4-1 in Baltimore and haven’t lost there since dropping their first game of the season against the Bengals. Overall, I think the Ravens overmatch the Chargers in this one and come away with a big win.

Final Prediction: Ravens 27, Chargers 20.

Share Tweet
Trending Now on