Chargers vs. Ravens: Full San Diego Game Preview

The San Diego Chargers and Baltimore Ravens have a lot in common this season.

They both share a three-game losing streak ahead of Sunday's head-to-head matchup, and they've both managed to underperform.

Baltimore (1-6) went all the way to the divisional round of the postseason a year ago, and yet the Ravens are finding it difficult to win close games. In every regulation loss this season, Baltimore has been in a position to tie or get the go-ahead score in the final two minutes but has failed to do so.

Against the Arizona Cardinals on Monday Night Football, Joe Flacco was intercepted inside the opponent's 10-yard line with 13 seconds remaining, as the Ravens lost 26-18. 

San Diego (2-5) has also come up short in close games, but there was nothing close about the Chargers' 37-29 loss to the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. For three quarters, the Raiders dominated and got out in front to a 37-6 lead, which San Diego cut into late in the game but failed to overcome.

The Chargers and Ravens met last season at M&T Bank Stadium, and the final result wasn't without some late drama. Philip Rivers connected with Eddie Royal for a touchdown with 38 seconds remaining, and the Chargers held on for a 34-33 win.

Let's dive into this Week 8 preview for the Chargers.

Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore

Time: 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET)

TV: CBS

Week 7 Results and Recap

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

AFC West Standings	Wins	Losses
Denver Broncos	6	0
Oakland Raiders	3	3
San Diego Chargers	2	5
Kansas City Chiefs	2	5

The Chargers were embarrassed at home by their most hated rivals in a lopsided defeat on Sunday.

Derek Carr passed for 289 yards and three touchdowns as the Raiders (3-3) captured their first win in San Diego since 2011. Latavius Murray ran for 85 yards and a score, and Amari Cooper snared five passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

Philip Rivers, who is still on pace to break the single-season passing yards record, notched 336 yards and threw three touchdown passes but was picked off twice. Danny Woodhead had 101 yards from scrimmage with two receiving touchdowns, and Keenan Allen had nine receptions for 89 yards, as the Chargers (2-5) lost for the third time in two weeks.

San Diego was doomed from the start as Malcolm Smith intercepted Rivers on just his second pass attempt, which led to Murray's short-yardage touchdown run on the opposite end. Oakland came away with points on every possession of the first half and led 30-6 at the break.

After a 25-yard scoring play by Michael Crabtree in the third quarter, the Raiders would score no more, but their cushion was enough despite San Diego's 23 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Woodhead's second touchdown paired with a two-point conversion from Ladarius Green would make it a one-possession game, but the Chargers failed to recover the ensuing onside kick.

News and Notes

Corey Liuget Fined for Kicking Raiders OL Donald Penn on Sunday

As Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Wednesday, the NFL fined Liuget for kicking the Raiders' Donald Penn on Sunday. The incident took place at 4:15 in the fourth quarter and shows Liuget retaliating for a late shove from Penn with a horse kick. Shockingly, Liuget escaped being flagged for a penalty, while Penn was cited for unnecessary roughness.

Chargers Sign ILB Joe Mays, Release C J.D. Walton

With injuries at inside linebacker, the Chargers bolstered their depth by signing Mays, an eight-year veteran, to the active roster Wednesday, according to ESPN's Adam Caplan. Mays has started 38 of 69 career games and was with head coach Mike McCoy in Denver from 2010 to 2012 when he served as offensive coordinator of the Broncos. In a corresponding move, San Diego released Walton.

MRIs for OL Orlando Franklin, ILB Denzel Perryman Reveal Strains

Injuries suffered by Franklin and Perryman on Sunday turned out to be less severe than originally feared. As NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday, Franklin has a slight MCL sprain; according to Mart Caswell of the Darren Smith Show, Perryman has a biceps strain. Neither was able to practice Wednesday, but the good news is Franklin and Perryman did not suffer season-ending injuries.

Latest Injury News

Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Name	Position	Injury
Orlando Franklin	OG	Ankle
Antonio Gates	TE	Knee
Denzel Perryman	ILB	Biceps
Chris Watt	C	Groin
Manti Te'o	ILB	Ankle
Craig Mager	CB	Hamstring
Tourek Williams	OLB	Foot
Melvin Gordon	RB	Ankle
Eric Weddle	FS	Groin
Sean Lissemore	NT	Hamstring

Franklin, Gates, Perryman, Te'o and Weddle did not practice Wednesday. Mager, Williams and Lissemore were limited participants. Watt and Gordon were full participants.

Williams returned to practice for the first time since suffering a broken foot in the preseason opener on Aug. 13. According to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Gates' status is in question for Sunday with an MCL sprain, and Weddle is still sidelined after hearing a pop in his groin in Week 6 at Green Bay.

Franklin is day to day with an MCL sprain, Perryman has a biceps strain, and Te'o is still dealing with an ankle injury that has caused him to miss the previous two games. 

All injury information courtesy of Chargers.com.

Key Matchups

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Keenan Allen vs. Baltimore DBs

Allen's only multi-touchdown performance of last season came against the Ravens, as he finished with 11 catches for 121 yards. That said, Baltimore is 28th in passing yardage allowed at 283 yards per game, which makes for another potentially good matchup for San Diego's top receiver. His 62 receptions are the most by any player through a team's first seven games of the season, according to Elias Sports Bureau (h/t ESPN.com's Eric Williams).

San Diego Pass Rush vs. Joe Flacco

Flacco is the worst quarterback against the blitz this season, as explained in this piece by ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley. And if that should hold true Sunday, expect defensive coordinator John Pagano to crank up the number of blitzes seen by Baltimore's quarterback. As Hensley outlines in his article, Flacco has thrown five interceptions against the blitz, which might be an opportunity for the Chargers defense to get some turnovers. They've managed only seven all season.

Matchup X-Factor

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers' X-Factor of the Week: RB Branden Oliver

With Melvin Gordon not seeing carries until the third quarter against Oakland because of an ankle injury, Oliver started in the backfield and paced the run game with nine rushes for 35 yards while contributing six receptions for 39 yards. The coaching staff has shown less faith in Gordon in recent weeks, which has allowed Oliver to secure more playing time.

And with Gordon having trouble holding onto the ball, Oliver may hear his number called more often from here on out. 

Prediction

Rob Carr/Getty Images

The Chargers are three-point underdogs against the Ravens, per Odds/shark.com. And being that every one of Baltimore's games has been close this season, the Chargers should be in for another nail-biter that is decided in the final few minutes.

Both teams are desperate to get back on track with a win Sunday, but the Chargers may have a slight advantage offensively. Most of Philip Rivers' weapons have returned from injury, and he should find them quite easily against a struggling Baltimore secondary. Should the Chargers prevail, it would be their first road win of the season and the first since December 20, 2014, against San Francisco.

Prediction: Chargers 27, Ravens 23