Chargers vs. Ravens: What's the Game Plan for Baltimore?

The Baltimore Ravens are back home for Week 8 looking to end a three-game losing streak when the San Diego Chargers come to M&T Bank Stadium. 

It's been a season to forget for both teams as they come into this game with losing records and long shots to make the playoffs. The Ravens are 1-6 following their Monday Night Football loss to the Arizona Cardinals. 

The Chargers are 2-5, losers of three straight and coming off a 37-29 loss to the Oakland Raiders in which they trailed 37-6 going into the fourth quarter. Here is a game plan for how the Ravens should look to defeat the Chargers in this matchup.

Offensive Game Plan

The Ravens offense has been limited this season with so many injuries at wide receiver and tight end, but it'll be about as healthy as it can ask for this week. 

Steve Smith and Crockett Gillmore are both set to play after missing games with injuries this season. Those two have combined for 59 catches with 822 yards and five scores. 

Matt Rourke/Associated Press

The passing game will largely lean on those two stepping up and doing most of the damage with Joe Flacco getting them the ball. Flacco has been up-and-down this season, but he could be poised for a big day against this Chargers defense. 

San Diego is ironically tied with Baltimore for the eighth-most touchdown passes allowed (13) this season. Anyone who's watched Baltimore knows the Ravens give up a lot of deep bombs and scores, but so too does San Diego. 

That said, Baltimore really needs to focus on the ground game in order to set up the pass in this one. That's because the Chargers have struggled mightily against the run this season  

Entering Week 8, the Chargers ranked 31st in rushing defense and are allowing an NFL-high 5.3 yards per rushing attempt. The Ravens need to focus heavily on the ground game in this one and give running backs Justin Forsett and Buck Allen as many carries as possible. 

That will free up Smith and Gillmore to do their damage in the passing game and for the Ravens offense to have a field day in this one.

Defensive Game Plan

This game will largely be determined on how well Baltimore's pass defense can hold up against San Diego's pass-happy offense. 

One week after going against Arizona's sixth-ranked passing offense, the Ravens get to go against the Chargers' top-ranked passing offense. It doesn't help matters that Baltimore is ranked 29th in passing defense, 29th in opposing passer rating and 30th in passing yards per attempt allowed.

Stopping Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is something few teams have been able to consistently do, so the Ravens will have to this week if they want to win this game.

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Defensive coordinator Dean Pees has his work cut out for him with several of his best players already out due to injury. The good news is his defense has been able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks thanks to contributions all-around.

Twelve different Ravens have registered a sack, including five from inside linebackers C.J. Mosley and Daryl Smith. Those two are key because a lot of their blitzes come right up the middle, where San Diego has a tough time pass-blocking due to injuries along their offensive line. 

According to Pro Football Focus, starting center has allowed the most sacks (three) and QB hurries (15) of any Chargers lineman. Making matters worse is starting guard Orlando Franklin has been ruled out in this game due to an ankle injury. 

Backup Kenny Wiggins will start in his place, but he has the third-worst PFF grade of any Chargers lineman (Robinson has the worst). This is where Mosley and Smith's blitzing right up the middle could be the best method for Baltimore in slowing down San Diego's offense and keeping Rivers from finding his rhythm.

Matchups to Watch

OL Trevor Robinson vs. NT Brandon Williams

As mentioned above, Trevor Robinson is the Chargers' worst starting lineman and someone who's really hindered this offense in 2015. Attacking him will be key to the Ravens defense slowing down this offense, and Brandon Williams will play a large role in this.

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Williams is ranked by PFF as the NFL's fifth-best interior defensive lineman, and his 22 stops (tackles causing an offensive failure), the second-most of any interior defensive lineman, are a big reason why. 

The Chargers are tied for the 10th-most sacks (18) allowed this season of any team, which is largely due to wreaking havoc in the middle of that line. Williams will play a key role in making that happen Sunday. 

Prediction

The Ravens have been fighting hard in every game this season, even if they've come up on the short end of the stick six out of seven times. They still haven't lost a game by more than one score, but the Chargers have also lost four games by one score or less this year.

Both of these teams are clearly flawed, but they have enough talent to go toe-to-toe with most NFL teams. This will be another hard-fought battle that leaves the loser mulling over another gut-wrenching loss, but this time, it's the Ravens who are victorious.