Week 2 Ravens Chargers Preview
Added on Sep 19, 2009 by sbworld in
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This game should be worth the money whether you are at the game or watching on TV, whether you have money on it or don’t.
For the record, the line for this one opened with the Chargers as 5-point favorites but that quickly dropped to 3-point favorites over the course of the week. The total has dropped to and is 40 at most books.
This could be a legitimately scary Ravens team this year. They toyed around with the Chiefs in week one for far too long, even allowing the visitors to see the score tied at 24-24 well into the fourth quarter. But then, over the final six minutes the scoreboard started reflecting what Baltimore had been doing for the majority of the game. Domination. If you look at the stat lines, it was clear whom was instilling their will on who in this one. The Ravens rolled up over 500 yards of total offense to just 188 for Kansas City. That includes nearly 200 rushing yards and over 300 through the air, so it was a highly balanced offensive attack.
So how did the Chiefs manage to stay in the game? A blocked punt that turned into a touchdown helped, while Baltimore also shot itself in the foot with eight penalties and a couple of costly turnovers. And they still managed to win by two touchdowns. This Ravens team has a lot of potential with an second-year gunslinger in the uber-talented Joe Flacco (26-of-43, 307 yards, three TD’s, one INT), a solid running back duo led by Ron Rice (19 carries, 108 yards), and experienced at the wide receiver and the O-line. Not to mention tight end Todd Heap (five catches, 74, one TD), a former Pro Bowler, is healthier and will be a bigger part of the offense this year by all indications.
So it is clear Baltimore has weapons. And they of course still have the outstanding defense that they’ve always been known for. The Ravens gave up the third-fewest points in the NFL in 2008 and judging by yardage against alone during week one, not much is going to change for these guys this year. Ray Lewis simply won’t allow it.
On the other side of this game we have the Chargers, a team that for the past few years has had all the potential in the world on paper but does not always live up to the lofty expectations.
What was evident in its narrow and exciting 24-20 victory over the Raiders was that it needs to be more physical on both sides of the ball. Aside from a crushing blow by Chargers free safety Eric Weddle to a receiver crossing the middle of the field, it was generally a game in which Oakland bruised and battered San Diego. It is likely that head coach Norv Turner can’t be too pleased with the lack of physicality displayed for much of the game by his squad.
The offensive line for San Diego must play better this week against a defense the caliber of Baltimore’s, creating holes for running back Darren Sproles. With LaDainian Tomlinson out with a sprained ankle, it remains to be seen if the Chargers will be able to establish any type of running game with the sprite Sproles in the backfield. A creative gameplan involving the versatile running back will be needed or he could become a quick non-factor. He only had nine carries for 23 yards versus the Raiders, but also made the biggest play of the day with the game-winning 5-yard touchdown with 18 seconds remaining. San Diego certainly has the ability to air it out with quarterback Philip Rivers (24-of-36, 252 yards, one TD, one INT), but a sluggish start against Oakland put the team under the 8-ball early before recovering in the end.
San Diego does not have nearly as good of a defense as Baltimore, but it is respectable. It made most of the plays when it needed to in getting the week one victory and now has the home crowd behind it. But don’t expect Flacco and company to be too intimidated.
Prediction: Baltimore 23, San Diego 16
