Sideline Notebook: Ravens @ Chargers

When the Sunday Night Football schedule came out earlier in the year, the week 15 game looked like one of the best of the season. Some of us on the SNF crew were predicting that the Ravens and Chargers would both be 10-3 or 11-2 heading into the contest.

How right and wrong we were.

Baltimore came into Sunday’s game 10-3. But San Diego, after suffering a six-game loosing streak earlier in the season, came in at 6-7.

Our outlook heading into the game was that there was the potential for a blowout.

How right and wrong we were.

It was a blowout, but it was the Chargers who dominated the game, 34-14.

And why not? After all, it was December 18. And the Chargers have this weird thing about December: they win a lot.

San Diego is now 20-2 in regular season games played in December and January in the Norv Turner era.

Philip Rivers has a 25–2 (.923) career record as a starting quarterback in regular-season games in December and January. According to SNF’s ace statistician Ken Hirdt, Rivers owns the top winning percentage since 1950 among QBs with at least 20 starts in those months. Next-best: Daryle Lamonica (18–3, .857), Roger Staubach (17–3, .850).

Tough to explain. Even more tough, according to Rivers, is the fact that they had that six-game skid earlier.

But now the Chargers will try to add to their three game winning streak and either win the AFC West or make the playoffs as a wildcard.

TAKEO SPIKES HOPES SO…

No one would like to take part in the playoffs more than Chargers LB Takeo Spikes. The 14-year veteran owns a dubious record: He’s now played in 201 NFL games, the most among players who have not played a post-season game.

Before the game I asked him if he was aware of the record. “I’m living it,” he responded.

After Sunday night’s win I addressed it with him again, asking him how he likes his chances now. He grimaced and said he loves the view from where he sits. He said he was proud of how the Chargers have not let anyone outside their locker room determine how they would look at themselves. And he said he doesn’t play the game to make it to the playoffs; he wants a ring.

On Sunday night, the Chargers looked like a team that could win one.

SACKLESS IN SAN DIEGO

One of the more remarkable accomplishments made by the San Diego offense Sunday night was that the offensive line didn’t allow a sack.

The Ravens came into the game leading the NFL with 45 sacks on the season — 13 from Terrell Suggs alone.

John Harbaugh told me at halftime the Ravens had to get pressure on Rivers and that he wished the officials “Would call a hold now and then.”

But the Chargers patchwork O-line kept Rivers clean and enabled San Diego to churn out 415-yards of total offense.

This is an offensive line bereft of superstars, mind you. Remember, the Chargers lost two starters earlier in the season.

LT Jared Gaither was picked up on waivers after starting LT Marcus McNeill had been placed on IR due to a neck injury.

Gaither had been cut by the Chiefs earlier in the season after a critical false start penalty. He played his first four seasons with the Ravens, and his departure from Baltimore was less than amicable. He may have had extra motivation against his old mates.

LG Tyronne Green only earned a starting role after Pro Bowl LG Kris Dielman suffered a concussion against the Jets October 23 and had a grand mal seizure on the plane ride home. Dielman is reportedly considering retirement.

Green missed two weeks earlier in the season with a hand injury.

C Nick Hardwick never played high school football and walked on at Purdue as a sophomore.

(By the way, Hardwick and his wife Jamie welcomed their first child Saturday. Their son’s name is Hudson Harold Hardwick. The new father was elated Sunday telling me with a huge smile that the baby was “awesome.”)

The right side of the line has been more consistent. RG Louis Vasquez missed two weeks with a sprained ankle, but RT Jeromey Clary has started every game this season.

In short, the line has been a “merry-go-round,” as Rivers put it. And the quarterback told us,”It’s harder to develop continuity with the offensive line than it is to get into rhythm with wide receivers.”

The continuity may have arrived just in time.

PROUD PAPA

Hardwick isn’t the only proud papa on the Chargers roster.

In case you’ve lost count, Rivers and his wife Tiffany have six children. Even the 30-year-old dad has a tough time recalling each of their ages. For the record, he tells us they are 9, 6, 5, 3, 2 and 10-weeks.

And the Rivers may not be finished yet….

PRE-GAME SNAFFU

As punters and kickers were warming up before Sunday Night’s game, Chargers’ punter Mike Scifres, was almost taken out by the foot of kicker Nick Novak.

Scifres was holding for Novak when the kicker went a little early and caught the punter’s hand with his shoe.

Scifres stood up and grabbed his hand in pain. It seemed to take a while before the discomfort was gone.

Scifres told me it wasn’t serious, although safety Eric Weddle took a few practice snaps from LS Mike Windt before the game.

Meanwhile, Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff told me before the game that his injured left calf was not even close to 100-percent. He said, “I’ve had better days.”

But the seven year veteran out of Drake also said he’s been doing this long enough to know he had to be out on the field, pain or no pain.

Cundiff told me the injured plant leg forces him to step lighter and swing easier with the kicking leg. That easier swing, he said, could lead to better results (think golf swing).

Cundiff missed his first field goal attempt, however, a 36-yarder on the Raven’s opening drive.

Failing to score on their first drive was only the beginning of the Ravens problems.