Bullz-Eye's NFL Game of the Week
09/28/2006
NFL Home / Sports Channel / Bullz-Eye Home
ALSO: Check out Anthony's NFL Preview. Got your own take on this week's game? Visit The Scores Report, the National Sports Blog.
We’ll be dissecting one big NFL match-up every week throughout the season, whether it's a long-standing rivalry, a divisional clash or a game with playoff implications.
Want to get in on the action? Visit our NFL Live Lines page to compare the spread from four major handicappers before picking your winner. Good luck!
This week’s match up: San Diego (2-0) at Baltimore (3-0)
Date: Sunday, October 1
Time: 1:00pm ET CBS
RESULT: Ravens 16, Chargers 13
Why to tune in:
The best reason to watch this game is that everybody will get to see where these two undefeated teams stand as far as how good they actually are. Combined, the Chargers’ and Ravens’ opponents are 0-8 so far this season. San Diego hammered Tennessee, Baltimore had fits with Cleveland and both squads took care of Oakland rather easily. These two teams are #1 and #2 as far as average yardage surrendered on defense and neither team has given up an average of more the seven points a game. The Chargers get the nod for having a better offense, but with the contest being in Baltimore, it’s going to be tough for San Diego to get into a consistent rhythm while trying to move the ball. One team will emerge from this game with their perfect record intact and any questions about strength of schedule at least temporarily answered, while the other team will hear whispers that their undefeated start had more to do with their opponents and less to do with their talent.
When the Chargers have the ball:
Baltimore’s physical defense has been its greatest strength thus far. There is just no escape for ball carriers when facing the star-studded Ravens defense. MLB Ray Lewis is playing at a high level again after injuries hampered his production the past couple of seasons, and he’s getting massive help from fellow ‘backer Adalius Thomas, S Ed Reed and DE Terrell Suggs. One guy on the Ravens front four that is getting mistakenly unnoticed is DT Kelly Gregg. Gregg is an excellent run stuffer and he’s such a big body that Lewis and Thomas are often untouched on their way to the ball carrier. Chargers QB Philip Rivers will face his toughest test of the young season going against Pro Bowl cornerbacks Samari Rolle and Chris McAlister. Rolle had a huge interception off Browns QB Charlie Frye that allowed the Ravens to sneak out a last-minute win last weekend. Although, it must be stated that Rolle has been bothered by an ankle injury the past couple of weeks. RB LaDainian Tomlinson also gets a huge test going against the best run defense in the NFL. The Ravens are only allowing 34.3 yards a game on the ground, but Tomlinson is too good to be trapped the entire game. Watch for Baltimore to completely take away All-Pro TE Antonio Gates and force Rivers to throw to the outside to receivers Keenan McCardell and Eric Parker.
When the Ravens have the ball:
QB Steve McNair has given the Ravens a wily veteran who can move the ball better than Kyle Boller. However, the Browns exposed several of the Ravens weaknesses last week. Baltimore just isn’t having that much success throwing the ball and its run game isn’t powerful enough to rely all game. RB Jamal Lewis is right at the 4.0 yards per carry mark, but still gets stuffed and driven backwards on short yardage plays – something he never suffered from in years past. The Chargers front seven is one of the best in football and it all starts with DT Jamal Williams in the middle. Williams does a nice job of forcing offensive linemen backward at the point of attack and that forces ball carries to try and run outside. Unfortunately for runners, Shawne Merriman lives on the outside and severs any cutback lanes the back might have had. The most impressive thing that the Chargers have been able to do on defense is stop the pass. Coming into the season, San Diego had possibly the worst secondary unit in the league. But after two games, the DBs are only surrendering 102.5 yards per game. That stat has a lot to do with Merriman and the rest of the front seven being able to get pressure on the quarterback, however. The Chargers will get a big test by receiver Derrick Mason (who had a great game against the Browns) and tight end Todd Heap if McNair gets any time to throw.
Prediction:
This is going to be an absolute battle of wills for both teams. Both squads are physical and have downright nasty defenses. Simply put, however, the Chargers have a huge edge when the Ravens have the ball. That front seven of San Diego might stifle Baltimore to the point that a shutout isn’t out of the realm of possibility. The Ravens offensive line is a bit suspect at this point too and Jamal Lewis is going to have a tough time trying to get going. Although the Ravens defense is suffocating at times, I really believe that once Rivers settles down, he won’t make many mistakes and eventually a big play or two will give the Chargers a lead that they won’t relinquish.
San Diego shows that its undefeated record is no fluke and KO’s the Ravens in Baltimore: Chargers 17, Ravens 6.
Questions or comments on this game? Send them to astalter@bullz-eye.com.