Week 4: Chargers vs Ravens

After the bye week the 2 and 0 Chargers take on the 3 and 0 Baltimore Ravens. After thinking the bye week would help the team of course a big off field distraction needs to happen. Safety Terrence Kiel got arrested for shipping codeine based cough syrup. Add in the Steve Foley shooting incident and the Chargers will soon be threatening the Bengals for most criminally active team. Terrell Owens' attempted suicide easily stole the headlines so this story got only minimal air time so far in the sports world...so far.

But let's turn our attention to Sunday's big game... I did watch the Cleveland-Baltimore game this past weekend. Baltimore should have, could very easily have lost that game. Cleveland shut down the Ravens for most of the game - except the final drive and then still forced a 52-yard field goal from the Ravens to win it. The Raven defense may be good, but I think it is beginning to show its age. Charlie Frye seemed to have little problems passing. I think the Ravens defense is beginning to resemble that of the Chargers of previous years, that being the rush defense will stop anyone from running but they are incapable of stopping a competent passing offense.

My prediction... it is a road game for the Chargers and many an analyst is saying that this will be the first true test for the Chargers this year. So I think they will get up for the game. I don't know how big of a distraction the whole Kiel situation is and hopefully it won't be a factor in the game. I think if Rivers is effective the Chargers should win. I don't see Tomlinson running a lot but I think Gates, McCardell and Parker all have good days.

My prediction: Chargers win 20-10.