Chargers Gameday Preview

Baltimore (4-6) at San Diego (5-5), 1:15 pm, CBS

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) - Last season, the Baltimore Ravens handed the San Diego Chargers one of their two defeats. The Chargers will try to avenge that defeat on Sunday, when they host the Ravens, who are coming off one of the most bizarre finishes in NFL history.

Last season, San Diego coasted to the league's best record at 14-2, but suffered a 16-13 Week Three loss at Baltimore as Todd Heap scored on a 10-yard touchdown reception with 34 seconds remaining. A year later, the Chargers are struggling through an inconsistent campaign in which they have both three-game losing and winning streaks. Two weeks ago, San Diego defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 23-21. But it was unable to build on that victory, suffering a 24-17 loss at Jacksonville last week. The defeat dropped the Chargers to 5-5, but that is still enough to have them tied with the Denver Broncos for first place in the mediocre AFC West.

After starting 1-3, San Diego reeled off three straight wins but the Chargers have dropped two of their last three contests, leaving them at .500 through 10 games. "We're still at the top," said San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers, who passed for 309 yards against the Jaguars. "It may be crazy that we're 5-5 and still at the top but that's what it is. We're not going to apologize for it."

The Ravens left Baltimore dazed after last week's 33-30 overtime loss to the Cleveland Browns. Baltimore thought it had a win when Phil Dawson's 51-yard goal hit the left upright and bounced back into the end zone as time expired. The Ravens were so sure of it that they walked toward their locker room. However, replays clearly showed that Dawson's kick hit an extension beyond the upright before bouncing back. After huddling for several minutes, the officials ruled the field goal good, and the Ravens went on to lose in overtime. "I wouldn't begin to try to explain what happened at the end of the game," Ravens coach Brian Billick said.

The Ravens have dropped four straight and things don't get any easier, as they host the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts in the next two weeks. Baltimore's usually stingy defense has yielded 111 points during the four-game slide.