Week 12 Chargers vs Ravens: Bolts’ last stand to be featured on Sunday Night Football

The Chargers simply can’t afford to fall to 4-7 if there are any hopes for this season. One of their toughest opponents of the season stands in their way.

Matt “Money” Smith offered an excellent soundbite describing the importance of this primetime Chargers game against the Ravens.

For the Chargers, you know, this goes back to what we said last year right, which is when you lose one like they did against the Raiders to drop to 6-6, well now you gotta find one to win, you gotta overcome what looked to be a game that you weren’t going to win and win it, so you know I think I probably would have said the odds favored the Ravens for that Sunday Nighter, the mini-bye, it’s one of the best teams if not the best all-around team in the AFC, probably not the Chargers favor, so you were thinking 5-6, and then New England 6-6 and that’s where they were last year when they ended up finishing 10-7.

I’d definitely recommend giving this Game Preview a look. It’s interesting to see Matt “Money” Smith and Chris Hayre, two analysts on the Chargers’ payroll, give very transparent takes on their frustrations with the Chargers’ coaching decisions.

The Bolts have given away too many opportunities to hang a “W” in their win column, and it’s kept them on pace to have the most disappointing season of Brandon Staley’s young career as a head coach.

When schedules are released, fans and pundits alike will look at the schedule to try and predict where their teams’ wins and losses will come from. Consistently dropping games to the lesser opponents on one’s schedule is an easy way to punch an early ticket to Cabo or your January vacation of choice, while better teams are clashing for a chance to play in the Super Bowl.

The Chargers have been favored to win six times so far this season, and are an extremely disappointing 3-3 in those favored games. In the four games they were considered “underdogs,” they are 1-3, with the only win coming against the Vikings which really should be considered a “pick ‘em” as the spread was only +0.5-points.

Dropping games you should win and never upsetting a favorite is a recipe for disappointment, and the Chargers have been serving their fans disappointment like a Holiday Inn Express with a free continental breakfast: it tastes dry and stale, it keeps getting dished out every morning, and you’re fighting the temptation to check-out early and spring for the Marriott down the street.

The Chargers are currently considered 3-point favorites against the Ravens, with a 48.5-point over/under. It’s very difficult to see how a struggling Chargers defense keep this game within three against a Ravens offense that has been a menace on the ground and through the air. Odell Beckham will have a chance to show he is back in his premiere form against a struggling Chargers secondary, while the Chargers run defense will have their most difficult matchup of the year.

Should the Chargers manage to stifle the Ravens’ running attack and squeak out an upset win, it would provide the statement win the Bolts’ have been looking for all season, and we can start discussing how the run defense has truly improved rather than benefiting from the extra attention the porous coverage is commanding. However, at this point it would require the Chargers breaking their season-long trends. I would personally adjust the spread to Ravens -7 for the added pay-out, and parlay with the “over,” as I do believe in Justin Herbert’s ability to will these team to at least three scores.