Sunday, the Chargers start a stretch of three straight games against teams with quarterbacks who have won the Super Bowl MVP award: Joe Flacco, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. While Brady has Rob Gronkowski and Manning has Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, it's Flacco who might have the most dangerous pass catcher of the group.
Ravens receiver Steve Smith Sr. has been one of the best wideouts in football for a decade. He's not very big. He doesn't have world-class speed. But what he does have is a chip on his shoulder the size of the Golden Gate Bridge.
"There's probably not a better competitor in the league," said Chargers linebacker Jarret Johnson.
"He's one of the fiercest competitors in the game," said head coach Mike McCoy.
See a pattern here?
McCoy knows better than most just how driven this guy is. He was Smith's first position coach in 2001 when Carolina drafted Steve in the 3rd round out of Utah, where he was one of the most successful people named Smith since Joseph. At the time, the so-called Draft "experts" said the Panthers reached too high to get a guy who will just be a kick returner in the NFL. 889 catches, 13,014 yards and 71 touchdowns later, he's still trying to prove people wrong, and he's won a few supporters along the way.
"I love it," said Johnson. "If he wasn't an opponent of mine, I'd be a big fan of his. He plays the game the way the game was designed to be played. He's going to fight you for that football."
Or perhaps, he'll just fight you. Smith has been in more than his share of scraps on the field, earning him a reputation as a hot-head. But the Steve Smith you see on the field is not the same one that goes home each night.
"He's a great guy," said McCoy. "He's a great father, he's a great person. He's been great to my kids and my wife, so, he's a special person."
The Chargers have a guy like that. Awesome dude off the field, different demeanor on it. Philip Rivers understands what it's like to be misunderstood.
"And I think that's another thing that makes it so unique is every guy has to be himself to play," said Rivers. "It's not just like, 'Hey, you play this position, you've gotta act this way.' It's kind of, 'No, I play better doing it this way.' Everybody has their own style."
Smith's style is to want to win more than you do. So far, it's worked pretty well for him. Which brings us to this week's players to watch:
Kendall Reyes, DE
Ravens QB Joe Flacco is on the short list of the biggest arms in football. He will throw a ball 55 yards down field on a rainbow and drop it in to a bucket with ease. While Smith will do a lot of damage on shorter patterns where he runs after the catch, the Ravens also like to let him (and WR Torrey Smith, who caught seven passes for 144 yards against the Bolts in 2012) loose to just run down the field and outfight a defensive back for a chunk play. The best way to keep them from doing that is bring down the QB. Reyes has been a liability in run defense, but has the ability (not to mention the size) to get in the backfield and bring down the gigantic Flacco (6'6", 245 pounds). He'll have to do it, too, or it's going to be raining 50-yard touchdowns on the Inner Harbor.
Chad Rinehart, OG
Rinehart has started every game at left guard this season, which is good for stability. However, he has not been the most consistent pass blocker in 2014. With a guy like Haloti Ngata lining up across from him, Rinehart will have to play his best game of the season. Ngata has two sacks and two interceptions this year (same as Pro Bowl defensive backs Patrick Peterson and Joe Haden). At 340 pounds, he moves like a man 80 pounds lighter and is freakishly athletic. Rinehart will have to give rookie Chris Watt, who's making his second career start at center, help against the monster in the middle. If He doesn't Rivers will be running for his life and the Chargers offense just won't get off the ground.
Eddie Royal, WR
The Ravens are susceptible to big passing days. Baltimore's defense has already given up five 300-yard passing games, including a 420-yard outburst from Drew Brees on Monday Night Football. The Ravens are 2-3 in those games. In the first half of the season, Royal was a consistent scoring threat, getting in the end zone five times in the first six games. But, in the five games since, Eddie only has 12 catches for 126 yards and no touchdowns. The Ravens will know exactly where Malcom Floyd, Antonio Gates and Keenan Allen are at all times. They can't possibly devote more than a single man to Royal. If Eddie is able to get, and stay, open quickly, Rivers will have a target when Baltimore's pass rush breaks through, and Royal will be able to run for a while.
Derek's Prediction
I have looked at this game from a bunch of different angles, and it's hard to imagine these teams can be more closely matched. Both do a lot of things well, but are flawed in major areas. There's a good reason they've split their last four meetings, and why Baltimore owns a slim 5-4 edge all-time. Usually, when nothing really jumps out at me and it's going to be a close game, I'll say the home team has the advantage because NFL history has leaned that way. This just feels like one of those games the Chargers probably should not win, but if you know anything about the history of San Diego sports, that means they probably will.
Final Score: Chargers 30, Ravens 26
