But the Ravens are coming off a miserable performance last Sunday in San Diego, a game in which the Chargers scored on their first five possessions and never punted in a 34-14 rout.

“It’s the NFL. It can be very humbling,” Pagano said Wednesday. “That’s why you take it week to week. Keep it on the highway, we say. Never too high and never too low. We know we’ve got to get over it and move on.”

Pagano and the Ravens (10-4) have turned their attention toward beating Cleveland (4-10) on Saturday to stay on course to win the AFC North.

“There were spots where I could have done a better job in helping these guys out,” he said. “So we go back to work and fix the things that needed to be fixed.”

After spending three years working with the Ravens secondary, the 51-year-old Pagano took command of the defense in January after Greg Mattison left to become defensive coordinator at Michigan.

Pagano calls his new post “a dream come true.”

“If you ask anyone given this opportunity, they’d tell you the same thing,” he said. “We’ve got great assistant coaches, great guys to work with, great players, great leadership, a great organization. I was just in the right place at the right time. I’m very fortunate.

“It’s been more highs than lows and it’s been exciting watching these guys play. It’s been a great experience to this point, but our goal is to get to (Indianapolis, site of the Super Bowl) and be the No. 1 defense in the league. If we don’t accomplish that, it will be a disappointing year as far as I’m concerned.”

Perhaps, but no one in the locker room would blame Pagano if the Ravens fall short of expectations.

“I love playing for coach. I have a ton of respect for the dude,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “He definitely gave us our swagger back. He’s a very good chess player. You got to win the chess match. You got to be a strategist. Chuck’s been doing a good job.”

Pagano broke into the coaching ranks as a graduate assistant at Southern California in 1984. He has studied the art of defense for well over two decades, knowledge that enabled him to come up with a multitude of alignments that turned this Baltimore defense into a swarming, unpredictable and relentless crew.

“Chuck is unorthodox,” Suggs said. “He’s like The Joker. You never really expect what he’s going to do, and everything has a motive.”

His players consider Pagano to be just one of the guys.

“What makes him good? He relates to the players a whole lot,” Ravens defensive end Cory Redding said. “He’s almost like a player in a D-coordinator’s position. The guy has so much fun with us. He treats you like more than a player. It’s like we’re his sons. He wants us to do well. He keeps it fresh. He knows everybody’s strengths and puts them in position to make plays.”

With the exception of Mattison, every previous Ravens defensive coordinator has gone on to become an NFL head coach. Marvin Lewis, Mike Nolan and Rex Ryan made the step up, and it’s quite possible Pagano may one day follow suit.

“Absolutely,” Ravens linebacker Paul Kruger said. “Chuck has a leadership quality about him. He’s humble but he also knows when to take the reins and take charge. He doesn’t try to dominate you in every meeting. He’s just a coach that knows exactly how players are and what direction they need. He’s a hell of a coach and I really think he’ll be a head coach one day.”

Pagano has been thinking of that moment since he was a young boy.

“When I was a kid growing up, my dad being a football coach, he asked the same question of all the assistants that he ever hired: ‘Is your goal to be a head football coach?’ He always said if somebody had answered him, ‘Not really, I’m OK just being a position coach,’ then I don’t think he really wanted him on his staff,” Pagano said. “Because he wanted ambitious guys.

“I think if you ask anybody they’d say yeah. That would be something you always work for and toward. But for now, my focus and our focus is on the Cleveland Browns. Period.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Baltimore Ravens are in control of their destiny in the AFC North and
the race for a first-round bye. Maintaining that edge, though, will likely be
difficult if they turn in another lackluster performance.

A matchup with the ailing Cleveland Browns on Saturday would appear to give
the Ravens a good chance to stay on track for the division crown and the No. 2
seed, with Baltimore having dominated the series of late.

The Ravens (10-4) have put themselves in control with a sweep of division
rival Pittsburgh and a victory over Houston on Oct. 16, giving them a leg up on
those 10-4 teams.

Baltimore, though, missed out last week on a chance to move ahead of the
Steelers and Texans, both of whom lost. With a playoff berth already wrapped up,
the Ravens were blown out 34-14 in San Diego.

Pittsburgh fell 20-3 to San Francisco on Monday night, and Houston was upset
28-13 at home by Carolina.

“It’s a gift, but we wish we didn’t have to get it that way,” Ravens
linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “We’ve just got to take care of business.”

Baltimore, winner of nine in a row at home dating to last December, appears
to have a good chance to do that with Cleveland (4-10) visiting M&T Bank
Stadium. The Ravens have won seven straight over the Browns, tied for the
longest win streak against an opponent in team history. They’ve also won seven
consecutive games over the New York Jets.

Baltimore’s latest victory in the series came Dec. 4 as Ray Rice ran for a
career-high 204 yards in a 24-10 win. Ricky Williams added 76 yards rushing as
the Ravens piled up 290 on the ground.

Cleveland has made adjustments as it looks to slow down Rice. The Browns
allowed 147 rushing yards in a 14-3 loss to Pittsburgh on Dec. 8, but limited
Arizona to 74 in a 20-17 overtime defeat last week.

“The goal (is) to make sure we minimize his effect on the game,” coach Pat
Shurmur told the team’s website. “We’ve done some things schematically to help
us, and we just keep emphasizing that everyone has to play better. I’ve seen
that.”

At 3-4 on the road, winning this game might prove vital to Baltimore’s
chances of accomplishing its regular-season goals. The Ravens close out their
schedule at Cincinnati on Jan. 1.

“We’re playing two teams that know us very well, two division foes, so it’s
going to be interesting,” Suggs said. “We’ve got to get back to doing what we do
best, and that’s playing Ravens football.”

Suggs, who has a career-high 13 sacks, chased down Colt McCoy for one of
those, but the Browns quarterback likely won’t play this week. McCoy has been
out since taking a hit to the head against Pittsburgh earlier this month.

The controversy surrounding Cleveland’s failure to check McCoy for a
concussion has led the NFL to put certified trainer in every press box. McCoy
still had symptoms of a concussion Wednesday and has yet to be cleared to return
to the field.

“Like anybody that wants to play, he’s anxious to get back out there,”
Shurmur said. “But he understands there is a process that you have to go through
before he will be able to play again.”

With McCoy out, Seneca Wallace is expected to start again after he threw for
226 yards and a touchdown versus the Cardinals. His 76-yard scoring pass to Greg
Little gave the Browns a 17-7 third-quarter lead, but they couldn’t hold it and
suffered a season-high fourth consecutive defeat and sixth in a row on the road.

Wallace’s one start against the Ravens came in the team’s most recent trip
to Baltimore on Sept. 26, 2010. He threw for 141 yards and a TD in a 24-17
defeat, while counterpart Joe Flacco passed for three touchdowns.

Flacco has eight TDs and one interception over his last six matchups with
the Browns, who might need a strong performance from Peyton Hillis to help snap
their losing streak.

In his fourth game since returning from an injured hamstring, Hillis ran for
a season-high 99 yards and a touchdown last week. He rushed for a then-career
high 144 yards in Baltimore last September but has been held to a combined 80
over the past two matchups.

The Ravens might have a new kicker for this game as Billy Cundiff is dealing
with a sore left calf. On Wednesday, the team signed Shayne Graham, an 11-year
veteran who has played for six other teams.

That prompted the Ravens to add Graham, who worked out with Baltimore last week. Graham has played for six teams, most recently the Miami Dolphins earlier this season.

Graham, 34, was cut in training camp by the Ravens last summer.

“The positive thing about bringing Shayne is that we know him and he knows us,” special teams coach Jerry Rosburg said. “He’s obviously an NFL-caliber kicker. We knew that when he was here and he’s proven that since he’s been gone.”

Cundiff made the Pro Bowl in 2010 but has missed nine field goals this year and is 1 for 6 beyond 50 yards. Baltimore is chasing the AFC North title, so it’s quite possible Graham will be pressed into action Saturday against Cleveland.

“He’s a real plus for us because we know we’re bringing in a guy that is not only a quality NFL kicker, but has been in the NFL environment and understands playoff caliber football at the end of the season,” Rosburg said. “We expect him to come in here and add that veteran experience.”

Cundiff remains on the 53-man roster. Baltimore placed linebacker Chavis Williams (foot) on injured reserve to make room for Graham, an 11-year veteran.

“It’s nice to actually come into this locker room,” Graham said. “A lot of these guys were in camp when I was here a couple of years ago. A lot of the guys are familiar with me.There’s a lot of good guys here, so it’s a real smooth transition for me. Having the operation here, the snapper and holder, those guys are phenomenal. So, I couldn’t ask to be in a better position or be around a better bunch of guys.”

Cundiff did not practice Wednesday and Graham kicked well, but there are still no guarantees Graham will get the call against the Browns.

“We added him to our roster just to make sure we had a kicker,” Rosburg said.

“If they call on me, I’ll be ready,” Graham said. “I really don’t know what the expectations are. I hope (Cundiff) gets healthy as soon as he can. All I can control is what I’m asked to do. If I’m asked to go out and play, then I go out and play and play my best to help these guys win. If it’s for one week, it’s for one week. If it’s for two, it’s two.”

The Ravens don’t need uncertainty at kicker with the postseason rapidly approaching, but they couldn’t afford to take a wait-and-see approach with Cundiff.

“We’re just trying to win a football game this week,” Rosburg said. “That’s what really important to us.”

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)—The Baltimore Ravens dipped into the past Wednesday
to address an ongoing problem with their kicking game, signing Shayne Graham as
a possible replacement for injured Billy Cundiff.

Cundiff has a sore left calf and has struggled this month. He missed a
36-yard field goal Sunday night in a 34-14 loss to San Diego and is 2 for 5 in
December.

That prompted the Ravens to add Graham, who worked out with Baltimore last
week. Graham has played for six teams, most recently the Miami Dolphins earlier
this season.

Graham, 34, was cut in training camp by the Ravens last summer.

“The positive thing about bringing Shayne is that we know him and he knows
us,” special teams coach Jerry Rosburg said. “He’s obviously an NFL-caliber
kicker. We knew that when he was here and he’s proven that since he’s been
gone.”

Cundiff made the Pro Bowl in 2010 but has missed nine field goals this year
and is 1 for 6 beyond 50 yards. Baltimore is chasing the AFC North title, so
it’s quite possible Graham will be pressed into action Saturday against
Cleveland.

“He’s a real plus for us because we know we’re bringing in a guy that is
not only a quality NFL kicker, but has been in the NFL environment and
understands playoff caliber football at the end of the season,” Rosburg said.
“We expect him to come in here and add that veteran experience.”

Cundiff remains on the 53-man roster. Baltimore placed linebacker Chavis
Williams (foot) on injured reserve to make room for Graham, an 11-year veteran.

“It’s nice to actually come into this locker room,” Graham said. “A lot
of these guys were in camp when I was here a couple of years ago. A lot of the
guys are familiar with me.There’s a lot of good guys here, so it’s a real smooth
transition for me. Having the operation here, the snapper and holder, those guys
are phenomenal. So, I couldn’t ask to be in a better position or be around a
better bunch of guys.”

Cundiff did not practice Wednesday and Graham kicked well, but there are
still no guarantees Graham will get the call against the Browns.

“We added him to our roster just to make sure we had a kicker,” Rosburg
said.

“If they call on me, I’ll be ready,” Graham said. “I really don’t know
what the expectations are. I hope (Cundiff) gets healthy as soon as he can. All
I can control is what I’m asked to do. If I’m asked to go out and play, then I
go out and play and play my best to help these guys win. If it’s for one week,
it’s for one week. If it’s for two, it’s two.”

The Ravens don’t need uncertainty at kicker with the postseason rapidly
approaching, but they couldn’t afford to take a wait-and-see approach with
Cundiff.

“We’re just trying to win a football game this week,” Rosburg said.
“That’s what really important to us.”

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh arrived for work in a good mood Tuesday morning following the San Francisco 49ers’ victory Monday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

And with good reason: The Ravens moved back into first place with the Steelers’ loss.

“He was coming in: ‘Did you see that game? Who won?’” quarterback Joe Flacco said about Harbaugh. “OK, we all know who won the game. We know you’re way more excited now than you were two days ago. You could definitely tell he was excited, and we should be. We’re obviously in a better position because of what happened.”

The 49ers’ win over the Ravens’ AFC North rival put the Ravens (10-4) back in first place in the AFC North and into the second seed in the playoff standings.

The Ravens’ embarrassing 34-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night knocked them out of first place in the division for a day, and they fell from the top-seeded team in the AFC to fifth. Now, they’re second behind the New England Patriots.

The Ravens own the tiebreaker edge over the Steelers (10-4) after sweeping the annual series. They are in position to earn a first-round bye and a home playoff game provided they win their final two regular-season games against the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Man, it was a fun to watch,” Harbaugh said. “It was pretty cool. The fact that if we win both games now, we will win the division, that means a lot. That’s really meaningful. It’s a tough league, and we have to win every week.”

However, the Ravens would have preferred to not require assistance.

“It’s a gift, but we wish we didn’t have to get it that way,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said.

The Ravens are 7-0 at home heading into their home game Saturday against the Browns.

And they’re undefeated in their previous games against Cleveland and Cincinnati this season.

“We’ve just got to take care of business,” Suggs said. “We’re playing two teams that know us very well, two division foes, so it’s going to be interesting. We’ve got to get back to doing what we do best, and that’s playing Ravens football.”

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh arrived for work in a good mood Tuesday morning following the San Francisco 49ers’ pivotal victory Monday night over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

And with good reason: The Ravens moved back into first place with the Steelers’ loss.

“He was coming in: ‘Did you see that game? Who won?’” quarterback Joe Flacco said of Harbaugh. “OK, we all know who won the game. We know you’re way more excited now than you were two days ago. You could definitely tell he was excited, and we should be. We’re obviously in a better position because of what happened.”

The 49ers’ win over the Ravens’ AFC North rival puts the Ravens (10-4) back in first place in the AFC North and seeded second in the playoff standings.

The Ravens’ embarrassing 34-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday night knocked them out of first place in the division for a day, and they fell from the top-seeded team in the AFC to fifth. Now, they’re ranked second in the playoff seeding behind the New England Patriots.

The Ravens own the tiebreaker edge over the Steelers (10-4) after sweeping their annual series earlier this season. They are now in position to earn a first-round bye and a home playoff game provided they win their final two regular-season games against the Cleveland Browns and the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Man, it was a fun to watch,” Harbaugh said. “It was pretty cool. The fact that if we win both games now, we will win the division, that means a lot. That’s really meaningful. It’s a tough league, and we have to win every week.”

However, the Ravens would have preferred to not require assistance.

“It’s a gift, but we wish we didn’t have to get it that way,” outside linebacker Terrell Suggs said.

The Ravens are 7-0 at home heading into Saturday’s game at M&T Bank Stadium against the Browns.

And they’re undefeated in their previous games against Cleveland and Cincinnati this season.

“We’ve just got to take care of business,” Suggs said. “We’re playing two teams that know us very well, two division foes, so it’s going to be interesting. We’ve got to get back to doing what we do best, and that’s playing Ravens football.”

All season long the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens have been battling back and forth for the lead in the AFC North. On Sunday night the Steelers retook the lead in the division-for now-when the Ravens lost to the San Diego Chargers by a score of 34-14. The loss drops the Ravens to 10-4 while the Steelers have a record of 10-3.

The best part about the Ravens usual choke job is that earlier this week I wrote my thoughts on Flacco whining about his team being disrespected by the media. It seems that Flacco believes that he and the Ravens deserve more attention than the Steelers, the New England Patriots and especially Tim Tebow. Then in typical Flacco and Ravens fashion they went out and proved exactly why they don’t get the respect the other teams do.

Nobody is perfect. The Green Bay Packers lost for the first time today and even the mighty Tebow couldn’t overcome the Patriots today. Championship caliber teams only allow this to happen once or twice though. The Ravens have now lost four times to teams they should have beaten. The first loss was against a Titans team that just lost to the previously 0-14 Titans. Loss two was to a 4-10 team and all the Ravens managed was a measly, meaningless touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Next the Ravens lost to a Seattle Seahawks team that is currently 7-7 but most agree it would be a joke if Seattle were a playoff team. Then finally the Ravens lost yesterday to a Chargers team that has some talented players that are finally playing well but a Ravens team aiming for the number one seed should not be beat by 20 points by anybody.

The Steelers have a half game lead over the Ravens in the AFC North but they have yet to play this week. Pittsburgh will play the Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers. If the Steelers beat the 49ers they will move a full game ahead of the Ravens. If the Steelers lose in San Francisco then the Steelers will move back into a tie atop the AFC North but the Ravens hold the tiebreaker.

The big question for the Monday night game is Big Ben. The Steelers quarterback has been suffering from an ankle injury and is questionable for the game. Roethlisberger did manage to practice the last two days and some theorize now that the Ravens have lost and the Steelers can get the division lead that Roethlisberger will try to play.

On the opposite side of the ball James Harrison will be out for the Steelers after being suspended one game for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy two Thursdays ago. Playing in Harrison’s place will be Jason Worilds. Worilds is just a second-year player but has started the last four games in LaMarr’s Woodley’s place. Woodley will be back in the lineup on Monday so that allows Worilds to move to Harrison’s spot.

The Steelers need to win the game not only to hold the lead in the division but also to try and grab the number one overall seed in the AFC. Currently the Patriots are the number one seed because today’s win over the Denver Broncos gives them a half-game lead over the Steelers until the Monday Night game. If the Steelers are victorious over the 49ers then the Steelers will pull even with the Patriots and the tiebreaker would give the Steelers the number one seed.

Sources:

Denis Poroy, Philip Rivers leads San Diego Chargers to 34-14 rout of the Baltimore Ravens, The Washington Post

The last several generations of Lee Andrew Henderson’s family were Pittsburgh born and even though he was born in Alabama he has been a long time fan of the Pirates, Steelers and Panthers. Lee Andrew Henderson can be found on Twitter @LeeAHenderson

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

Jared Gaither went from a left tackle to a tackle left behind.

Sunday, the former Baltimore Ravens blocker will play a pivotal role — good or bad — for the San Diego Chargers.

Gaither, released by the Ravens after last season, has started the last two games at left tackle for the Chargers, ably protecting the blind side of quarterback Philip Rivers in victories over Jacksonville and Buffalo. The Chargers signed him after he was cut by Kansas City three weeks ago.

The position has been a soft spot for San Diego since Pro Bowl left tackle Marcus McNeill suffered a neck injury against Oakland on Nov. 10. Gaither has done a good job filling that vacancy on short notice.

Ravens Coach John Harbaugh said he watched the tape of Gaither’s two performances and, “I was like, wow.”

But a tougher test will come against Baltimore outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who leads the AFC with 13 sacks, seven in the last three games.

“He’s beaten a lot of different tackles a lot of different ways,” Gaither said this week, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. “He comes with the total array.”

The 6-foot-9, 340-pound Gaither was a converted big man who only played two seasons of college football at Maryland. He was selected by the Ravens in the fifth round of the supplemental draft in 2007 and eventually stepped in at left tackle when All-Pro Jonathan Ogden retired.

Gaither started 26 of 27 Baltimore games he played in in 2008 and 2009, but frustrated his coaches before the 2010 season when he showed up at camp 30 pounds lighter than expected, and he was later put on injured reserve because of a back injury, sitting out the entire season.

Chargers Coach Norv Turner said the addition of Gaither has “had an impact on Philip.”

Now, it’s Gaither’s job to make sure he’s the one making that impact, not the Ravens.

— Sam Farmer

The Baltimore Ravens are in a huge battle for playoff positioning. The Ravens are currently 10-3 and have the same record as three other teams in the AFC. Baltimore is in position to earn home field advantage throughout the playoffs if they can finish the season strong. Baltimore should be able to do that based on their remaining schedule. To make things easier, it looks like they will be getting one of their top players back. Ray Lewis is slated to return in Week 15 against the San Diego Chargers.

Lewis has missed four straight games with a toe injury. The injury wasn’t originally supposed to keep Lewis out this long. In fact, he was holding out hope to play soon after the injury. But it turned out to be more serious than originally thought. Now, Lewis is ready to return to practice and the Ravens expect him to be in the lineup. He should be fully healed and there shouldn’t be any lingering effects. With the four weeks of rest, Lewis should be healed and ready to play in this game. He doesn’t have much injury history either and that should work to this advantage in terms of playing his normal style of football.

The Ravens played well without Lewis. They won all four games he missed and that has put the team in the position they are in right now. But this is still a better football team with Lewis in the lineup. He gives them a truly elite presence in the middle on defense. There is a reason he is regarded as one of the greatest middle linebackers in NFL history. The Ravens were fortunate to win without him. Now, they will be much better for the final three games.

After the game against the Chargers, the Ravens close with games against the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. None of those games are overly easy, but Baltimore is better than all three opponents. With a healthy lineup, the Ravens should have no problem winning out and securing the best record in the AFC. That would be a huge step forward for a team that has been forced to play on the road over the last few years in the playoffs. The return of Lewis gives them the boost they need.

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SAN DIEGO (AP)—Two years ago, Ray Lewis shot the gap and met Darren
Sproles head-on in the backfield on fourth-and-2 in the closing seconds to seal
the Baltimore Ravens’ 31-26 victory against the San Diego Chargers.

The Chargers hardly need to be reminded of that jarring hit. Sproles left
for New Orleans as a free agent after last season, perhaps one of the reasons
the Chargers have struggled so badly most of this season. And with their playoff
hopes barely flickering, the Chargers have to face the Ravens again, although
this time it’s Terrell Suggs who’s bringing the mayhem.

After consecutive wins against downtrodden Jacksonville and Buffalo, the
Chargers (6-7) host the Ravens (10-3), who will be assured a fourth straight
trip to the postseason if they win Sunday night. A loss would push the Chargers
to the brink of missing the playoffs for the second straight season.

“They’re as talented as any team in the league,” beleaguered Chargers
coach Norv Turner said. “They’re obviously the best defense in the league, in
my mind. They’re great on third down, they’re physical, they’re a great
pass-rushing group.”

Lewis, the Ravens’ long-time defensive leader, has missed four straight
games with an injured right toe. The Ravens, who have won those four games, hope
to have Lewis back Sunday night.

Suggs had three sacks and forced three fumbles in a 24-10 victory against
the winless Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. He also had three sacks in a 16-6
victory against the San Francisco 49ers on Thanksgiving night, when the Ravens
tied a franchise record with nine sacks.

“Suggs is a guy that I think everyone starts with,” Turner said. “They
have a number of guys that can rush the passer. The one area I think they’re
better than they were when we played them last time is they’ve probably improved
in the secondary.”

That could be bad news for Philip Rivers, who’s looked much better the last
two games.

The Ravens also have a physical offense, led by running back Ray Rice.

“They’re able to keep the ball away from you and limit the number of
opportunities you have against them,” Turner said. “It’s going to be a
physical challenge for all of our players.”

The Chargers’ 37-10 victory against the Bills on Sunday was tempered when
Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos rallied to beat the Chicago Bears in overtime.
The Broncos are 8-5 atop the AFC West while the Oakland Raiders are 7-6.

After hosting the Ravens, the Chargers finish with road games against the
Detroit Lions and the Raiders.

Three Chargers are closing in on significant milestones.

With 582 career catches, star tight end Antonio Gates needs five receptions
to supplant Hall of Famer Charlie Joiner as the team’s all-time leading
receiver. Joiner, the Chargers’ wide receivers coach, had 586 catches from
1976-86, the final 11 seasons of his 18-year NFL career.

Rivers needs 255 yards passing for his fourth straight 4,000-yard season. He
would join Peyton Manning (1999-04 and 2006-10) and former teammate Drew Brees
(2006-11) as the only QBs in NFL history with at least four-straight 4,000-yard
seasons. Second-year pro Ryan Mathews needs 57 yards rushing for his first
1,000-yard season. Mathews has gained 100 yards in three straight games for the
first time.

The immediate goal is to get into the playoffs, but the Ravens want more. Locked in a four-way tie for the best record in the conference, Baltimore has a chance to receive a first-round bye, followed by two home playoff games.

If the Ravens win out, they are expected to become the top seed in the AFC – regardless of how Pittsburgh, New England and Houston fare. Although it’s too early to determine, if all four teams finish 13-3, it appears Baltimore will win the tiebreaker.

The Ravens don’t care about that right now.

“We have to play the San Diego Chargers. That’s the task at hand,” running back Ray Rice said.

Baltimore’s only defeats this season have been on the road against teams that entered with losing records.

(Tennessee, Jacksonville and Seattle). San Diego is 6-7. But the Ravens have won four straight by a combined 55 points and are riding a crest of confidence.

“You’re always trying to gain momentum, you’re always trying to be as good as you can be and improve,” Harbaugh said.

The Ravens are clicking on defense, offense and special teams. Baltimore has allowed only 36 points over its last three games – and that’s without injured middle linebacker Ray Lewis. Baltimore got two touchdown passes from Flacco against the Colts, Rice has run for 307 yards over the past two weeks and Lardarius Webb has rejuvenated the punt return unit.

And yet, the Ravens aren’t satisfied.

“Championship teams, they don’t settle for what’s happening right now. Every week, they try to get better,” said linebacker Terrell Suggs, who had three sacks against the Colts. “We’re doing a lot of things good, but we have to correct things and get better at the things we’re not doing so well. We’re still not satisfied. This team is hungry.”

After the Chargers, Baltimore hosts the Cleveland Browns and concludes the regular season at Cincinnati. Even if they don’t get the top seed in the AFC, the Ravens can get a home game by winning the AFC North. And playing at home is no small advantage, given that Baltimore is 7-0 at M&T Bank Stadium and 3-3 on the road.

No matter how it turns out, the Ravens intend to be at their best once the postseason gets under way.

“Keep working hard. Keep getting better,” center Matt Birk said. “We can get where we want to go, but all the stuff, all the external stuff, about playoff scenarios and what ifs, it doesn’t matter. All we have to do is focus on our opponents this week.”

Harbaugh said Monday he’s “very hopeful” of having Lewis back as soon as Sunday night. The 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker has missed four straight games with an injured right toe, and although Baltimore is 4-0 without him, he remains the team’s leading tackler.

Baltimore Ravens defensive end Cory Redding, left, and nose tackle Terrence Cody celebrate after making a tackle on the line of scrimmage during Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts in Baltimore. / AP

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_t.setValue(‘lastNextStoryState’,'false’)
},
direction: ‘right’,
handle: ‘‘,
openCallback: function(){
var _t = new GEL.util.Cookie(‘GCIONSN’)
_t.setValue(‘lastNextStoryState’,'true’)
},
offset: function(){
var offSet=$.waypoints(‘viewportHeight’)-($(‘.ody-skin .content-container .ody-article .ody-article-bodytext’).height()-$(‘.ody-skin .content-container .ody-article .ody-ob-taboola-wrapper’).height());
if(($(‘.ody-skin .content-container .ody-article .ody-article-bodytext’).height()-$(‘.ody-skin .content-container .ody-article .ody-ob-taboola-wrapper’).height())