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.

Chargers’ next opponent

Baltimore Ravens (10-3)

5:20 p.m., Sunday, Qualcomm Stadium

The Ravens have lost only three games. Each time, they were on the road. For all their success, the Ravens are no better than 16-14 in away games under head coach John Harbaugh.

So, ahem, there’s that.

About the last thing the Chargers needed to come along at this particular point – the virtual point of no return in terms of postseason contention – was a game with the smash-mouth Ravens. Baltimore’s a good opponent to have when it’s early in the season and you’re trying to measure yourself against the league’s better franchises – especially if you’re wondering about your own toughness — but not when you’re under .500 in mid-December and possibly one loss from elimination.

Baltimore’s not without a sense of urgency, either, despite a sweep of the arch-rival Pittsburgh Steelers and unbeaten record within the AFC North. The Ravens are one of four AFC teams at 10-3 and all too aware of the importance of home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Those two wins over the Steelers won’t mean much, either, if Pittsburgh finishes with a better record than Baltimore.

When last the Chargers faced the Ravens two years ago – see Series History below – Baltimore was built around (now) 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis. He’s missed four games – all Baltimore wins — with turf toe.

The Ravens are the NFL’s best defense against the pass and second-best against the rush, allowing an average of 15.5 points per game and an opponents’ third-down percentage of just 28.7. If anything, this year’s ravenous Ravens seem even more on the offensive when on defense.

Baltimore’s 8-5 in prime-time games during Harbaugh’s tenure, 4-1 in “Sunday Night Football’ affairs.

Three players to watch

Terrell Suggs, LB: You can toss a dart at the Ravens’ defensive lineup and hit somebody you want to avoid in your game plan, but even with Ed Reed at safety and Haloti Ngata at nose, the first force to be reckoned with is Suggs on the pass rush. Three times this season, he’s recorded three sacks in a game, putting him within two quarterback drops of the team record of 15. In addition to three picks Sunday, he also forced three Indianapolis Colts fumbles. He’ll be dancing with a former Ravens teammate Sunday night in Jared Gaither, now the Chargers’ starting left offensive tackle.

Joe Flacco, QB: Of the top 26 quarterbacks in the NFL in completion percentage, 25 are doing better than Flacco, who’s hit just 56.6 percent of his passes. He’s no higher than 21st in passer rating at 79.9. But there’ll only be two quarterbacks in the Super Bowl, and nobody would be surprised if Flacco is one of them. Why worry so much about passing stats, too, when your primary job is getting the ball to …

Ray Rice, RB: This not a height joke, but the 5-foot-8 Rice actually had been running well below the radar until most recently breaking off consecutive 100-yard games – incredibly, the first time he’s done that in his career. Rice leads the NFL with 1,622 total yards from scrimmage, including 10 rushing scores and two TD receptions. He’s now working behind one of the league’s premier fullbacks, Vonta Leach.

How bad will the Indianapolis Colts lose this week? It will likely be pretty bad. There is almost no chance that Indianapolis has a chance to beat the Baltimore Ravens in their week 14 matchup. The two teams are headed in opposite directions this season. Indianapolis is 0-12 on the season and appears headed for the top pick in the 2012 NFL draft. Baltimore is 9-3 on the season and is preparing for the 2011 NFL playoffs. This game should prove the direction that each team is headed.

To make matters worse, Indianapolis this week lost three significant defensive players. Cornerbacks Jerraud Powers and Terrance Johnson as well as defensive tackle Drake Nevis were all placed on injured reserve this week. Indianapolis’ cornerbacks will be very inexperienced in this game and Joe Flacco will likely look to test them downfield. Jacob Lacey is the only player remaining with any NFL experience and even he was benched earlier this season for his poor play. If Baltimore can pass the ball well, it could be a long day for the Colts.

Good news for fans is that both tight end Dallas Clark and middle linebacker Pat Angerer are expected to play. Angerer is a key to the defense and has been arguably the most consistent player on the Indianapolis defense this year. Clark has missed the last three games with a leg injury. His return will certainly help the passing game but shouldn’t do much to help win the game.

Dan Orlovsky played well last week and provided a big spark for the offense. This Baltimore defense is very good though and will provide a challenge for the inexperienced Indianapolis offensive line. The offense should try to establish Joseph Addai and build upon the recent success of Donald Brown.

In the end, these two teams are headed in different directions and Indianapolis stands no chance to win the game. This loss will surely push them to 0-13 and leave them with just three chances remaining to get a win in the 2011 season. Fans should hope that this game ends quickly and they can move on to next week where they will try for their first win this year.

Prediction: Ravens 34, Colts 10

Kyle Rapoza is a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and has been a lifelong fan of the Indianapolis Colts. He attended Super Bowl XLIV in Miami and follows the team closely. Follow him on Twitter @kyler11.

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The Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t face each other on the field for the rest of the regular season, but the AFC North rivals are engaged in the NFL’s best battle over the next four weeks.

Both teams boast 9-3 records, the best marks in the division as well as the AFC. Both teams realize they can’t afford another loss. And both teams know what’s at stake.

The winner takes the AFC North title, a home playoff game and likely a first-round bye. The loser gets to pack its bags and head on the road for the postseason.

So, the Ravens and Steelers aren’t fighting over supremacy of the division. They’re fighting for a trip to the Super Bowl, based on recent history in the AFC and between the franchises.

The past four AFC champions have either been a No. 1 or No. 2 seed. The last fifth or sixth seed in the AFC to reach the Super Bowl was the 2005 Steelers.

The Ravens began talking about their quest for a top seed before the season began. Getting home field in this rivalry isn’t only an advantage, it’s a necessity. Baltimore is 7-2 against the Steelers at home since 2003, while two of the Ravens’ past three seasons have ended in Pittsburgh.

Players on both teams anticipate Baltimore and Pittsburgh meeting in the playoffs once again.

“We’re going to have to see this team in January,” Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said after the Ravens won in Pittsburgh last month. “We just positioned ourselves for them to have to come to M&T [Bank Stadium] so we can do it.”

The Ravens and Steelers are the class of the AFC, even though they have the same record as New England and Houston. It’s just difficult to think of the Patriots and Texans as serious contenders when New England has the NFL’s worst defense and Houston has a third-string rookie starting at quarterback.

It’s also difficult to think the Ravens or the Steelers will go to the stadium of their fiercest rival and leave with a victory. That’s not to say it’s impossible. Joe Flacco has led the Ravens on last-minute, game-winning touchdown drives on his last two regular-season trips to Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field. And Ben Roethlisberger has thrown two winning, fourth-quarter touchdown passes in Baltimore in 2008 and 2010.

Still, both teams and their defenses are playing at a different level when they’re in front of their home crowd. The Ravens have won eight straight games at M&T Bank Stadium, the second-longest current streak in the NFL (behind the Green Bay Packers). Baltimore has outscored opponents at home 175-95, beating the likes of Pittsburgh, Houston, San Francisco, Cincinnati and the New York Jets.

The Steelers are 29-9 (.763) at Heinz Field under coach Mike Tomlin, including 5-1 this season. Pittsburgh has outscored teams at home 159-77, defeating the likes of New England, Tennessee and Cincinnati.

What makes it so tough to beat these teams at their own place is Ray Lewis, Suggs, Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. Since 2008, the Ravens have given up the fewest points at home (13.4) and the Steelers have allowed the second fewest (15.7). Over that same span, Pittsburgh has given up the fewest yards at home (268.6) and Baltimore has allowed the second fewest (272.2).

The difference is the Ravens can decide their playoff future. If Baltimore wins the final four games, the Ravens will host their first playoff game since 2006.

“We know we control our own destiny,” Ravens running back Ray Rice said. “Regardless of who we play, we’ve got to take care of business.”

The reason the Ravens control their destiny is because they swept Pittsburgh in the regular season for only the second time in their history. Giving up that 92-yard drive to Flacco in the final minutes represents the difference between the Steelers leading the Ravens and trailing them.

Now, in order for the Steelers to win their sixth AFC North title, they have to finish one game ahead of Baltimore. That means Pittsburgh needs to win its last four games (home against Cleveland, at San Francisco, home against St. Louis and at Cleveland) and the Ravens need to lose at least one of their remaining games (home against winless Indianapolis, at San Diego, home against Cleveland and at Cincinnati).

“Coach Tomlin always talks about just playing,” Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward said. “Don’t look at Baltimore. We just have to worry about what we can do [and] take it one game at a time.”

Ward added: “We just have to keep playing. We can’t control what Baltimore does. If we do what we do, at the end, we might be there in the hunt of things.”

For the Ravens and Steelers, the end of this season has a different feel because the teams aren’t playing each other in December for the first time in five years. Instead of delivering knockout blows to one another, the Ravens and Steelers know that beating the other teams could hurt their rival just as much.

If Baltimore wins out, it likely will earn the top seed in the AFC based on a better strength of victory over New England and Houston. That would mean the road to the Super Bowl would go through Baltimore for the first time in the Ravens’ 16-year existence.

“Our guys understand the importance of where we’re at,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said, “because if you’re going to be at this level, you’re not just competing against the team you have to play on Sunday.”

Baltimore (9-3) set a franchise record with 55 rushing attempts against the Browns in a 24-10 victory. Ray Rice led the way with a career-best 204 yards rushing on 29 carries, and Ricky Williams chipped in with 76 yards on 16 attempts.

The Ravens won their only Super Bowl in 2001 with an offense dominated by running back Jamal Lewis and a defense centered around middle linebacker Ray Lewis. Jamal Lewis is retired and Ray Lewis has missed three straight games with a toe injury, but the formula for success hasn’t changed.

“We believe in running the football, absolutely,” coach John Harbaugh said Monday. “We think you have to run the ball and stop the run to be the kind of physical football team we want to be.”

Flacco threw only 23 passes against the Browns, but Harbaugh attributed the run-pass imbalance in part to the muddy field in Cleveland.

“We felt like we could run the ball, possibly. We wanted to be able to do that,” the coach said. “On the same token, it was rainy and it was windy and the field was real sloppy. The conditions for throwing the ball weren’t really ideal. … We try to be built for all weather conditions, but I think the way the game played out, the type of game it was, the best approach was to run the ball and keep running the ball because we were having some success doing it.”

In losses to Jacksonville and Seattle, the Ravens abandoned the run and attempted to win through the air. Baltimore has won its share of games on the strength of Flacco’s throwing arm, but this team seems to be at its best when it uses the run to set up the pass.

Against the Browns, the offensive line was only too happy to surge forward instead of drop back into pass protection.

“The guys up front did a great job,” fullback Vonta Leach said. “Ray did a good job of hitting those holes. Obviously with the weather the way it was and the field the way it was, you got to run the ball. We established the run and we kept with it.”

Center Matt Birk said, “That’s what we need to do. It was that kind of game. As an offense, we were able to run the ball.”

The Ravens have thrown 412 passes this season and have 284 rushes. That is, in part, because the NFL has become a passing league and Baltimore has a host of capable receivers, including Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith.

So Harbaugh isn’t about to commit entirely to the run as the Ravens seek to stay on course to capture the AFC North title — and perhaps the top seed in the conference.

“The teams that are scoring the most points are the teams that are throwing the ball the most,” Harbaugh said. “But our objective here is not to score the most points, per se. It’s to score more points than our opponent on any given Sunday. That’s why we’re really not willing to sit here and say that we are a run-first outfit.”

But to win in December, when the weather gets cold and the pressure to win intensifies, the Ravens have found that smashmouth football is far more effective than finesse.

“We’ve always had good teams. We play good defense. We’ve been able to run the ball,” Harbaugh said. “Some years we’ve been better running the ball. We’d like to believe that we’re built for December. Everything we do is built for December. We’re trying to be our best in December and January.”

The Ravens have four games left, the next three against losing teams. The winless Indianapolis Colts (0-12) come to Baltimore on Sunday, and although it seems as if the Ravens could afford to let Lewis rest his ailing right toe another week, Harbaugh doesn’t see it that way.

“We’re going to try to win the game against the Colts,” Harbaugh said. “We want to go in there full strength. Obviously a healthy Ray Lewis, playing at the caliber he’s capable of playing at, helps us beat the Colts. Is he going to be ready to do that? We don’t know. He says he’s going to be ready to do it. He’s got some orthotics that may give him a chance.”

Baltimore has won three straight without Lewis, who has watched from the sideline in each instance.

“We have, probably, been somewhat cautious,” Harbaugh acknowledged. “We want to make sure that he doesn’t re-injure it. So, we’ll just have to see how it goes again this week.”

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