3 NFL teams on upset alert in Week 12 on Sunday

1. Baltimore Ravens (at Chargers)

If the pattern holds, Brandon Staley’s team will surprise the leaders of the AFC North on Sunday.

Pattern? This season, the Los Angeles Chargers got off to a 0-2 start, evened their record, lost two straight games, won two straight and now enter Sunday’s game with the Baltimore Ravens off consecutive losses to the Lions and Packers, each by three points.

The Chargers defense has the unenviable choice of having to slow down the NFL’s top-ranked rushing attack. Only the Broncos have given up more total yards per game this year and that number includes that Week 3 debacle at Miami, 70-20.

Los Angeles has been respectable against the run, but part of that can be attributed to teams’ desire to exploit the worst pass defense in the league. Regardless of how teams have attacked Staley’s team, the Chargers are giving up 23.8 points per game and have allowed 28 offensive touchdowns in 10 outings.

This game may be less about Justin Herbert and company getting a win and the Ravens self-destructing in the final quarter. The most recent example was two weeks ago when the Browns went into Baltimore and stole a 33-31 victory.

If the Chargers offensive line can keep Herbert out of harm’s way (the Ravens have an NFL-high 44 sacks), Staley and company can get a start on another two-game winning streak.