"In the heat of nearly every moment on a football field, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers is said to be a man of many words — some more family friendly than others — whether his Chargers are winning big or getting their expletives handed to them.

It's that competitive fire that endears or irritates, depending on one's allegiance. But even in this, perhaps the most frustrating of his eight seasons in the NFL, Rivers has the full respect of the Ravens, who are sure to get an earful of trash talk in San Diego on Sunday night.

And of all the blooming verbal bouquets heaved at the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback this week, the one that sums Rivers up best came from soft-spoken defensive tackle Haloti Ngata.

"He is a quarterback that hates to get hit and loves to win," Ngata said almost endearingly.

As the 10-3 Ravens look to lock down the AFC's No. 1 playoff seed — win out and it's theirs — Rivers and the 6-7 Chargers might be the tallest hurdle left for them to clear.

Clinging to postseason hopes they appeared to fumble away weeks ago, the Chargers exploded for 75 points in back-to-back wins over the Jacksonville Jaguars and Buffalo Bills. With six touchdown passes and no interceptions in those two games, it is Rivers, who looks rejuvenated, leading their charge back to the fringe of playoff contention.

"They're extremely talented," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said of the Chargers' offense. "And when they're hitting on all cylinders, obviously, we've seen what they're capable of."

But earlier in the season — particularly during San Diego's six-game losing streak — few, if any, cylinders were in working order for the Chargers. They were ravaged by injuries on the offensive line and in the receiving corps, and doomed by a slew of turnovers by Rivers, who is second in the NFL with 17 interceptions and has also lost five fumbles."