Adam Terry

A week ago, Ravens coach Brian Billick said he wanted his players to hold on to their faint playoff hopes. Now, the only goal should be fixing a flawed offense. Held to 210 yards by the NFL's 25th-ranked defense, the Ravens (4-7) sputtered to a 32-14 loss to the San Diego Chargers yesterday at Qualcomm Stadium, virtually eliminating them from the postseason race and sending their disappointing season to further depths. The Ravens' fifth straight loss marks the longest losing streak in the team's 12-year history.

Each week, Baltimore Sun reporter Jamison Hensley will answer questions about the Ravens. To submit a question, e-mail sports@baltsun.com. Give your name and phone number so we can verify the e-mail. : HEY, JAMISON: : Two years ago when the Ravens were 13-3 and Trevor Pryce was healthy (unlike last year), didn't he play on the end, rushing the passer in tandem with Terrell Suggs? I keep hearing how he's double-teamed and held constantly, and every time I spot him, it looks like he's playing nose tackle.

The Ravens received good news about their quarterback situation yesterday. No, they didn't sign Aaron Brooks or Daunte Culpepper, but they did announce that starting left offensive tackle Jared Gaither would begin practicing. It's not as earth-shattering as Jonathan Ogden coming out of retirement, but the Ravens could have their entire starting offensive line on the field for the first time Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons. Ravens coach John Harbaugh appreciated the news. So did quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Kyle Boller.

The Ravens explained Tuesday that veteran offensive tackle Willie Anderson decided to retire because his legs could no longer carry the workload. There are no such questions about Michael Oher. The Ravens' first-round pick worked at right tackle with the first team, the second team, the third team ... Throughout team drills of Tuesday's passing camp, Oher continually showed why the Ravens aren't sweating Anderson's departure. He looked strong, athletic and surprisingly polished. "I won't say [the NFL]

San Francisco -- Kicker Matt Stover is the first to admit that he needs the Ravens' offense. The feeling is mutual. With the offense continuing to struggle to score touchdowns, Stover's right leg accounted for all of the team's scoring in a 9-7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Monster Park yesterday. It was the second time in the past three weeks that the 18-year veteran converted at least three field goals, and the output reaffirmed the team's reliance on Stover. "He's always messing with you, saying, `I need you, I need you.' And I was like, `No, we need you,'" running back Willis McGahee said.

SAN FRANCISCO -- It was a painful reunion yesterday with Trent Dilfer, but it had nothing to do with the Super Bowl-winning quarterback's one-time grudge against the Ravens. Entering the game without four starters and then losing two offensive linemen in one series, the Ravens persevered in an ugly yet satisfying 9-7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers before 67,885 at Monster Park. Injuries continue to take their toll on the Ravens, who were down to three rookie blockers, one healthy tight end and no backup offensive linemen.

Left guard Jason Brown is the first to say that the Ravens' offensive line is a work in progress. With a unit composed of three rookies (tackles Jared Gaither and Marshal Yanda and right guard Ben Grubbs), a 2006 second-round draft pick (center Chris Chester) and a third-year player (Brown), that would seem to be understood, but the linemen have high expectations of themselves. "We're far from being a finished product, but we're still improving little by little every week, and that's a good thing," the left guard said.

When the Ravens' offensive line faces one of its biggest challenges of the season today, part of its motivation can be traced to Thursday. That's when Joe Flacco takes his closest 300-pound teammates out for their weekly dinner. Feasting on steaks and seafood, the rookie quarterback and his on-field bodyguards have forged their camaraderie just as much at Ruth's Chris Steak House and T.G.I. Friday's as the locker room. So if the sack-hungry Philadelphia Eagles want to take a shot at Flacco today at M&T Bank Stadium, they'll have to go through the equally hungry Ravens offensive line, whose main goal is to protect their new friend and meal ticket.

The Ravens were without their starting quarterback. They were without their best tight end. And they were without a majority of their starting offensive line. But yesterday against the hapless St. Louis Rams, the Ravens proved they still had something just as valuable - their swagger on defense. After enduring hits all season about their status as an elite defense, the Ravens took out their frustrations on the winless Rams in a 22-3 victory at M&T Bank Stadium, taking away the ball six times and eventually taking out Rams quarterback Gus Frerotte.

The Ravens closed out venerable Texas Stadium by making some history of their own. Le'Ron McClain's 82-yard touchdown run - the longest by a visiting back in the stadium's 37-year existence - finished off the Ravens' critical 33-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and ruined the much-anticipated celebration. The Ravens (10-5) now need only a victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-10) next Sunday in the regular-season finale to clinch a playoff berth. Their path to the postseason remained clear because they hurdled a tough roadblock against the Cowboys (9-6)