The San Diego Chargers (6-7) will have a lot on the line on Sunday night. The Bolts will attempt to keep their razor thin playoff hopes alive against the Baltimore Ravens (11-3), arguably the best team in the AFC, while career milestones are in reach for several Chargers players.

Running back Ryan Mathews is coming off his first three consecutive games of rushing for more than 100 yards and has a combined for 363 yards in that streak. Mathews has rushed for 953 yards this season and now needs just 57 more to achieve 1,000 rushing yards for the first time in his career.

Ball security is the biggest obstacle for Mathews in reaching the 1,000 yard milestone this Sunday. He has four fumbles (two lost) on the year, but has not put the ball on the ground in the last three games. The Ravens defense leads the leagues in forced fumbles (19) and outside linebacker Terrell Suggs had three forced fumbles against the Indianapolis Colts last week to set a franchise single-game record and tie the Ravens’ single-season mark of six. “They are going to try (to force fumbles),” Mathews said. “I have done what I can to correct my mistakes.”

Mathews’ rushing attack has helped the Chargers offense find balance and San Diego has scored a combined 88 points during Mathews’ streak. “It’s not just me,” Mathews said. “I feel like everyone on the offense is clicking right now and that is opening it up for everybody.”

The resurgence of tight end Antonio Gates has also given the Chargers offense a spark. There were many who speculated Gates would not return to being an impact player when he suffered a setback to his plantar fascia injury at the beginning of the season. Gates, however, has had 45 catches for 527 yards and six touchdowns over the last eight games. “He looks healthier every week,” coach Norv Turner said.

Gates, with 582 career receptions now needs just five more receptions to pass Hall of Fame wide receiver Charlie Joiner (1976-1986) as the Chargers all-time leading receiver (586.) “[Gates] is a special player,” quarterback Philip Rivers said. “He has earned every reception that he has got. He will go from a guy who didn’t play college ball to the franchise leader in receptions, pretty impressive!”

Rivers is another Chargers player who is on the verge of a milestone. He has averaged just over 288 yards per game for a total of 3,745 yards this year. He needs just 255 for yards for his fourth consecutive 4,000 yard season. Rivers would then join Peyton Manning and Drew Brees as the only other quarterbacks in history with such a streak.

Manning and Brees, however, each have a Super Bowl ring while Rivers has never been to the big game. Rivers led the league in passing last season (4,710), but he has repeatedly said he doesn’t care about that accomplishment because the Chargers finished with a 9-7 record and did not qualify for the playoffs.

The best the Chargers can hope to do this season is repeat that 9-7 mark. Even if they win out, the chances of them making the post-season are extremely slim.

Yet for the time being, there is hope. Whether the Chargers can keep those hopes alive and defeat the Ravens may hinge on the health of inside linebackers Donald Butler (foot) and Takeo Spikes (back) who as of Thursday had not practiced this week.

This is a major concern because Ravens running back Ray Rice leads the NFL with 1,622 yards (1,029 rushing and 593 receiving) from scrimmage. The Chargers need Butler and Spikes if they are going to contain Rice. “I am hopeful both those guys can play,” Turner said. “Having them would be real import for us.”

They will likely find their way into the starting lineup. Spikes, a 14 year veteran, is especially motivated to make the playoffs. He reached a milestone this season playing in his 200th career game last Sunday and has never played for a team that has reached the playoffs.

Surprisingly, Suggs believes Spikes will finally get that opportunity this season. “I expect (the Chargers) to make the playoffs,” Suggs said on Wednesday. “This will not be the last time that we will be seeing them. I think they will make it. I just hope this isn’t the game that they start their run.”