OWINGS MILLS, Md. — As the Baltimore Ravens prepare for a pivotal game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, they are dealing with a short week and the Thanksgiving holiday following an emotional Monday night win over the New Orleans Saints.

The Ravens (7-4) play the Chargers (7-4) at M&T Bank Stadium in a game with major playoff implications, and Baltimore does so after arriving home before dawn Tuesday morning following the road win over New Orleans.

“Since the beginning, all the adversity we’ve had to face, we’ve been locked in, and this will be no different,” running back Justin Forsett said. “We have to take care of business with the distractions of Thanksgiving and the short week. I’m here early, and then it’s turkey time, watch some games and hang with the family.”

The Ravens will arrive early Thursday for morning meetings and a brief practice before players are dismissed to celebrate the holiday.

“It’s a short week, and we have a short-week plan that we’re pursuing right now,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “We have to make up a lot of ground. We’ll move everything up. We’re going to start really early, then we’ll try to get guys out of here earlier so they can get home to their families.”

The Ravens have their usual allotment of practices before Sunday, but they have one fewer day of rest after playing Monday night.

“We’ve got a task at hand; I think everybody’s focused on that,” middle linebacker Daryl Smith said. “We’re going to come in and get our work done when it’s time to work. When it’s time to eat turkey, we eat turkey.”

Both the Ravens and the Chargers have won two consecutive games and are top contenders for an AFC wild-card playoff berth.

“It’s definitely a challenge,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. “This is a huge game. This could have playoff implications for us. I feel like we’re the team to handle that kind of stuff.

“We’re pretty good at handling distractions. We’ve had plenty of them this year. I think it will be just like any other week for us.”

With five games remaining in the regular season, the Ravens are tied for second place in the AFC North but hold tiebreakers over the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns. All three teams are 7-4, a half-game behind the first-place Cincinnati Bengals (7-3-1).

“From here on out, every week is that key week,” outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw said. “We look at it as if we have to win them all, especially with us being in the AFC North and everybody fighting to win the division.”