After a five-game slump, a key cog in the Chargers' offense returned to form yesterday.

No, not Philip Rivers.

K.C. ALFRED / Union-Tribune A wide open Antonio Gates lopes into the end zone with the first of his two touchdown catches, a 35-yarder from Philip Rivers.

Tight end Antonio Gates caught six passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns against Baltimore after catching only 14 passes for 240 yards over the previous five games – his least productive five-game stretch since his rookie season of 2003.

But in his postgame remarks, Gates redirected the accolades headed his way toward Rivers.

“We all deserve the blame for what's been happening in the past,” said Gates. “We've been taking a lot of criticism. But that hasn't been the outside perception.

“I'd like to give all the credit to Philip because he's been taking all the criticism.”

Gates at least deserves an assist.

Yesterday marked his first 100-yard game since he had three in this season's first five games – when he totaled 40 catches for 489 yards.

“Numbers fluctuate, I understand that,” Gates said of his hot/cold season. “I try not to get caught up in that. The numbers might not be there, but you still play a role.”

Besides, the numbers tend to expand when you are the beneficiary of a broken coverage or find yourself in a one-on-one situation.

That was the story of Gates' two touchdowns yesterday.

On the first, which triggered the Chargers' 19-point blitz over the last half of the second quarter, Gates was wide open down the middle.

On the second, he beat one-on-one coverage against one of the game's premier players, linebacker Ray Lewis.

“I'm sure the first touchdown was blown coverage,” said Gates, who was more than 5 yards free of the nearest Raven when Rivers found him at the 10 for what concluded as a 35-yard play.

“They do so many exotic things on defense. They had been setting the strength to my side. On that play, they turned it back over to the other side . . . set the strength to the wrong side.

“It was the first time they had done that. They turned to get back over to my side, but it was too late. Philip did a great job of seeing what was happening. The linebacker who was supposed to carry me wasn't there. You could just tell by their reaction after the play that it was a blown coverage.”

Gates' second touchdown came on a Ravens blitz.

“I understood the coverage,” Gates said. “It's always exciting to see one-on-one coverage.”

Even if the defender is Lewis.

When quizzed about the matchup, Chargers wide receiver Chris Chambers smiled and said: “That's a good one there . . . 100 percent of the time.”

Many linebackers have said covering Gates is like covering a wide receiver – except for the fact that Gates is taller (6-4) and much bigger (260 pounds) than most other receivers and nearly equal in speed.

Although Gates beat Lewis, the Charger said he doesn't put much in names.

“I don't read names, I read coverages,” said Gates. “And when you see the blitz, you know you are one-on-one.”

Of the victory, Gates said: “There is a positive to what's happened. It's humbled us. Yes, we heard the boos. It's part of this business and it's a tough business.

“It unfolded today for us. This is what we've been searching for for 12 weeks. To be successful you have to play every down.

“I thought Rivers was tremendous today. I was happy for him.”

In addition to being the beneficiary.

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Bill Center: (619) 293-1851; bill.center@uniontrib.com