The Chargers are coming off their worst performance of the season in Week 15. They’ll have to shake it off rather quickly, though, as they now turn to face the Broncos on Thursday night.
They are 8-6 after the loss to the Buccaneers and need a win to solidify their chances for the postseason. Here are a few bold predictions for the contest between the two AFC West rivals:
Justin Herbert reaches 35+ pass attempts
Herbert has reached this mark just three times this season. The offense has been unable to run the ball lately, with J.K. Dobbins out of the lineup. Don’t expect that to change this week, as the Broncos are the fifth-best run defense in the NFL by allowing just 98.6 rushing yards per game. With that, expect the Chargers to air it out in this one. In the first meeting between these two teams, Herbert threw the ball 34 times with Dobbins active.
Ladd McConkey reaches 100+ yards for fourth time this season
The rookie wideout has been the Chargers’ best playmaker all season. McConkey is tied for 16th in the NFL in receiving yards (873) despite his recent shoulder injury that forced him to miss a game. The Georgia product has 26 catches over his last four games, including two 100-yard performances. Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II stays on the perimeter, allowing McConkey to feast on the inside in this contest.
Chargers defense snags 2+ interceptions
Broncos rookie QB Bo Nix has thrown five interceptions over the last two games, which included three against the Colts last weekend. His 11 on the year is tied for sixth most amongst quarterbacks. Meanwhile, the Chargers defense is tied for fourth in the NFL with 14 interceptions on the season. Thanks to Elijah Molden, the opportunistic secondary had one against Nix in the matchup earlier this season. With Nix being a bit overaggressive recently, expect Jesse Minter to dial up some pressure and try to force a few turnovers in this one.