Tag: Chargers vs. Broncos

Updated betting odds points to Chargers resting starters vs. Broncos

The Chargers are now 3-point underdogs to the Broncos.

After opening the week as 3-point favorites, the Chargers are now 3-point underdogs to the Broncos, per Tipico Sportsbook.

Los Angeles will either be the No. 5 or No. 6 seed, but by the time they play in the afternoon on Sunday, they could be locked into the fifth seed if the Ravens lose to the Bengals in the early slate of games.

If that becomes the case, the Bolts will have nothing to play for and could elect to give most of, if not all the starters a week to recover for what would be a Wild Card round matchup with the Jaguars.

Jacksonville defeated the Titans on Saturday night, which means they are the AFC South champions and the No. 4 seed.

The Chargers and Broncos are slated to kickoff at 1:25 pm PT and the game will be televised on CBS.

Updated Chargers at Broncos odds, moneyline and over/under

  • Spread: Broncos (-3)
  • Moneyline: Broncos (-170); Chargers (-145)
  • Over/under: 39.5

Chargers’ keys to victory over Broncos

Here is how the Chargers can pick up their fifth-straight win.

The Chargers finish off their regular season on the road against the Broncos.

Here is what Los Angeles must do to pick up its fifth-straight victory.

Move the ball early

The Chargers have struggled to move the ball on early downs, as evidenced by their league-leading 15.2 third downs per game. They convert at a roughly 43% clip amongst the better teams in the league, but a large part of that is because of the playmaking abilities of quarterback Justin Herbert. With LA’s playoff seed potentially locked in before kickoff, however, it remains to be seen whether or not Herbert, or most of the other starters, will play on Sunday. If they don’t, those 15 third downs a game will be handed to Chase Daniel, who has shown in limited action this season that he’s not the same chain-mover as QB1. That means LA will need to find a way to get into shorter third downs or, better yet, move the chains on first or second down.

Lean on the run game

That leads into this next point rather nicely. Whether it’s primarily going to be Austin Ekeler, Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, or even Larry Rountree III, the Chargers should make toting the rock a priority against Denver. The reasons for this are twofold: one, LA needs to continue to develop their identity on the ground heading into the playoffs to show opponents more balanced looks. Two, the Broncos have given up fifteen touchdowns to running backs this season, one of the highest figures in the league. Denver is middle of the pack as a per carry rush defense, allowing 4.3 yards a rush, but the blueprint is there for an effective day on the ground. Even if it doesn’t result in a career day for anyone, getting a player like Kelley into the endzone once or twice could be enough to raise his confidence for the playoffs, where he will still have an important role as Austin Ekeler’s foil.

Bring the heat

Denver’s offensive line has given up 61 sacks this season, good for 3.8 per game, which is the most in the NFL. They will also be without starting guard Dalton Risner, who was placed on injured reserve this week. That’s contributed to the struggles of quarterback Russell Wilson, who has only recently started to get on the move to avoid the impending pressure as the coaching regime has turned over. Over the last three games, LA has logged 4.7 sacks per game, second-best in the league over that timeframe. Those numbers should only increase as Joey Bosa gets closer to full health: regardless of Bengals-Ravens outcome, I’d expect Bosa to play throughout the game to get him back up to speed. He needs the reps to shake the rust off from groin surgery, and last week’s Rams contest was slightly marred by food poisoning. With a chance to feast against Denver’s ragtag offensive line, Bosa could find his groove just in time for the playoffs.

Control the line of scrimmage

Denver has rushed for at least 100 yards in each of its last four games despite injuries across the offensive line and Latavius Murray serving as their primary running back. The Chargers, meanwhile, have given up at least 100 yards rushing in 11 of their 16 games thus far. Last week was a particularly rough outing, as Cam Akers shredded LA for 6.5 yards a carry. As the defense has improved over the last few weeks, the defensive line has largely been able to stuff the run at a fairly reasonable rate, but last week was a return to the early season of consistent struggles up front. Denver’s rushing success has mirrored their improvements on offense, with 20+ points in three of their last four outings. Stopping them and forcing Russell Wilson to be the one to win the game will be paramount.

Lock up Jerry Jeudy

Jeudy has been Wilson’s go-to receiver as the coaching has changed from Nathaniel Hackett to interim Jerry Rosburg. The third-year receiver has at least six catches in four consecutive contests and has found a groove as Courtland Sutton has been up and down and KJ Hamler has missed time. With the ascendant Michael Davis likely tasked with Sutton on the outside if the starters play for LA, that leaves Asante Samuel Jr. and Bryce Callahan as the primary options to track Jeudy. Both have been solid players all season, and their efforts helped hold Jeudy to 3 catches for 54 yards the first time these teams matched up. But if the starters don’t go, it’ll likely be rookie Ja’Sir Taylor that draws the assignment on Jeudy. How he responds, even with Jeudy dealing with a minor ankle injury, could be the difference.

Keep everyone healthy

This is the goal in every game, really, but it’s especially important this week with one eye on the pending playoff schedule. The Chargers have missed at least one game from Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Rashawn Slater, Joey Bosa, and Derwin James this season and have dealt with Justin Herbert playing in a severely limited fashion at times. They’re finally beginning to hit a stride health-wise, with only fullback Zander Horvath on the injury report leading into Sunday and reports that Slater may be close to returning surfacing. It’s of vital importance that they do all they can to ensure that remains the case going into Wild Card Weekend. If the starters have to play, I’d expect them to do so somewhat conservatively.

Chargers’ causes for concern vs. Broncos

Reasons why the Broncos might snap the Chargers’ four-game winning streak.

The Chargers will likely know by kickoff on Sunday whether they’ve secured the fifth seed in the AFC playoffs.

If they do, Los Angeles will likely rest its starters and attempt to get healthier for the Wild Card round. If they don’t, the Chargers can still win and jump up a spot, making Sunday’s game against Denver much more valuable.

Here are some reasons to be worried about LA’s chances.

Resting starters

If the Bengals beat the Ravens in the early window, the Chargers simply won’t have anything to play for on Sunday. Given Brandon Staley’s rest tendencies in the preseason, that’d likely mean that nearly every veteran starter will sit in favor of younger depth players. The exception to this might be Joey Bosa, who’s still working his way back from groin surgery and food poisoning. Denver has been bad this season, there’s no doubt about that. But NFL starters are usually starters for a reason, no matter what team they’re on, and trotting out Chase Daniel and a ragtag group of receivers against this vaunted Broncos secondary seems like a recipe for disaster from a single-game perspective.

Something to prove

People often say that teams eliminated from the playoffs have nothing to play for, but that’s not true. It’s especially not true for the Broncos, whose players will be out to prove to ownership and general manager George Paton that they’re worth keeping around for the new coaching regime following the firing of Nathaniel Hackett. For pending free agents, this is their last audition for Denver or a potential new team. Players on the fringes have to prove they’re not replaceable. Everyone is fighting to keep their NFL career afloat. For the Chargers, on the other hand, there’s less at stake. Their season doesn’t end when the final whistle blows on Sunday. Nobody’s jobs are at risk depending solely on the outcome of this game. Those different states of being could result in a flat game from LA as they look to cruise into the playoffs, while Denver’s players look to put out good tape against a playoff team.

Offensive improvement

Denver’s offense has improved dramatically over the last four games, scoring 28, 24, 14, and 24 points, which looks more like the statline of an average offense than a historically awful one. In all four of these contests, the Broncos have rushed for at least 100 yards. LA, meanwhile, has allowed teams to rush for at least 100 yards in 11 of their 16 games, which seems to suggest that Denver can continue their streak on Sunday. The first time these teams met, the Chargers needed overtime to win with only 19 points because the Broncos could only muster 16. Of course, LA also lacked some offensive talent because of early-season injuries. But with this Denver team averaging 22.5 points per game over their last 4, the Chargers will have to keep pace, likely to the tune of 31-ish points as they did last week versus the Rams.

Third down defense

Denver is the second-best team in the league at preventing third down conversions, giving up a first down just 33.01% of the time. The only team better this season has been Washington. The Chargers, meanwhile, love to work themselves into difficult third-down situations and ask Justin Herbert to bail them out. LA leads the league in third down conversions per game with 6.6 on a similarly league-leading 15.2 chances per game this season, a conversion rate of 43.21%, 8th best in the NFL. But again, remember that Herbert may not play in this one depending on earlier outcomes. If that’s the case, can you trust Chase Daniel to make the same plays to keep LA’s conversion percentage hovering around that 43% mark?

Chargers final Week 18 injury report: FB Zander Horvath questionable

Here are the Chargers and Broncos’ final injury reports.

The Chargers had their final practice on Friday before traveling to Denver to face the Broncos in the season finale.

The only player with a game status designation is fullback Zander Horvath, who is questionable with an ankle injury.

Offensive tackle Trey Pipkins (knee) was a limited participant on Thursday, but he was taken off the injury report and will play.

If Los Angeles can clinch the fifth seed before kickoff, they may rest their starters, which would be beneficial before the playoffs start next weekend.

Here is a look at the Broncos’ final injury report:

Out

OT Calvin Anderson

WR Kendall Hinton

DT D.J. Jones

Questionable

LB Jonathan Kongbo

CB Damarri Mathis

TE Eric Saubert

TE Eric Tomlinson

OL Billy Turner

Chargers’ reasons for optimism vs. Broncos

Reasons why the Los Angeles Chargers should beat the Denver Broncos.

The Chargers wrap up their regular season on Sunday with a divisional matchup against the Broncos with potentially nothing but pride on the line. If Baltimore loses by the time L.A. kicks off, the Bolts will be locked into the fifth seed.

Here are four reasons to be optimistic, regardless of the seeding outcome, that the Chargers come away victorious on Sunday.

Injuries piling up

After placing running back Marlon Mack and guard Dalton Risner on injured reserve earlier this week, the Broncos moved into a tie for the league lead in number of players on IR with 23. Only the Titans have as many. For Denver, that number includes four different running backs, including Mack and the dynamic Javonte Williams, top receivers Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler, rookie tight end Greg Dulcich, five offensive linemen, defensive tackle Dre’Mont Jones and four pass rushers. This is a broken team beyond the disaster that was the Nathaniel Hackett tenure. Meanwhile, LA has 15 players on injured reserve, tied for fourth in the league, but their most significant contributors are beginning to return. Their biggest losses are tackle Rashawn Slater, the stable of defensive tackles, and cornerback JC Jackson, but players like Joey Bosa, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams have all made their returns felt as LA has embarked on this four-game win streak.

Defensive regression

After allowing less than 20 points in nine of their first twelve games, the Broncos have fallen apart on defense down the stretch, allowing 137 points in their last four. They do not have a sack in their last two games. Opposing running backs have fifteen total touchdowns against them. This stacks up well, should the Chargers be forced into playing their starters. Austin Ekeler is the league leader in touchdowns with 18, and Justin Herbert, with a clean pocket to operate from, should open up the passing game. Denver allowed 51 points to a Rams team the Chargers just dismantled 31-10 last week, which bodes well for their route to success against the Broncos on Sunday.

Winless season

Denver has not won a divisional game all season, and a loss on Sunday would extend their divisional losing streak to double digits. The Broncos haven’t gone winless in their division since 1970. Now, their last victory did come against the Chargers last season when Patrick Surtain II took an interception back for a touchdown. But since then, Denver hasn’t found a way to beat any AFC West opponent, including the last two games against LA. The closest they’ve come is the Chargers game earlier this season, which ended 19-16 in overtime, and last week against the Chiefs in a 27-24 ballgame. With the way the Chargers have played in recent weeks, especially the offensive identity they began to cultivate against the Rams, there’s little reason to believe they can’t get the job done on Sunday.

The Russell Wilson phenomenon

It’s been a fascinating season to watch from Wilson if you’re not a Broncos fan and an excruciating one if you are. Wilson is seven touchdowns behind his previous season-low of 20 passing touchdowns coming into Sunday’s game. Injuries ranging from a shoulder issue to a partially torn hamstring to a concussion have hampered his effectiveness. Even before that, though, Wilson has struggled, logging the sixth-worst individual DVOA of any passer with at least 200 attempts. The players in his tier have all been benched at one point or another: Zach Wilson, Carson Wentz, Baker Mayfield, etc. Denver hasn’t benched Wilson because they can’t, really. They’re paying him too much money to do that, and backup Brett Rypien hasn’t been much better. So the Chargers will get Wilson on Sunday, for better or for worse. This season suggests that’s probably for the worse.

Chargers’ first injury report vs. Broncos, Week 18

The Los Angeles Chargers Week 18 first injury report listed two players limited.

The Chargers held their first practice ahead of their Week 18 matchup with the Broncos on Wednesday.

Here is a look at the injury report.

Note: This is estimated because the team just had a walkthrough.

Player Injury Participation
CB Bryce Callahan Groin FP
QB Justin Herbert Left shoulder FP
FB Zander Horvath Ankle LP
S Derwin James Concussion FP
LB Amen Ogbongbemiga Ankle FP
OT Trey Pipkins Knee LP
LB Troy Reeder Back FP
OT Jamaree Salyer Shoulder FP

* DNP = Did not participate | LP = Limited participation | FP = Full participation | NIR = Not injury related

Key things to know about Chargers’ Week 18 opponent: Broncos

Here are some key things to know about the Los Angeles Chargers’ opponent ahead of the Week 18 matchup.

The Chargers close out the regular season on the road in a divisional matchup with the Broncos.

To get you prepped for the Week 18 bout, here are some key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the game.

Coaching change

After only 15 games since being named head coach, former Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett was relieved of his duties. Under Hackett, Denver was 4-11 before being let go of. The Broncos named Jerry Rosburg as their interim coach. Rosburg served as the assistant to Hackett before being promoted. In Rosburg’s first game overseeing the team, Denver nearly upset the Chiefs last Sunday but fell just short, 27-24.

Russell did not cook this season

To say that quarterback Russell Wilson’s first season with the Broncos was lackluster would be an understatement. The former Seattle Seahawk is completing 60.8% of his passes for 231.5 yards per game, with 13 touchdowns to ten interceptions. He has now lost seven straight starts, which is the longest losing streak of his career. Wilson has struggled to see the field and missed open players for a more significant part of the season.

Still dominant on defense

Despite having an abysmal offense, the Broncos still have a solid defense, particularly against the pass. Denver ranks fourth in passing defense DVOA. They are holding quarterbacks to 5.8 passing yards per attempt, which is the second-lowest in the league and have 15 interceptions, tied for the third most. In their first meeting this season, Justin Herbert was held to just 37-of-57 passing for 238 yards and an interception.

Other notes

  • The Broncos rank 26th in rushing offense DVOA and 22nd in rushing defense DVOA.
  • The Broncos have allowed the fourth-most sacks (30).
  • Latavius Murray is the team’s leading rusher with 600 yards, 4.1 yards per carry and four touchdowns.
  • Jerry Jeudy leads the team in receiving with 818 yards and six touchdowns. Courtland Sutton is not far off with 796 yards.
  • Justin Simmons is tied for the most interceptions in the league (6).
  • Alex Singleton has the seventh-most total tackles (151).

Time, date set for Chargers’ regular season finale vs. Broncos

The Chargers look to finish 11-6 and secure the fifth seed.

The Chargers wrap up the regular season on the road against the Broncos.

Los Angeles will take on Denver on Sunday, Jan. 8, at 1:25 p.m. PT at Empower Field at Mile High, the NFL announced Monday.

The NFL’s scheduling rules permit the league to announce the Week 18 schedule in the days ahead of the final weekend of the regular season.

In their first meeting this season, the Bolts beat the Broncos in Week 6 of the season by the score of 19-16 in overtime.

Denver’s last divisional win came against L.A. in Week 12 of the 2021 season. That contest was played at Empower Field at Mile High.

L.A. will look to defeat Denver to finish the regular season with an 11-6 record and enter the playoffs with the fifth seed.

Chargers show why not to underestimate importance of special teams

The Chargers special teams units pushed them to victory over the Broncos.

In what was considered the most exciting yet boring game of the week, the Chargers didn’t beat the Broncos with their offense. Their defense? Yes, in the second half. However, their special teams play through all four quarters ultimately pushed them to victory.

Dustin Hopkins battled a hamstring injury to make four field goals, including the tying one in the fourth quarter and the winner in overtime. Hopkins, who missed last week’s win over the Browns with a quad injury, tweaked his hamstring on a PAT attempt in the second quarter.

Instead of being sidelined, Hopkins knew the game’s trajectory, and how Denver was stifling Los Angeles from finding the end zone, so he pushed through the pain to connect his field goals from 37, 31, 35, and 39 yards outs.

To take some of the pressure off of Hopkins’ leg, punter JK Scott handled the kickoff duties. His five kickoffs all went for touchbacks.

But arguably, the play of the game was made by two rookies, sixth-rounders Ja’Sir Taylor and Deane Leonard. Taylor lined up as a gunner on the outside as the Chargers punted the ball with the score tied at 16 apiece with under five minutes left in overtime.

Taylor beat his man on the outside, sprinting toward punt returner Montrell Washington, who was calling for a fair catch. As he got to Washington, safety P.J. Locke stood between himself and Taylor. Taylor pushed Locke into Washington right before he could make the fair catch.

The block knocked Locke into Washington, and he fell to the ground, unable to haul in the hanging punt from Scott. The football deflected off of Washington, and Leonard was there to recover the ball at Denver’s 29. That led to Hopkins, the hurt hero, making the game-winner.

After years of having special teams be the reason for some of their losses, the Bolts finally found a way to flip the script.

This speaks to Brandon Staley’s moves in this department by signing Hopkins halfway through last season, hiring special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken, adding All-Pro long snapper Josh Harris and Scott via free agency, and drafting and developing contributors on coverage units.

As the saying goes, defense wins championships.

However, if the offense stalls, like it did yesterday, special teams play can and will impact the final score of the game.

Chargers HC Brandon Staley sounds off on benching CB J.C. Jackson

Chargers HC Brandon Staley had seen enough.

The Chargers sought out cornerback J.C. Jackson this past offseason, hoping to be the anchor of the defensive backfield.

Jackson missed the first two games due to off-season ankle surgery. When he finally got on the field, Jackson struggled to play up to the five-year, $82.5 million contract he signed in March.

Entering Week 6, Jackson had been targeted 20 times while allowing 15 receptions for 245 yards and two touchdowns. Further, he had yet to intercept a pass and was credited with just a single pass breakup.

Enough was enough on Monday night against the Broncos when Jackson’s struggles continued. After a porous first-half performance, he was benched to start the second half in favor of seventh-year Michael Davis.

“It just wasn’t good enough in the first half and we felt like we needed to make a change,” Brandon Staley said on the decision to bench Jackson.

Jackson was called for defensive pass interference on a deep pass intended for wide receiver Courtland Sutton on the Broncos’ first drive.

It was all downhill from there.

On Denver’s next drive, which resulted in a 39-yard touchdown by rookie Greg Dulcich, they were in Cover 3, and instead of covering his side of the field, Jackson followed K.J. Hamler, leading to a wide-open Dulcich.

When asked if Dulcich’s touchdown was on Jackson, Staley replied, “Yeah.”

Two drives later, right before the half, Jackson got beat on a double move by Hamler, resulting in a 47-yard pickup.

“The Hamler catch, was J.C. beat there?” Staley responded, “Yeah.” “Was he supposed to have safety help?” Staley said, “No.”

Before the matchup with Denver, Jackson said that the ankle was not the issue for his early struggles.

Instead, he said it was a matter of getting his confidence back and acclimating to the defensive scheme after going from a man-heavy system with the Patriots to playing the most zone coverage he has ever played.

With New England, Jackson earned All-Pro honors in 2021 after registering eight interceptions and a league-leading 23 pass deflections.

Nevertheless, once Davis took the field, the play in the secondary improved. He did a great job of locking up his side of the field, and he broke up a pass intended for Courtland Sutton in the fourth quarter.

“Mike gave us a chance in the second half,” Staley said.

Now, still early in the season, the question looms of what the Chargers will do with the outside spot opposite Asante Samuel Jr. going forward

Do they throw Jackson back into the mix, hoping to see an improvement, or simply because they’re paying him too much money to stand on the sidelines?

Or, do they ride with Davis, who had a better two quarters than Jackson has had all season?

We wait and see how it all unfolds.