Philip Rivers put up a 50-burger against the Broncos the last time they played in Qualcomm. He won't tonight. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

Each week, we throw records, hype, momentum, and stats (somewhat) out the window and break down the upcoming opponent the old fashioned way: studying film. Join us as we scout this week’s foe, the San Diego Chargers.

The Denver Broncos can beat the San Diego Chargers.

To me, this is a game that will be won or lost in the second half. The Broncos have been phenomenal in the third and fourth quarters, shutting down every opponent they’ve faced and allowing only seven points all season. The Chargers have been equally impressive after halftime, tallying a comeback win against Oakland and nearly doing the same in Week Four after trailing 28-0 against Pittsburgh.

I watched both of these games live at the time and recorded since, and the first thing that comes to mind is that not all of that was an offensive surge — the Chargers have made big plays on defense and special teams to mount those efforts. The ball bounced their way a few times (or, more accurately, was thrown their way by one JaMarcus Russell), but it’s safe to say these Chargers won’t quit until the final whistle blows.

Even if they’re leading in the fourth quarter, the Broncos can’t rely on their stingy second half defense for the win. There are too many intangibles going into this game — too much at stake, too much “back against the wall” mentality, and too much horrid history at Qualcomm — for the Broncos to feel comfortable with a moderate lead. Denver needs to be up, and up big — I’m talking 14 points or more — in the fourth quarter to seal the deal in San Diego. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

The Broncos hope to turn the AFC West tide in San Diego Monday night. (Getty Images)

November 19, 2006 is a day that has haunted the Broncos for three seasons.

On that fateful night, the 7-2 defending AFC West champion Broncos hosted the 7-2 eventual AFC West champion Chargers at INVESCO Field at Mile High.  The Chargers notched a 35-27 comeback win, engineered by first-year-starting quarterback Philip Rivers, and gained a firm grip on the division that they have yet to relinquish.

Jake Plummer, who fumbled the game away, was benched less than a week later.  Defensive coordinator Larry Coyer was fired following a 9-7 playoffs-less finish.

25 months later, Mike Shanahan still couldn’t figure out a way to effectively beat this Chargers team, losing 52-21 in an embarrassing winner-takes-the-division season finale that would be his final game as Broncos Head Coach.

Tonight is the Broncos’ chance to exorcise those demons.  Click here to read the rest of this entry »

• Both the Chiefs and the Raiders won Sunday.  Mind the flying pigs on your commute today.  [ESPN 1, 2]
• But tonight, the real contenders in the division face off.  [ESPN]
• The Broncos have adjusted well to every opponent they faced.  [ESPN]
• These adjustments happen in-game and during the week.  [Colorado Springs Gazette]
• While the Chargers hope to wake from their early season slumber.  [Denver Post]

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BroncoTalk staffers J. Kenneth K., Mr. East and Kyle predict each week’s winners. NOTE: We screwed up the scheduling of this post, and here it is, in the middle of Week One games. We only used this to our advantage 100% of the time.

Kansas City at Washington (-6)

The question here isn’t “who’s going to outplay who,” or even “who’s going to make more plays?” It’s “who’s going to get out of their own way?” The Chiefs have been doing some good things but haven’t been able to win, while the Redskins defense is underrated. I don’t see that Chiefs OL able to keep up, and the Skins will do just enough to win.

Pick: Washington, 10-3

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“This is the kind of game that they win,” San Diego Union Tribune columnist Nick Canepa said of the Chargers.

“We saw last year, every time they were in a situation like this except for one, against the Colts, they came out and smoked the other team,” staff writer Jay Posner said.

Meanwhile, LB Shawne Merriman promises “people will see a difference” Monday after the Chargers’ bye.

The city of San Diego – players, fans, columnists alike – are coming into this game confident. For the Broncos, this is the annual toughest game of the year. But talk is cheap; nothing would make us happier than to see the Broncos shut them up.

Injury Report for the Week 6 NFL game between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers on Monday, October 19, 2009.

DNP – Did Not Participate; LP – Limited Participation; FP – Full Participation; NL – Not Listed

Changes in practice status from Friday’s report in bold. Chargers report after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

For those who want a more in-depth look at the numbers that drive the NFL, we strongly recommend Football Outsiders. Trends are starting to take shape, so we’ll be looking at DVOA rankings to gain some perspective on the Broncos‘ upcoming opponent.

San Diego Chargers

Passing Offense: 31.1% (11th)
Rushing Offense: -17.1% (25th)
Overall: 5.2% (16th)
Analysis: The Chargers certainly have the ability to be explosive at times, but the numbers suggest they’re not consistent (in fact, the Broncos outrank them significantly in all offensive DVOA categories). Each of their games in 2009 have been a microcosm of their past few seasons: a slow start, finding themselves in a deep hole, followed by a . It also explains why the Chargers have rushed for fewer yards than other team in the league. As part of their bye week break, expect the Chargers to come out throwing Monday. An early lead would go a long way to heal what ails them. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Knowshon Moreno (AP Photo)

NFL.com voters have spoken, and Denver Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno is the Pepsi Rookie of the Week for Week 5 in the NFL, and for the second straight week. In his first NFL start, Moreno totaled 124 total yards from scrimmage (88 rushing, 36 receiving) in a 20-17 overtime win that propelled the Broncos to their first 5-0 record since 1998.

Kyle Orton was also nominated for a weekly award – the FedEx Air Player of the Week – but Peyton Manning took that one home. 

Meanwhile, the sports media collective has become thoroughly confused about whether Moreno is winning the Pepsi or Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week Award.  HUGE difference.  Don’t act like you don’t care. Press release after the jump.  Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Friday Injury Report for the Week 6 NFL game between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers on Monday, October 19, 2009.

DNP – Did Not Participate; LP – Limited Participation; FP – Full Participation; NL – Not Listed

Changes from Thursday’s report in bold.  Chargers report after the jump. Click here to read the rest of this entry »

Our weekly perusal around the Interwebz for water cooler fodder.

ESPN: 5th
The Broncos have silenced more doubters each week to the point where far fewer are around.

CBS: 5th
Hard to believe they are here. But I believe now. Just a warning: Be careful Monday at San Diego. That could be an ambush. The Chargers are desperate.

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