The Chargers already ended one streak against the Denver Broncos this season. Now they’ll try to end an even longer drought with greater stakes.
After earning their first win in Denver since 2018 this season in October, the Chargers will play for their first season sweep of their AFC West rivals since 2010 on Thursday at 5:15 PST at SoFi Stadium. The division rematch can shake up the playoff picture.
The Broncos (9-5) have won four games in a row, tied for the longest active streak among AFC teams. The surge has pushed them into the sixth seed in the AFC playoff standings and a win or tie Thursday will clinch their playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Chargers (8-6) are flailing for the first time this season.
It’s not just their two-game losing streak, but it’s also that the Chargers got blown out for the first time under Jim Harbaugh last Sunday. The Buccaneers hung 40 points on the NFL’s stingiest defense.
The shocking performance dropped the Chargers into a tie for first among the NFL’s best scoring defenses. They are now even with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Broncos, allowing 17.6 points per game.
Broncos star cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who suffered a concussion on the first drive against the Chargers in Week 6, anchors a secondary that is ranked third in the NFL with 5.96 yards passing allowed per play.
With 11 pass breakups this season, Surtain is the first Broncos player with 10 or more passes knocked away in each of his first four seasons. He plays behind a defensive front that leads the NFL with 49 sacks.
The Denver pass rush is a major concern against Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who is still recovering from a left-ankle sprain. Despite a new brace taped around his left cleat at practice this week, Herbert said he expects to play Thursday. He has been sacked nine times in the last three games.
