The Chargers’ bye week is over, and they are off to Denver to face their division rivals, the Broncos. While well rested, the Bolts will be without some stars, like Asante Samuel Jr. and Gus Edwards. Joey Bosa is questionable for Sunday along with Rashawn Slater and Kristian Fulton. QB Justin Herbert will suit up in Denver, hopefully with a healthy ankle.
The Chargers offensive line will be the biggest question going into this game. With everyone active except Rashawn Slater, the line should be stronger than it was against Kansas City in Week Four. Should Slater play, the Broncos are going to have a tougher time getting to Justin Herbert. However, that will be a much easier task should Slater not play. The most likely movement of positions would be Joe Alt back to LT, Trey Pipkins to RT, and Jamaree Salyer in at RG. Going against a Broncos defense who has 13 sacks in the last two games, the backfield could be in for a long day at Mile High.
The Broncos Defense is truly what holds this team together. Patrick Surtain II holds down the secondary as the best corner in football. He is helped by FS Brandon Jones and solid pieces at CB to lock down pass-catchers all game. Against a subpar receiver group like LA’s, they should have no problem stopping Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston from wrecking their game plan.
Their front line is where things could get interesting. Zach Allen and John-Franklin Myers are going to try to get to Justin Herbert all day, and the chances are that they will once or twice. D.J. Jones will be tasked to stop JK Dobbins from taking the game into his own hands, something he is capable of doing. The Broncos Run Defense as a whole has been among the league’s best all season, so the Chargers may find it tough to get comfortable against Denver.
The Denver offense has been clicking on all cylinders the past couple of weeks. Despite a slow start, Bo Nix has found his ability to manage a game, while Javonte Williams is off to a hot start and the pass-catchers are getting their piece of the pie. Against what could be a very injured Chargers secondary, expect the Broncos to lean on the passing game more than they have in previous weeks. With Asante Samuel Jr. and Ja’Sir Taylor both out and Kristian Fulton questionable, the CB position will be far too beaten up to stop Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr. for four quarters.
Something not discussed by many throughout the week is the elite coaching matchup. Two of the NFC’s best coaches in the 2010s will be facing off as Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton construct their game plans. Jim Harbaugh was 2-1 against Sean Payton’s Saints as the 49ers Head Coach. While that is not a telltale sign of who will win, it does show that Jim Harbaugh knows how to beat Payton, and he could do that again this week.
With that being said, this game is a true test for the Chargers, more so than any game yet. The Raiders and Panthers are likely going to be bottom-feeders this season, and LA was too injured to use the Chiefs game as a true stress test. Now, they go up against a hot team that will be a challenge to beat. Should the Chargers come out of this success, fans can still hold their hopes high going into the longest stretch of the season. If they can’t defeat Denver, however, beating teams like Arizona or New Orleans in the coming weeks will be a tall task.