Denver and San Diego: The Facts

[MasterShake]

Lets compare the two "top" teams in the AFC West:


Denver's Season:

PTS 23.3 (17th)
YDS 395.1 (2nd)
PASS YDS 277.0 (3rd)
RUSH YDS 118.1 (12th)


Mon 9/8 at Oakland W 41-14
Sun 9/14 San Diego W 39-38
Sun 9/21 New Orleans W 34-32
Sun 9/28 at Kansas City L 19-33
Sun 10/5 Tampa Bay W 16-13
Sun 10/12 Jacksonville L 17-24
Mon 10/20 at New England L 7-41
bye
Sun 11/2 Miami L 17-26
Thu 11/6 at Cleveland W 34-30
Sun 11/16 at Atlanta W 24-20
Sun 11/23 Oakland L 10-31
Sun 11/30 at NY Jets W 34-17
Sun 12/7 Kansas City W 24-17
Sun 12/14 at Carolina L 10-30
Sun 12/21 Buffalo L 23-30
Sun 12/28 at San Diego ???????


San Diego's Season:

PTS 25.8 (7th)
YDS 339.5 (13th)
PASS YDS 243.7 (7th)
RUSH YDS 95.8 (28th)

Sun 9/7 Carolina L 24-26
Sun 9/14 at Denver L 38-39
Mon 9/22 NY Jets W 48-29
Sun 9/28 at Oakland W 28-18
Sun 10/5 at Miami L 10-17
Sun 10/12 New England W 30-10
Sun 10/19 at Buffalo L 14-23
Sun 10/26 at New Orleans L 32-37
bye
Sun 11/9 Kansas City W 20-19
Sun 11/16 at Pittsburgh L 10-11
Sun 11/23 Indianapolis L 20-23
Sun 11/30 Atlanta L 16-22
Thu 12/4 Oakland W 34-7
Sun 12/14 at Kansas City W 22-21
Sun 12/21 at Tampa Bay W 41-24
Sun 12/28 Denver ????????

I'm not even going to post their defensive stats as they are both abysmal. Anyway, I don't see how fans of EITHER team can see this next game as a lock. They may as well be the same bi-polar team in my opinion. When you look at their respective seasons, they are eerily similar. At least SD swept the Chiefs and Raiders. There is nothing here that says San Diego or Denver will win next week IMO. You can say SD has momentum, but so did we after the first 3 games. Then we lay a turd in KC. Neither team has strung together 4 in a row, nor lost 4 in a row. I know stats and records can go out the door on sunday night, but I can't make sense of it.

Two teams, all the talent in the world, and they are fighting for a 9-7 AFC West Championship record? I think with Denver it was injuries and youth, and San Diego may have been injuries and not enough youth (LT is not getting any younger). After looking at the season like this, can either team really claim this next game is a sure win/lose? I know I can't. And suddenly this may be the best game of the year, or the worst. What do you guys think?

[jrelway]

its pretty simple. we score lower than 40 points, we lose. what a sad sad sunday. so sick of this shit.

[broncofaninfla]

The Chargers are playing way better than us and we are down to Young and Bell at RB and Slowick is still calling the plays on defense. Hard to feel good about this game.

[MasterShake]

The Chargers are playing way better than us and we are down to Young and Bell at RB and Slowick is still calling the plays on defense. Hard to feel good about this game.

Oh, I'm not trying to make anyone feel good. Just wondering why either team would feel "good" going into this game. I'm always happy to watch the Broncos play, just wondering how we got to this point along with SD.

[jrelway]

Oh, I'm not trying to make anyone feel good. Just wondering why either team would feel "good" going into this game. I'm always happy to watch the Broncos play, just wondering how we got to this point along with SD.

because san diego sucks. and we suck too as well. no sense of urgency with this team.

[BroncoTech]

San Diego peaks at the right time. They've won their last 13 December games going back several seasons. We ended up on the toughest road to beat a division rival twice. We had easier chances. All I can say is good luck Broncos.

[broncofaninfla]

I'm thinking the Chargers are feeling good because the have a chance to beat us at home for some payback, win the division against a team they openly hate and silence the critics who have counted them out. The Bolts are playing good lately and have a lot momentum at the same time we are collapsing. They HAVE to smell blood when they look at our team now. This could be ugly...........

[NightTrainLayne]

I'm thinking the Chargers are feeling good because the have a chance to beat us at home for some payback, win the division against a team they openly hate and silence the critics who have counted them out. The Bolts are playing good lately and have a lot momentum at the same time we are collapsing. They HAVE to smell blood when they look at our team now. This could be ugly...........

After a full season of battling to see my Broncos play because only two games were televised here (one when I was on the road), now they're going to be on prime-time display for all the world to see another Christmas smack-down from the Chargers.

:tsk:

Merry ******* Christmas.

[Foochacho]

Only way we win this game is if cutler doesn't over throw the deepball. Hit a receiver in stride for once. This will be a shootout we have no running game. Look at the seperation tampa had on that td where the reciever came back to the ball with no one around. Cutler probally would of overthrown that reciever.

[Buff]

Only way we win this game is if cutler doesn't over throw the deepball. Hit a receiver in stride for once. This will be a shootout we have no running game. Look at the seperation tampa had on that td where the reciever came back to the ball with no one around. Cutler probally would of overthrown that reciever.

I'm not worried about what Cutler does... I mean, I am, but he's further down my list of concerns. I'm more concerned with Phyllis picking apart our secondary like he has done the past few games. You can count on them scoring at least 21 points.

FWIW, we've been solid in prime time games this year... Then again, we played Oakland and Cleveland.

[NightTrainLayne]

I'm not worried about what Cutler does... I mean, I am, but he's further down my list of concerns. I'm more concerned with Phyllis picking apart our secondary like he has done the past few games. You can count on them scoring at least 21 points.

FWIW, we've been solid in prime time games this year... Then again, we played Oakland and Cleveland.

. . .New England?

[pauld001]

I'm thinking the Chargers are feeling good because the have a chance to beat us at home for some payback, win the division against a team they openly hate and silence the critics who have counted them out. The Bolts are playing good lately and have a lot momentum at the same time we are collapsing. They HAVE to smell blood when they look at our team now. This could be ugly...........


come on we beat the chiefs/raiders and had an outlier against the bucs.....not exactly what I would say a tough and impressive schedule of victories. That being said the Bronco's are just silly stupid....I don't know what is more pathetic the chargers year or the bronco's.....I may bite my tongue if the chargers go deep in the playoff's (pipe dream)......

[Buff]

. . .New England?

Oh yeah...

It's gonna be another long night...

[claymore]

They are do for a loss, and we are do for a win. But we will still lose probably.

[MasterShake]

They are do for a loss, and we are do for a win. But we will still lose probably.

What if it ends in a tie? Would McNabb be confused? I would. Who gets to go then?

[Shazam!]

SD has the revenge factor. Not only behind Denver all year long, but Week 2.
They will be motivated to prove all wrong who left them for dead.

SD is hot and playing their best ball all season now.

Granted both teams are pathetic. But as even many Broncos fans said here before, Shanahan isn't one for motivating his teams. If he couldn;t do it last week or other games (Oakland,) what would lead me to believe they will be ready for prime time now?

I'd be shocked if the Broncos won. Happy as hell but shocked. Not surprised, shocked.

[Foochacho]

What if it ends in a tie? Would McNabb be confused? I would. Who gets to go then?

well our record would be 8-7-1 they will be 7-8-1. WE WIN

[Denver Native (Carol)]

What if it ends in a tie? Would McNabb be confused? I would. Who gets to go then?

Based on this game determining the AFC West Champ - who goes to the playoffs - I can not imagine the league letting it end in a tie. If they would; however, would we not win the division, since we have a one game lead over SD going into the game?

[jrelway]

it aint gonna end in no tie guys.

[MasterShake]

it aint gonna end in no tie guys.

Really? Cause I was gonna call Vegas and win lots of money. Are you sure?

[MOtorboat]

Based on this game determining the AFC West Champ - who goes to the playoffs - I can not imagine the league letting it end in a tie. If they would; however, would we not win the division, since we have a one game lead over SD going into the game?

Sure would.

8-7-1
7-8-1

Which is the better record?

Awesome. Pure awesomeness. I'm now rooting for a 52-52 tie.

[Buff]

Sure would.

8-7-1
7-8-1

Which is the better record?

Awesome. Pure awesomeness. I'm now rooting for a 52-52 tie.

No way our defense holds them under 53 points.

[NightTrainLayne]

No way our defense holds them under 53 points.

No way our defense holds them scoreless for a 15 minute OT period.

If it goes to OT either they score or we do, but no way 15 minutes goes by without a score.

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Sure would.

8-7-1
7-8-1

Which is the better record?

Awesome. Pure awesomeness. I'm now rooting for a 52-52 tie.

To me, the perfect scenario would be for the game to end in a tie in regulation. SD wins the coin toss, and elects to receive. We kick off to the 1, and SD returns it to the 8 yd line. Phyliss drops back to attempt a pass, and we NAIL him in the end zone for a SAFETY

[NightTrainLayne]

To me, the perfect scenario would be for the game to end in a tie in regulation. SD wins the coin toss, and elects to receive. We kick off to the 1, and SD returns it to the 8 yd line. Phyliss drops back to attempt a pass, and we NAIL him in the end zone for a SAFETY

Someone's going to nail an opposing QB in the end-zone. . .who? Are you placing a sniper somewhere in the stadium?

[Denver Native (Carol)]

Someone's going to nail an opposing QB in the end-zone. . .who? Are you placing a sniper somewhere in the stadium?

OK - we TACKLE Phyliss in the end zone for a safety :tsk:

[broncofaninfla]

I wonder what Rivers is going to do to show us just what kind of true ***** he really is? I'm guessing they'll roll out well over 40 points against us but that might not be enough for him.

[Lonestar]

OK - we TACKLE Phyliss in the end zone for a safety :tsk:

I'd bet almost anything saying we will never get a sack IF we had to..

[Sotally Tober]

I'm not claiming a lock on this one at all but I do feel, based on all the factors, San Diego will win. San Diego is deceptive. Brandon Marshall put it best. "They're better than their record shows." That couldn't be more true. So it's not a lock but we have a very productive offense and you have (yeah so do we) a dismal defense. The difference is our dismal defense is actually improving; yours is not. We got three turnovers yesterday and didn't give the turnover leaders a single one. And the lack of a Bronco running game is going to bode well for our defense. Yes, Cutler is going to be scary good. Yes, he'll tear us to shreds and put up 20+ but Rivers will probably reduce that group of players you call a secondary into less than shreds and put up another 30+ game. Again, not a lock but most agree this is San Diego's game to lose.

[MileHighWrath]

I will be at this game and am very excited! It's as much a playoff game as any ever played. The winner gets to move on and get beat in their very next game while the loser gets tee times a week earlier. I doubt very much whether the Broncos will win but I will be there screaming my vocal cords off in support and giving charger fans an earful (grateful to be 6'5" 260+ or may not make it out alive).

In the end, as I make my way with the throng of people to the train I can already hear my montra to everyone in ear shot ...
"when was the last time the chargers won the superbowl? Never, Never, Never!"
(special thanks to the guy at the SD DEN game 2 years ago that wouldn't stop yelling that at the top of his voice no matter how many charger fans complained) ... some things should become tradition and I hope to play my part.

[LoyalSoldier]

I am hating this game because of all the crap we are going to hear win or loss. If we win we are going to hear "OH THE CHARGERS SHOULD HAVE WON IN WEEK 2 SO THERE FORE THEY SHOULD HAVE WON THE DIVISION!!!!!!11111oneone!!!!" and if we lose we will hear no end of "Never has a team blown a 3 game lead with 3 games to go!"

It sucks either way.