San Diego Chargers????

[NightTrainLayne]

Am I the only one thinking it weird that we're just three days away from the next game and no-one on this board is talking about it?

We are on the road, without our Head Coach for the first time, coming off a bye with several players nicked up who might or might not play, and might or might not be effective if they do.

BTW, Phillip Rivers looks as good as he has in the last 3 years, and we have statistically one of the worst pass defenses in the league.

I would predict that we win the game, but this isn't going to be some cake-walk. Thoughts?

[Buff]

Even though he's playing his best ball in years, Rivers is still prone to the big mistake and always seems to come up short in crunch time. It's hard to believe he is the same guy who used to dominate us regularly.

I don't know what to think of this Chargers team. They have seemed totally competent at times this year, and at other times they look pretty inept. I don't think they have the horses on defense to stay competitive, so it'll be up to Rivers and Co. to keep pace on the scoreboard a la Dallas.

[broncofaninfla]

This game has been on my mind since Shanny left Denver with a loss. I'm curious to see how the team plays with Del Rio at the helm and hoping the defense can play consistently and build on the momentum from the Washington game. Every team is going to gun for Denver now and we'll get that two fold with the division rival Chargers. The Chargers have been inconsistent on both sides of the ball but have shown they are a better team than last year. Should be a good one.......

[NightTrainLayne]

Even though he's playing his best ball in years, Rivers is still prone to the big mistake and always seems to come up short in crunch time. It's hard to believe he is the same guy who used to dominate us regularly.

I don't know what to think of this Chargers team. They have seemed totally competent at times this year, and at other times they look pretty inept. I don't think they have the horses on defense to stay competitive, so it'll be up to Rivers and Co. to keep pace on the scoreboard a la Dallas.

Well, back in the day's of DC's like Slowik et al, and when Rivers had Tomlinson we were totally outclassed. I like having the tables turned nowadays. ;)

[slim]

The chargers suck

[Dzone]

I hope we handle the distractions...this game has me a little nervous

[BigDaddyBronco]

I think this is a trap game. Comming off the bye week, big game next week against KC, going to sunny San Diego....

The Chargers can put up some points and their defense isn't terrible, but they are not the dominant Chargers of old. Hopefully we don't have a game like last year when they got down so much in the first half that it took a miracle second half to win the game.

[topscribe]

Am I the only one thinking it weird that we're just three days away from the next game and no-one on this board is talking about it?

We are on the road, without our Head Coach for the first time, coming off a bye with several players nicked up who might or might not play, and might or might not be effective if they do.

BTW, Phillip Rivers looks as good as he has in the last 3 years, and we have statistically one of the worst pass defenses in the league.

I would predict that we win the game, but this isn't going to be some cake-walk. Thoughts?
Statistics can fool you, sometimes. True, the Broncos' defense is ranked 30th in
yards and 24th in TDs given up. But they are also ranked 29th in passing
attempts, which means they had more passes attempted against them that
28 other teams in the league. KC, for instance, is 17th in that category.

What this means is that Denver isn't the best in the league, but it also does
not qualify as one of the worst. I attribute all those passing yards much to
the blowouts, which are common to the Broncos this year. The only really
tight games were Dallas and Indy, and they were essentially shootouts.

All this was in the absences of Von, Woody, and Champ. Now, the Broncos
will have at least Von and Woody back, and we saw against the Redskins
what the defense can do with them in the lineup.

San Diego has a decent passing offense but a less than mediocre rushing
offense. Against Denver's #1 rushing defense, that will render SD one
dimensional on offense, tailor made with Denver's rejuvenated pass rush.

Denver, on the other hand, brings its #1 ranked offense into the game,
and that's not just passing. SD's #23 ranked rushing defense just might
have a long game against Moreno & co.

I smell another blowout.
.

[MOtorboat]

Bye-week hangover. Hopefully the team doesn't have it too.

[slim]

Philip is a slack jawed yokel

[VonDoom]

The Chargers definitely have a chance in this game. The real question, in my mind, is whether the defense can get to Rivers and be as aggressive as they were against the Redskins. RG3 missed a bunch of throws including a wide open TD, so I don't know if we can pat ourselves on the back just yet for our defensive efforts. But they can't stop all of our weapons (their secondary is terrible, from what I've seen) and unless we're looking ahead to the Chiefs, we should pull it out. I hope. I'll be nervous about all of these games for the next month, at least.

Truthfully, I'd like to beat this team easily, but not demoralize them too much. We need them to help out against the Chiefs in a few weeks :laugh:

[claymore]

I want to see Miller destroy rivers ass hymen.

[Northman]

For me its pretty much the standard. I think we are a way better team than them, even with Del Rio in charge. At this point my main concern is making the playoffs and making a run there. We may lose to SD, we may not. Just depends on the Denver team that shows up.

[Slick]

I'm glad we're the afternoon game on Sunday. I know this is a cliche but if we don't turn it over, I think Denver wins handily. Gates isn't running seams much anymore which used to kill us. Matthews against our run D doesn't scare me. If we can slow down Woodhead and their new young WR, his name escapes me at the moment, we'll be fine.

[Ravage!!!]

Statistically speaking, the team that plays the week BEFORE going into the bye is more likely to have the "looking forward to the vacation" and lose than the team coming off the bye.

I don't think this team is looking past the chargers, and feel that we will be healthier, and have more starters BACK on the field than we've had in a while. You never know what Chargers team is going to show up, and they are REALLY up and down. One week they look tough, the next they can't beat the Raiders. Then they turn around and hold the Colts to just 9 points.

[Ravage!!!]

I'm glad we're the afternoon game on Sunday. I know this is a cliche but if we don't turn it over, I think Denver wins handily. Gates isn't running seams much anymore which used to kill us. Matthews against our run D doesn't scare me. If we can slow down Woodhead and their new young WR, his name escapes me at the moment, we'll be fine.

Keenan Allen

[underrated29]

We will kick the ever living crap out of them. Game will be somewhat close until half time. Then we do what we always do. Blow the barn doors off and slaughter them.

[Timmy!]

Gotta figure the Sparkles are in a do or die game, so I'm sure the Broncos get their best shot. If, and its a big if, Rivers doesn't turn it over they could be a pain in the ass. That said, I think this is the week Miller really breaks out and Broncos win by double digits.

[DenBronx]

I think this game is going to be a cake walk for us.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

I think we're a bad matchup for the Chargers. ..I like how we match up.

Broncos 42 Chargers 21

[MasterShake]

The Chargers are a good opponent, but still an average team. I think KC and their winning ways is good for Denver in a number of areas, including the fact that it does not allow Denver to overlook any division opponent. We will basically have to sweep the division to get home field and I am sure Denver is very aware of that fact.

Honestly with the emotion going towards Fox and coming off the bye week, I expect this team to bury San Diego. If they can't do that this is going to be a tough stretch. I think Denver is still the class of the AFC, and they KNOW this is the chance to prove it.

[Buff]

The Chargers are a good opponent, but still an average team.

http://michaelvenske.com/wp-content/uploads/blew-my-mind.jpg

[TXBRONC]

I think this game is going to be a cake walk for us.

I don't think it will be a cake walk in their own building and with as well as Rivers is playing this year I expect our matches with the Chargers to be tight.

[Nomad]

Divisional games on the road are tough and I expect them to be. Basing my opinion of the Chargers/Colts game, I believe the Chargers are going to come out with the same motivation and aggressiveness. Luck and his oline had a hell of a time keeping the defenders from getting pressure and the Chargers offense did pretty damn good.


BRONCOS will win, but it'll be a tough one.

[Shazam!]

My concern is the team looking towards the KC game.

[DenBronx]

My concern is the team looking towards the KC game.

My concern is leaving SD healthy with a win.

[CrazyHorse]

The Chargers actually worry me more than KC. They have enough offense to keep up with us while I believe KC doesn't.

[NightTerror218]

Depends on how our WR are. If they get panties in a bunch for playing physical ands do not fight for balls and cry for flags we could be in trouble like colts game. It seems like that is how to slow Peyton. Bump WR play physical and give pass rush a few more seconds to get passed Clark.

[Ziggy]

The Chargers actually worry me more than KC. They have enough offense to keep up with us while I believe KC doesn't.

There's not a team in the NFL that has an offense that can keep up with the Broncos if we don't turn the ball over.

[TXBRONC]

My concern is the team looking towards the KC game.

I doubt it.

[PatriotsGuy]

Doomed

[weazel]

Am I the only one thinking it weird that we're just three days away from the next game and no-one on this board is talking about it?

We are on the road, without our Head Coach for the first time, coming off a bye with several players nicked up who might or might not play, and might or might not be effective if they do.

BTW, Phillip Rivers looks as good as he has in the last 3 years, and we have statistically one of the worst pass defenses in the league.

I would predict that we win the game, but this isn't going to be some cake-walk. Thoughts?

I think it will be a close game. I could see it being as close as the Dallas game but not nearly as high scoring. I think our defense is playing better than they were then and the Chargers D is better than the Cowboys

[MasterShake]

The Chargers are really a tough team to figure out. I base my useless prediction of Broncos domination over them based simply on my opinion that we are a superior team in all phases, but then I look at their season and just scratch my head. I mean... what the hell? You beat the Colts and lose to the Raiders? They have lost a lot of close games though, but still its hard to tell if they are over or underachieving at this point.

3770

[powderaddict]

Go ahead and throw previous defensive rankings and statistics out the window. Von may not be putting up gaudy stats, but the defense has been so much better and much more effective since he and Woodyard have returned.

Indy and Washington scored the bulk of their points off of poorly positioned turnovers. I think Von is going to terrorize that team. DRC and Harris will do their part, and that defense cannot stop this offense. Unless the team completely shoots themselves in the foot with terrible turnovers, the Broncos should dictate their will in this game.

[tubby]

McCoy knows Denver. Denver knows McCoy. Edge Manning.

[NorthernLights]

At the start of the year, I predicted my Bolts would win a total of 3 games, so I'm already ahead of the game. The D is very bad and I can see Peyton destroying them, with at least 5 TD's. In my weekly pool, I am picking the Broncos to not only win, but to cover as well.

I would love to see them win, but I just don't think it is going to happen. Either way, it's still football and I'm going to enjoy it. Good luck.
NL

[Captain Speardog]

Am I the only one thinking it weird that we're just three days away from the next game and no-one on this board is talking about it?

We are on the road, without our Head Coach for the first time, coming off a bye with several players nicked up who might or might not play, and might or might not be effective if they do.

BTW, Phillip Rivers looks as good as he has in the last 3 years, and we have statistically one of the worst pass defenses in the league.

I would predict that we win the game, but this isn't going to be some cake-walk. Thoughts?

I don't know, I just am not worried about the game. It seems like Denver should win it in a walk.

[Captain Speardog]

Statistics can fool you, sometimes. True, the Broncos' defense is ranked 30th in
yards and 24th in TDs given up. But they are also ranked 29th in passing
attempts, which means they had more passes attempted against them that
28 other teams in the league. KC, for instance, is 17th in that category.

What this means is that Denver isn't the best in the league, but it also does
not qualify as one of the worst. I attribute all those passing yards much to
the blowouts, which are common to the Broncos this year. The only really
tight games were Dallas and Indy, and they were essentially shootouts.

All this was in the absences of Von, Woody, and Champ. Now, the Broncos
will have at least Von and Woody back, and we saw against the Redskins
what the defense can do with them in the lineup.

San Diego has a decent passing offense but a less than mediocre rushing
offense. Against Denver's #1 rushing defense, that will render SD one
dimensional on offense, tailor made with Denver's rejuvenated pass rush.

Denver, on the other hand, brings its #1 ranked offense into the game,
and that's not just passing. SD's #23 ranked rushing defense just might
have a long game against Moreno & co.

I smell another blowout.
.

All valid points and Denver's defense is getting healthier and better. I know everyone loves Nacho. I love his aggressiveness and tackling but he has not done well in pass coverage and when he went out last week and Adams came in the defense got better. Adams is also a terrific leader. I hope Nacho comes back but Adams continues to see some plays at safety.

[Magnificent Seven]

Look at last year's game. Denver at San Diego in October 2012. The score was 0-24 in the first half. Broncos roared back in the second half and won this game on Monday Night Football. 35-24!

Broncos will have a blowout win this Sunday! They have lost to the Washington Redskins (Semi-Mediocre team) ... So, there!

GO BRONCOS!

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Statistics can fool you, sometimes. True, the Broncos' defense is ranked 30th in
yards and 24th in TDs given up. But they are also ranked 29th in passing
attempts, which means they had more passes attempted against them that
28 other teams in the league. KC, for instance, is 17th in that category.

What this means is that Denver isn't the best in the league, but it also does
not qualify as one of the worst. I attribute all those passing yards much to
the blowouts, which are common to the Broncos this year. The only really
tight games were Dallas and Indy, and they were essentially shootouts.

All this was in the absences of Von, Woody, and Champ. Now, the Broncos
will have at least Von and Woody back, and we saw against the Redskins
what the defense can do with them in the lineup.

San Diego has a decent passing offense but a less than mediocre rushing
offense. Against Denver's #1 rushing defense, that will render SD one
dimensional on offense, tailor made with Denver's rejuvenated pass rush.

Denver, on the other hand, brings its #1 ranked offense into the game,
and that's not just passing. SD's #23 ranked rushing defense just might
have a long game against Moreno & co.

I smell another blowout.
.

Additionally, I believe the Broncos are #1 in passes defended.

[Nomad]

Either way...whether it be a blowout by the BRONCOS or by 3 points in double OT, the W is what matters. Though, a blowout would be great.

[Joel]

Statistics can fool you, sometimes. True, the Broncos' defense is ranked 30th in
yards and 24th in TDs given up. But they are also ranked 29th in passing
attempts, which means they had more passes attempted against them that
28 other teams in the league. KC, for instance, is 17th in that category.

What this means is that Denver isn't the best in the league, but it also does
not qualify as one of the worst. I attribute all those passing yards much to
the blowouts, which are common to the Broncos this year. The only really
tight games were Dallas and Indy, and they were essentially shootouts.

All this was in the absences of Von, Woody, and Champ. Now, the Broncos
will have at least Von and Woody back, and we saw against the Redskins
what the defense can do with them in the lineup.

San Diego has a decent passing offense but a less than mediocre rushing
offense. Against Denver's #1 rushing defense, that will render SD one
dimensional on offense, tailor made with Denver's rejuvenated pass rush.

Denver, on the other hand, brings its #1 ranked offense into the game,
and that's not just passing. SD's #23 ranked rushing defense just might
have a long game against Moreno & co.

I smell another blowout.

Blowout's pushing it, IMHO, especially in the first game with our interim coach AND coming off the bye; it's hard to imagine things won't be at least a little unsettled at the start. The Bolts aren't a BAD team, though it's unclear they're a GOOD one either; they did run all over the Colts to take an early lead never surrendered, though our run D is MUCH better than Indys (whose isn't?) We SHOULD win, but there are plenty of uncertainties heading into this game, like whether our D can perform as well as it did against Washington and Indy despite the DC having to manage the rest of the team and the defensive HCs absence.

One thing to note: Our #1 offense IS primarily just passing, at least since injuries at tackle crippled our line; we're only 17th in rushing offense, just below average, and that's DESPITE all those blowouts encouraging us to run in the second half to protect the ball and kill the clock (though, to be fair, we haven't always done that with second half leads, and thus threw the 'Skins more picks than we should've.)


The Chargers definitely have a chance in this game. The real question, in my mind, is whether the defense can get to Rivers and be as aggressive as they were against the Redskins. RG3 missed a bunch of throws including a wide open TD, so I don't know if we can pat ourselves on the back just yet for our defensive efforts. But they can't stop all of our weapons (their secondary is terrible, from what I've seen) and unless we're looking ahead to the Chiefs, we should pull it out. I hope. I'll be nervous about all of these games for the next month, at least.
Truthfully, I'd like to beat this team easily, but not demoralize them too much. We need them to help out against the Chiefs in a few weeks :laugh:
This is where I am: The brutal month ahead of us could make or break our season, clinching the AFCW and setting up playoff homefield if we do very well, but possibly risking ANY playoff berth if we do very poorly. We need the Bolts to beat KC, but it won't matter unless WE beat THEM; drop Sundays game and we could be all but out of the division race unless we beat NE on the road AND sweep KC (either of those will be hard; doing BOTH seems impossible.) Our first path to the division title is sweeping KC; failing that, plan B is to split and get the next tiebreak (i.e. division record,) but that requires we beat SD more than KC does.

And lurking right in the middle of that is a road game in NE, where a loss would put us TWO games behind KC even if we split with them AND beat SD. Don't assume Indy will beat KC, too; SD beat Indy playing EXACTLY the way KCs offense plays EVERY game, despite a much weaker D and having to rotate second rate backs because they don't have anyone like Jamaal Charles. Historically, Robert Mathis has been the kind of DE/OLB who's a lot better against guys like Manning than guys like Charles, or even Kaepernick when he tucks it away to run.

The next month or so (we host SD two weeks after the Arrowhead game) is crucial, and it starts with tough a division game on the road in our first game without our head coach. We still can't really be sure what we've got; yes, we're 7-1, but if Dallas hadn't eked out a win against the awful Vikings NONE of the teams we've beaten would have a winning record. Much like last year, when we went 2-3 against winning teams, and one of the ones we did beat returned the favor in the playoffs. Our defense is key now, especially against SD and NE, because our offensive line isn't solid or deep enough to just bury all opponents.

[Joel]

All valid points and Denver's defense is getting healthier and better. I know everyone loves Nacho. I love his aggressiveness and tackling but he has not done well in pass coverage and when he went out last week and Adams came in the defense got better. Adams is also a terrific leader. I hope Nacho comes back but Adams continues to see some plays at safety.
I've always liked Adams a lot, because he's a better centerfielder than our other guys despite technically playing SS rather than FS. Yet I really like Nacho, too; he moved up to the starting spot for a reason. In my perfect world we'd bench MOORE, put Adams at FS to just play coverage and let Nacho fly all over the field making plays. From where I sit, it's very rare Moore does either, so he's the odd man out in my book. :2cents: