Broncos extend AFC West lead over Chargers

Combine that with a mediocre defensive showing and it’s easy to see why Bolts from the Blue was so frustrated with the loss.

There is still technically time for San Diego to make a run against a weak field of AFC teams vying for the two Wild Card spots, although any shot they had at the AFC West crown is essentially gone.

While Manning had the Broncos’ offense executing regularly, Denver’s defense may have stolen the show, especially in the first half when it held the Chargers to two first downs and 54 yards of offense. The Broncos also forced three turnovers and blocked a punt in the game.

With the win, the 7-3 Broncos now have a three-game lead over the 4-6 Chargers in the AFC West.

In a game where you are getting dominated on both sides of the football, it might be best to just throw the ball back to the referee after a score, and save your swag for a situation where you are actually winning.

Meanwhile, Manning continues his push for a potential MVP award, throwing three touchdowns against a struggling Chargers defense. How the Chargers are even still in this game is amazing. Broncos lead 27-16 with just over 10 minutes to play in regulation, and are driving for another possible score.

Still in the third quarter, Miller has three sacks, two forced fumbles, and five quarterback hurries. He now leads the NFL in sacks with 13 (seven coming in the last three games) and has doubled his forced fumble total on the year to four. Meanwhile, nine of the Chargers points today have come on defense, meaning that the Broncos have held San Diego to only a single touchdown on offense.

Denver currently leads 24-16 late in the third. Plenty of time for Miller to grab a few more sacks.

With the Chargers offense producing less than 100 total yards on the day, no one in the San Diego offense has been impressive. Mathews struggled mightily in the first half as did the entire offense. An 11 yard rush in the third quarter improved his numbers slightly.

Manning has gotten off to some slow starts this season and has yet to throw four touchdowns in a game with the Broncos, but with the first half he had against the Chargers it is possible he could reach that mark. Last time the Broncos played the Chargers, Manning threw all three of his touchdown passes in the second half.

I don’t know if we will calling that “Vonning” but yes, that’s probably what it is called. Let’s hope that the NFL leaves Miller and other sack artists alone. We need these GIFs!

With a history of knee injuries, any time McGahee leaves the field with a problem in that area, it’s concerning.

On the other side, the Chargers are simply trying to get back in the hunt in the AFC West. A road win at Mile High would be a huge boost as they attempt to get their act together over the final seven games of the season. Ryan Mathews, who’s been dealing with a neck issue, is active. Here’s the complete list of Chargers inactives:

Fantasy Take: Though the talent is apparent, how long can fantasy owners maintain trust in Mathews’ health or effectiveness? He has not topped 100 yards rushing in any game this season and he has just one touchdown while being mostly unproductive in the passing game. The more carries he gets in a game, the lower his yards per carry are.

Denver is second in the NFL in yards per carry allowed. Mathews’ value this week is not very high, and he’s a flex play at best.

At 4-5, the Chargers need a win to keep pace with the red-hot 6-3 Broncos, winners of four straight contests. Denver’s streak began with the comeback Monday night win over San Diego.

Including the Week 6 win over the Chargers, quarterback Peyton Manning has thrown 10 touchdowns and three interceptions in Denver’s four consecutive victories. The passing offense, averaging 292.9 yards per game, ranks third in the league.

For those who missed the unforgettable previous matchup between these teams, the Broncos became the first team to overcome a 24-0 halftime deficit and win by double digits. Since that time, both teams have been trending in distinctly opposite directions, with the Chargers losing two of three and the Broncos extending their winning streak to four games.

San Diego does have the benefit of recent history on its side, though, as the Chargers have won five of their last six games in Denver, including three straight. And for the Chargers, this is undoubtedly a must-win game, sitting at 4-5 with their next three games against playoff teams (Baltimore, Cincinnati, at Pittsburgh).

The Broncos currently own a two-game lead over the Chargers with seven games left to play on the year. A win would give Denver a three-game lead in the AFC West with six games remaining, making it very difficult for any other team to overtake their lead.

Denver also enters the game streaking the right direction, winning their last four games. San Diego started the season 3-1, but have lost four out of their last five games.

The over/under of 48½ seems to favor the trend of the Chargers, who have combined with their opponents to score 44.4 points per game this season. The Broncos have used a high-powered offense to score 30.1 points per contest, while holding their foes to 21.

San Diego and Denver are set to kick off at 4:15 p.m. ET on Sunday afternoon. The game will be televised on CBS.