Broncos vs. Chargers 2013, Week 10: Live coverage, score updates and more

John Gennaro at Chargers blog Bolts From The Blue didn’t sugar coat the team’s issues. He pointed his finger directly at a conservative game plan by a coaching staff that made several curious decisions during the loss, including choosing to kick a field goal on 4th-and-1 from the 8-yard line.

• Takeaways: Fear the Panthers! Updated playoff picture

Manning’s ability to grit out pain boded well for his Week 11 status. Manning has never been one to let minor ailments slow him down. He has never missed a game, outside of the 2011 season he lost to undergo spinal fusion surgery.

Manning is leading a Broncos squad on pace to become the highest-scoring team in NFL history. The Broncos are averaging 41.2 points per game through nine game. Over that span, Manning is 262-for-369 passing for 3,249 yards, 33 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

• Complete coverage of every NFL Week 10 game

• Richie Incognito defends actions in interview | More on Miami’s mess

As an aside, the Chargers weren’t flagged on that hit, while this hit on Matt Ryan drew a 15-yard penalty. We don’t think Manning was too happy with the non-call.

The Broncos should update Manning’s status sometime after the game.

Manning was his usual dominating self, throwing for 330 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, now giving him 33 touchdown passes through nine games. That is tied for the most ever through nine games with Tom Brady’s 2007 season, when he threw a record 50 touchdowns.

Manning is on pace to throw for over 58 touchdowns.

If Manning doesn’t throw another touchdown today, he will still be on pace for a fraction over 58 touchdowns this season.

Thomas also now has nine touchdowns on the year.

Manning is 17-of-22 for 243 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions through two quarters. That gives Manning 32 touchdowns in eight-and-a-half games this year already. For Rivers, he only has one season in his entire career with more than 32 touchdowns, when he threw 34 of them in 2008.

He’s not closing in on topping that career mark against the Broncos on Sunday.

Game Date/Time and Location: Sunday, Nov. 10, 4:25 p.m. ET at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, Calif.

TV schedule and distribution map: CBS; The506.com

The story of the 2013 Chargers begins and ends with the resurrection of quarterback Philip Rivers. The former 2004 first round pick has amassed 2,473 yards and 17 touchdowns versus only seven interceptions. Rivers has been able to master Mike McCoy’s offense which is reliant on completions of any distance, registering a league-high 72.2 completion percentage.

Unfortunately, the good news stops on offense. San Diego has struggled at just about everything defensively, giving up yards and points at a very high rate. With no true pass-rusher to speak of, the Chargers rank 27th against the pass. The rushing defense also has plenty of problems, giving up over 118 yards on average.

Across NFL panels at SB Nation, CBS Sports, ESPN and Yahoo!, only ESPN’s Keyshawn Johnson was willing to side with the Chargers against the 7-1 Broncos. Given the Broncos’ performances this season, it shouldn’t be a complete surprise that they are so heavily favored. SB Nation has Denver on top of its latest power rankings, while San Diego ranks 14th.

The Broncos are favored by a touchdown on the road, according to OddsShark, so expert picks are in line with Vegas. Assuming the prognosticators are correct, Denver should improve to 8-1 this weekend.

Fox will likely spend at least one more month recovering from surgery. Still, the fact that he no longer needs to be kept under the constant watch of doctors is encouraging.

Fox has compiled a 28-12 regular season with the Broncos since taking over as head coach in 2011. Health willing, he appears to be in line for an extension when his contract ends in 2015, given how well Denver has been playing. The team leads the NFL averaging 42.9 points per game. At that pace, the Broncos will finish the 2013 season as the NFL’s highest scoring team of all time.