‘Thursday Night Football,’ Chargers vs. Broncos 2014: Battle for 1st place in AFC West

Week 8 kicks off with a marquee matchup between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers on Thursday Night Football. First place in the AFC West is on the line, as the Broncos (5-1) enter with a half-game lead over the Chargers (5-2) in the division race. Denver has all the momentum with a three-game win streak heading into the primetime matchup, while San Diego is trying to rebound from its second loss of the season after falling to the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday.

It should be no surprise that these two teams are fighting for the division crown as we near the midpoint of the season. The Broncos have won the AFC West in each of the last three seasons, while the Chargers won the title in four of the previous five years. The rivalry couldn't be more evenly matched over the last 10 seasons. The Chargers own a slim 10-9 advantage in head-to-head matchups since 2005, including the playoffs, although the Broncos have won four of the five games with Peyton Manning under center.

The other intriguing storyline in this game involves the two men at quarterback, Manning and Philip Rivers, who have both emerged are early favorites in the MVP race. Manning is a first-ballot Hall of Famer who owns seemingly every NFL passing record and continues to dominate the league leaderboards even at the age of 38. Rivers has reignited his career over the last two seasons under head coach Mike McCoy, and is no stranger to record-setting performances himself. Manning leads the NFL in Total QBR (88.9) and passer rating (118.2) this season, while Rivers has the highest yards per attempt (8.53) and ranks second to Manning in Total QBR (86.2) among qualifying quarterbacks.

This game features two of the most efficient red zone offenses in the NFL. The Broncos and Chargers have scored a touchdown or field goal on their past 53 trips inside the 20-yard line, tied for the league's longest active streak. They are two of three teams (along with the Seattle Seahawks) that have scored points on every possession in the red zone this season. Even though the teams have had similar offensive success inside the 20, the Broncos own a huge advantage on the defensive side of the ball. Denver is allowing the fifth-fewest points per red zone drive (4.4) this season, while San Diego ranks 29th (5.5) in the league.

The Chargers have been one of the biggest surprises this season, winning five of their first seven games. Are they a pretender or a contender? There is no doubt that Philip Rivers is playing at an MVP level, but it's also hard to ignore the fact that the Chargers have played league's second-easiest schedule through the first seven weeks. If they are going to make the playoffs and challenge the Broncos for the AFC West title, they'll have to earn it in the next 2½ months. Their remaining opponents have a combined win percentage of .561, the fifth-highest among all teams and third-highest in the AFC behind the Raiders (.587) and Patriots (.590).

The Chargers have had to dig deep into their depth chart at running back after injuries to Danny Woodhead, Donald Brown and Ryan Mathews, and they might have found a hidden gem in Branden Oliver. The undrafted free agent has seen action in five games and has not disappointed the fans or his fantasy owners. He is a powerful runner and a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield, compiling 384 scrimmage yards on 70 touches over the last three weeks as the feature back in the offense.

The Broncos are tied for third in the league in sacks (21) thanks to the dominant play of linebacker Von Miller and defensive end DeMarcus Ware. Miller leads the league in sacks (eight) and Ware is among several players tied for second with seven. Miller has also been credited with 23 quarterback hurries, according to Pro Football Focus, the most among all linebackers. The Broncos easily have the most prolific pass-rushing duo in the league, giving the team a balance between offense and defense that makes it one of the early favorites to reach the Super Bowl this season.

Sports Authority Field hosted its first NFL game in 2001, replacing the historic Mile High Stadium which was built in 1948 and had been the home of the Broncos since its inaugural season in 1960. Many of the traditions from the old stadium have carried over to the new one, including fans thunderously stomping their feet and the chants of "IN-COM-PLETE!" when the opposing team throws an incompletion.

Radio: Broncos Radio Network, Chargers Radio Network

Online streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile | NFL.com

Denver is an 8-point favorite over San Diego at home, and the over/under is set at 51.5 points, according to OddsShark.

For more on the Broncos, check out Mile High Report.

To keep up on the Chargers, head over to Bolts From The Blue.