Chargers vs Broncos Preview and Prediction

The AFC West heats up Colorado when the Denver Broncos host division rivals the San Diego Chargers on NFL Thursday Night Football. The weather is expected to be much warmer than it was last Sunday when Denver played Tennessee.

Denver is the current No. 1 team in the AFC with an overall record of 11-2 SU and 8-4-1 ATS. The high scoring offense for Denver is reflected its point totals with 11 ending OVER and just 2 UNDER.

The Broncos are undefeated at home at 7-0 and can wrap up an undefeated home schedule for the season with a win in tonight’s game.

San Diego enters tonight’s game with an overall record of 6-7 SU and 7-5-1 ATS. On the road, the Chargers are 3-4.

San Diego is battling for a wildcard spot in the AFC with just three games left on the schedule. Their hopes are slim and hinge on them slowing down the Broncos offense led by Peyton Manning at quarterback and handing Denver is first loss of the season at home.

Denver clinched a playoff spot with its 51-28 win last Sunday against Tennessee. In the game, Manning’s offense put a 551 total yards, a season-high. The Broncos however, cannot let up even though they have clinched a berth in the postseason.

Denver wants to earn home field advantage throughout the playoffs. At this point, they lead Kansas City in both the race for the AFC West title and home field advantage by one game and hold a tiebreaker over the Chiefs.

However, the Broncos lead the New England Patriots by one game as well for home field advantage, but the Patriots hold the tiebreaker due to defeating the Broncos earlier in the season.

San Diego defeated the New York Giants at home 37-14 last Sunday. However, the Chargers cannot lose another game over their last three and must find a way to contain the Broncos offense, which has been hard to do this season.

Over the past two games, Manning has 800 passing yards, 9 touchdown passes and just 2 interceptions. He has 45 touchdown passes for the season and is just 5 short of the single season NFL record of 50, held by Tom Brady since 2007.

This season Manning has 4 touchdown passes or more in seven games, but might have to play this game without Wes Welker one of this favorite targets.

The Broncos wide receiver is doubtful for the game after suffering a second concussion in just four games.

However, Denver has a number of different weapons, as the Broncos are the only team in NFL history to have four different players scored 10 touchdowns or more in the same season.

Julius Thomas the team’s starting tight end and Demaryius Thomas one of their talented corps of wide receivers lead the team with 11 touchdown receptions apiece.

Overall, Knowshon Moreno the team’s powerful running back leads the team in scoring with 12 touchdowns – 10 on the ground and 2 through the air.

Eric Decker another wide receiver for Denver has 8 touchdowns and needs just 2 to become Denver’s fifth player with at least 10.

Denver is 4-0 SU in its past 4 games head to head with San Diego. That includes a November 10 win in San Diego 28-20.

The Chargers win by 23 points over New York was its largest winning margin since September of 2012 versus Tennessee. San Diego has given up just 31 combined points over its past two games versus Cincinnati and New York.

However, neither of those teams can compare to Denver offensively.

Prediction: Denver will win big at home 45-28