Chargers @ Broncos Pregame Discussion (wk 12)

[ChargersPowderBlue]

The DLine was better without Tillery

Maybe when it comes to run stopping, because that's his weakness. But not pass rushing. Tillery is better than anyone else on the interior at pass rush. The team doesn't have enough push in middle, and needs more guys who can get after the QB there badly.

Staley not using the D-linemen properly is the problem.

Tillery shouldn’t be starting. But he’ll help in a rotation especially on passing downs.

BS doesn't put that much emphasis on the IDL in his defense. At least what he's shown so far in his coaching career. But he's gonna have to change how he works with them, if he wants to improve the defense.

[Xenos]

Maybe when it comes to run stopping, because that's his weakness. But not pass rushing. Tillery is better than anyone else on the interior at pass rush. The team doesn't have enough push in middle, and needs more guys who can get after the QB there badly.

Staley not using the D-linemen properly is the problem.




BS doesn't put that much emphasis on the IDL in his defense. At least what he's shown so far in his coaching career. But he's gonna have to change how he works with them, if he wants to improve the defense.

I disagree about BS not putting that much emphasis on the IDL in his defensive scheme. They are vitally important. It’s just that he doesn’t have the horses yet. Justin Jones ended playing 80% of the snaps against the Steelers to help the other newcomers.

[ghost]

Mile High Huddle staff weighs in with their picks. It's not what you think.

[Velo]

Mile High Huddle staff weighs in with their picks. It's not what you think.

Not a lot of faith in the Broncos and mad respect for Herbert.

[ghost]

Not a lot of faith in the Broncos and mad respect for Herbert.

I thought one of the writers pointing out, that the Broncos give up on the run too soon, as an organization is spot-on as a critique.

The offensive execution on 1st and 2nd down, puts them in 3rd & long, consistently, and their 3rd down efficiency is going to get the head coach and the QB replaced.

Broncos last six games and 3rd Down conversions.

Eagles - 1/11
Cowboys - 8/15
Washington - 7/13
Cleveland - 5/11
Raiders - 5/14
Pittsburgh - 2/12

[jamrock]

Mile High Huddle staff weighs in with their picks. It's not what you think.

And the LA Times writer picked the Broncos

[ghost]

And the LA Times writer picked the Broncos

The Chargers are a -2.5-point favorite.

The Chargers are -145 on the money line and the Broncos are +120.

The over/under for the game is set at 47.5 points.


Oddsmakers disagree with his logic. Perhaps Farmer is relying on good old fashioned logic that division rivals split their games with the Broncos, and he expects the Chargers to revert to form, in a league where the more desperate team wins.

I don't buy it. I believe this the time of year when we separate the wheat from the chaff, and the Broncos play out the string sub .500 while the Chargers move on to the playoffs.

[ghost]

The Broncos sit alone in last place in the AFC West after the Raiders' victory on Thanksgiving. But they can do something about it. Five of Denver's final seven games are in the AFC West. Win four of five in division, and the Broncos likely reach the postseason. Anything less, and get the eeyore memes ready.

So what are the keys to the game? Glad you asked.

Ground, pound, ground again
I don't want to hear about how the Chargers have improved their rush defense the past two weeks. The Vikings eclipsed 100 yards, and the Steelers don't even pretend to run the ball unless they play the Broncos.

The Chargers yield 145.1 rushing yards per game, worst in the league, 4.7 yards per carry, second worst, and 13 touchdowns, third worst.

Rookie Javonte Williams leads all backs in yards among non-starters with 514. Might be time to feed the young kid like he's starving on Thanksgiving.

Finish drives
The Broncos remain red-faced in the red zone. They convert at a 50% touchdown rate, which ranks 29th. That's unacceptable, and worse than last season when they ranked 27th at 53%. Part of the issue is that Denver is dreadful inside the 10-yard line.

Be Creative
I say it every week to no avail. The Broncos require more creativity offensively. They need more motion, they need to use at least one trick play per game. They need to mix in uptempo concepts to help Teddy Bridgewater and protect him from Joey Bosa, who will going against backup tackles Calvin Anderson and Cam Fleming. They need variance. Anything to provide a jolt for an offense that averages 17 points per game at home.

Holding Court
Of the three standout receivers — Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Jerry Jeudy — one needs a big game. As my friend Nick Kosmider of The Athletic points out, the Broncos have yet to use Sutton when Jeudy plays. Jeudy and Sutton have appeared in four games together this season. In those games, Sutton had five catches for 83 yards. The Broncos are not paying him $34.9 million in guaranteed money to serve as a decoy. Figure it out. Like yesterday.

Just-in Time
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is becoming a star before our eyes. I was so wrong on him. You can listen to my Broncos Podcast with Troy Renck to hear why. But ultimately, he's more assertive than I thought and, for my money, a bigger, stronger version of Trevor Lawrence. He's not a dual threat, running more against man coverage. So that should not be an issue for the Broncos. Looking at when Herbert has struggled, the key is pressure from corners, pressure from unpredictable places. Broncos coach Vic Fangio has to be more aggressive. The offense is not scoring enough points to beat a good team without takeaways.

Get Chubb Back
Pro Bowl outside linebacker Bradley Chubb is trending toward playing in his first game since the ankle pain became unbearable on the 19th play against Jacksonville in Week 2. That led to the removal of bone spurs, mirroring the procedure on his opposite ankle before training camp. This has been a lost season for Chubb. But the Broncos are way better when he's on the field, especially against the run, and finishing strong is paramount, even if that means 20-to-30 snaps this week.

Special teams reversal
The Chargers special teams vary from inconsistent to awful. How about for a change of pace, the Broncos let somebody else ruin the game in the margins. In seven of 10 weeks, the Broncos have made a glaring mistake. Do that again Sunday, and it will likely be in a loss. Listen, the Broncos are in the mix. I want to be optimistic, but I can't trust this Denver team. I hope they prove me wrong. It would make a great story if they follow this current 2-5 stretch with a 5-2 finish.

Troy's Prediction: Chargers 24, Broncos 20

Get the Eeyore memes ready.

[Xenos]

Well this sucks. Hopefully Feiler is okay.

[Xenos]

[powderblueboy]

They are a team who could only beat the worst teams in the league, until they ran into Dallas.
Impressive victory back then, but a lot of the luster has come off it.

[chargeroo]

Watching this year unfold, I've come to the conclusion that anything can happen. The best teams in the league can lose to one of the worst teams. It's been a goofy year. The Chargers have a better team than they do but in this weird year, anything can happen.