Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers: What Are Experts Saying About Denver?

This Sunday features the second AFC West showdown of the year between the Denver Broncos (10-3) and their rivals, the San Diego Chargers (8-5).

The Broncos have won three straight since a shocking loss in St. Louis against the Rams. They sit atop the AFC West and will clinch the division with a win this Sunday. 

The San Diego Chargers would be the sixth seed in the AFC if the playoffs started today, yet a few teams are breathing right down their neck. The Chargers need at least two wins in the last three weeks to comfortably make the postseason. 

These two teams have a storied history together and their matchups are always intense, so this Sunday's game is sure to be fun to watch. There's nothing like watching two division rivals play relevant football late in the NFL season. 

Here's what some experts across the country are saying about this Sunday's rumble in San Diego.

Jeff Legwold: Peyton Manning Is Feeling Good

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com reported on Wednesday that Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning "feels better physically."

This isn't exactly stunning news, yet, at 38 years old, Manning is not a young man anymore. His health is, thereby, always on everyone's mind. 

Legwold also reported that Manning is not concerned with his touchdown-less game last week and that he and the Broncos are "simply trying to win games."

Manning always has had a "champion's attitude" when it comes to his stats. While he's always been a monster in the yardage and scoring departments, his greatest concern has always been racking up wins. This is one of the many characteristics that has made Manning great throughout his amazing career.

Eric D. Williams: Ryan Mathews Is Not Looking Good

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com reported on Wednesday that San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews skipped practice and is looking very questionable to play on Sunday. 

We likely won't know whether Mathews will play or not until Saturday or Sunday morning. This is a result of the Chargers wanting to do everything they can to get Mathews healthy—and also an effort to keep Denver on their toes. 

When asked about Mathews' practice status for the remainder of the week, Chargers head coach Mike McCoy told Williams, "We’re going to take it day by day and see how he’s feeling, and go from there. I’m sure [Denver head coach] John Fox and all of them would love to know how he’s feeling."

San Diego has played their best football this season when they have controlled the football, and Mathews' presence would help them do this immensely.

Brandon Flowers: Key to a San Diego Win Is Keeping Manning off the Field

Michael Zito/Associated Press

In a pretty cool move by both parties, San Diego Chargers cornerback Brandon Flowers penned a piece this week for The Monday Morning Quarterback entitled "Preparing for Peyton."

It's a pretty great read, and not only did Flowers show off some impressive writing prowess, but he also offered readers the rare chance to learn how an active player prepares for an upcoming matchup. 

In the article, Flowers writes, "You might hear some analysts say [Manning] has lost a bit on the football, but I don't see it."

He goes on to add, "The best defense when playing Peyton Manning? Having your offense on the field."

Flowers' words do a lot to stress the importance of Ryan Mathews' presence and the need for the San Diego offense to have long and productive drives. Like most of us, Flowers doesn't want to work that hard on Sunday.

Bleacher Report Experts: Broncos Win a Close One

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Every week, 16 NFL experts from Bleacher Report pick who they think will win every game of the week. 

Usually they do a pretty good job, and 11 of them picked the Denver Broncos to win this Sunday's AFC West showdown. 

Christopher Hansen, Bleacher Report's AFC West lead writer, wrote "It's amazing the San Diego Chargers are still in position to make the playoffs because they are probably the most inconsistent team in the entire league."

He adds that he "expect[s] the Broncos to come out passing early and then go to their new-found running game." 

The game should be close, but it certainly seems like Denver has the edge with their plethora of offensive weapons.

Vegas: Denver Wins a Close, High-Scoring Game

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

It's always good to check out what the sharks in Vegas are predicting when trying to forecast how a game will go, and for this Sunday's Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers matchup, our friends at Odds Shark are predicting that Denver wins a close, high-scoring game. 

They have the over/under for this matchup set at 50.5 and the Broncos favored by four points. Clearly they don't think either team is going to run away with this one, and Denver certainly should not get too comfortable despite being favored. 

It's important to note that with the Chargers getting four points at home, they are officially a trap opponent. There is no science or definition to it, but we often see home teams who are underdogs by four to six points pull off upsets. 

What will happen in San Diego on Sunday is a mystery, but I would certainly put my money on the game being both exciting and hard fought. Enjoy!