Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers: Complete Week 15 Preview for Denver
The Denver Broncos are one of four teams in the league sitting on at least 10 wins, and they're doing it in a way no one really expected them to.
The Broncos have become one of the best rushing teams in the league, and they've done so after changing their offensive philosophy during the season.
Now, with a trip to Qualcomm Stadium on the docket, they have a chance to wrap up the division for the fourth year in a row. All they have to do is beat the San Diego Chargers.
The Broncos have won six of the last seven games against the Chargers and lead the all-time series 60-49-1.
Kickoff is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Here, we have a full preview for the game, including an injury report for the Broncos as well as key matchups to look for.
Week 14 Recap
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In Week 14, the Buffalo Bills came to Denver and had 415 yards of total offense, including 355 yards passing by Kyle Orton. The Broncos still got the victory.
Though it wasn't pretty, the Broncos emerged from a slugfest with a 24-17 win, their 10th of the season. Later in the night, the San Diego Chargers were defeated by the New England Patriots, giving the Broncos a two-game lead in the AFC West.
The Broncos also won a game in which Peyton Manning only completed 14 passes and didn't throw a single touchdown.
Denver was able to churn out yards on the ground again, posting 133 for the day.
The defense was the true story for the Broncos, however, as they came up with four sacks of Orton to go with two critical interceptions. Though they allowed Orton and the Bills to pick up a lot of yards late in the game, they bailed the team out after the offense turned the ball over on two occasions.
The win went a long way toward giving the Broncos a first-round bye in the playoffs and kept them in the hunt for home-field advantage.
News and Notes
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Danny Trevathan Could Return Against San Diego
After being placed on the injured reserve/recall list following an injury in Week 6 against the New York Jets, the Broncos could finally see linebacker Danny Trevathan back on the field this week.
Andrew Mason of the team's official website had this report.
"#Broncos HC John Fox said LB Danny Trevathan would be back in lineup this week if "healthy enough.'' Trevathan eligible to play Sunday.
— Jeff Legwold (@Jeff_Legwold) December 8, 2014"
Trevathan would be welcomed back, though Brandon Marshall has been excellent in his absence. Still, the team has dealt with plenty of injuries at the linebacker position, so Trevathan's return to the lineup will provide a big boost.
After having a huge season in 2013 with 129 tackles, two sacks and three interceptions, Trevathan has just seven tackles on the season, which has been marred by injuries.
Could Jack Del Rio End Up in Oakland?
The Oakland Raiders fired their coach, former Denver defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, after just four games this season.
They'll be in the market for a new coach following the season, and as ESPN's Bill Williamson speculates, Jack Del Rio could be on their radar.
The Raiders are going to look to make a splash with their next hire, particularly due to the fact that the team hasn't been to the postseason since they lost Super Bowl XXXVII to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2002.
Would they really hire another defensive coordinator from Denver?
Is Peyton Manning on the Decline?
It's a possibility most Broncos fans probably don't want to consider, but if you saw Manning try to hit Emmanuel Sanders deep down the field last Sunday, only to have the ball intercepted, you'd realize that their may be a problem.
Mike Klis of The Denver Post examined that idea earlier this week.
"Adam Gase finds all this talk of Peyton Manning losing his edge to be "comical." http://t.co/HjOzO99IMi pic.twitter.com/F6SX1wKZzo
— Denver Post Broncos (@PostBroncos) December 11, 2014"
It's hard to argue with the success the running game is having, and the team is winning without big numbers from their star quarterback. But watching that pass intended for Sanders flutter through the air had to give some fans an uneasy feeling.
Injury Report
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| C.J. Anderson | Running Back | Ankle | Questionable |
| Montee Ball | Running Back | Groin | Questionable |
| Ronnie Hillman | Running Back | Foot | Questionable |
| David Bruton | Safety | Groin | Questionable |
| Quinton Carter | Safety | Knee | Questionable |
| Demaryius Thomas | Wide Receiver | Ankle | Questionable |
| Malik Jackson | Defensive End | Knee | Questionable |
| Cody Latimer | Wide Receiver | Concussion | Questionable |
| Jacob Tamme | Tight End | Ribs | Questionable |
| Juwan Thompson | Running Back | Knee | Questionable |
Injury statuses courtesy of CBS Sports.
Earlier in the season, the Broncos were looking good in the injury department, staying relatively healthy. But now in Week 15, their injury report is as long as any team in the league.
Running back C.J. Anderson showed up on the injury list this week with a bad ankle. In fact, Anderson sat out of Wednesday's practice but was able to return on a limited basis on Thursday, according to Andrew Mason of DenverBroncos.com.
His status will be one to watch going into the game on Sunday.
Though tight end Julius Thomas was active for the Buffalo game, he never got on the field. As reported by Mike Klis of The Denver Post, that is expected to change on Sunday.
The Broncos passing game could use Thomas, who has not played since Week 11 against St. Louis.
Though this is a key game inside the division, the Broncos need to be careful and look at the long-term picture before deciding which players to use against San Diego, particularly at the running back position.
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X-Factor Players and Key Matchups to Watch
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Denver Pass Protection vs. Melvin Ingram
After missing most of last season and part of this season due to injuries, Melvin Ingram is starting to show the skills that made him the No. 18 overall pick of the 2012 draft.
This is a player the Broncos must be wary of on Sunday. Ingram is a physical, disruptive player who could wreak havoc against Manning.
San Diego plays a 3-4 defense and Irving lines up as one of the outside linebackers, usually on the right side. But he'll be free to come in on blitzes, and San Diego defensive coordinator John Pagano will try to find the opportune time to call them.
Denver must keep Ingram out of the backfield.
Julius Thomas vs. Manti Te'o
San Diego linebacker Manti Te'o had some good moments while covering New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski in Week 14, and even got an interception off of Tom Brady.
Because of that, Te'o could be the man assigned to Denver tight end Julius Thomas, who hasn't played in the team's last three games.
Whenever Thomas does get back on the field, expect Manning to feed him the ball to get him back into the swing of things. That could mean a long day for Te'o.
Denver Pass Defense vs. Antonio Gates
Over the course of the last three seasons, it's been a pretty good bet that the opposing tight end is going to have a big day against the Broncos.
That's a trend that Del Rio and his defense need to reverse.
Gates caught five passes in the first meeting this season against Denver, two of which went for touchdowns.
Last week, the Patriots held Gates to just 34 yards on five catches. Del Rio should watch that game tape closely to see how the Patriots slowed him down, particularly in the red zone.
Broncos' X-Factor Player: David Bruton
During his time in Denver, David Bruton has been known almost exclusively for his play on special teams. Last week against Buffalo, he was as good as anyone on the team.
Bruton piled up nine tackles and a pass defensed on the day and could be in line for an increased role on defense because of his play.
"in rewatching this Broncos-Bills game, I didn't realize how much of a monster David Bruton really was all game long, nasty
— Brad James (@BroncosItaly) December 10, 2014"
But don't forget about his role on special teams, where he could have a big impact. San Diego will be using a new punter in this game, Mat McBriar.
Don't be surprised to see Bruton get in on a blocked punt for a game-changing play.
Predicition
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For the Chargers, their season could easily ride on this game. Because of that, the Broncos need to be ready for a team that will throw everything but the kitchen sink at them.
Last season, the Chargers came into Denver and dealt the Broncos a 27-20 defeat in Week 15. The Broncos need to have that in the back of their mind.
In that game, San Diego dominated time of possession with a physical rushing attack and by converting multiple third downs.
In the first meeting between the teams this season, the Broncos won 35-21. In that game, Manning put the ball in the air 35 times and threw three touchdown passes.
That isn't the Manning we've seen lately, and it probably won't be the one the Chargers get either. Instead, the Broncos will use their running game to wear the Chargers down and control the clock. Basically, Denver will beat San Diego the same way they lost to them last season.
With a chance to clinch the AFC West division, the Broncos will take San Diego's best punch and come away with a hard-fought victory.
Prediction: Broncos 24, Chargers 20
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