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Predicting Denver Broncos at Chargers and NFL Pick ‘Em

By Graham Tiedtke

DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 30: Michael Davis #43 of the Los Angeles Chargers tackles DaeSean Hamilton #17 of the Denver Broncos at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on December 30, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - DECEMBER 30: Michael Davis #43 of the Los Angeles Chargers tackles DaeSean Hamilton #17 of the Denver Broncos at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on December 30, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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Denver Broncos
CARSON, CA – NOVEMBER 18: Von Miller #58 of the Denver Broncos celebrates a stop on third down, with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, in front of Keenan Allen #13 of the Los Angeles Chargers at StubHub Center on November 18, 2018 in Carson, California. The Broncos would score a last second field goal to win 23-22. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Graham Tiedtke

The Broncos scraped by the Chargers in Los Angeles last season by a score of 23-22. A lot has changed since that meeting. This is the first meeting between the two teams in 2019.

Denver will have to try to make plays without star pass rusher Bradley Chubb, who is out for the year with a partially torn ACL. Denver’s pass rush got their first sack of the season last week against Jacksonville, which could be good news for Von Miller.

Chargers running back Melvin Gordon returned to the team last week and will play against the Broncos, which is very bad news. Denver has allowed 597 rushing yards so far this season.

To be honest, it is difficult at this point to find wins for this team. I just don’t see it happening this week.

Chargers 17, Broncos 13

Andrew Wade

Despite being winless, the Denver Broncos aren’t as bad of a team as their record suggests, but that also doesn’t mean this team is going undefeated the rest of the way.

They have a tough schedule remaining and that starts with a road game against the LA Chargers. The Chargers will be returning Melvin Gordon giving them a two-headed monster at running back, and I fully expect them to use this to exploit Denver’s porous run defense that was severely exposed the loss last week to Jacksonville.

Denver manages to keep it close though.

Chargers 21, Broncos 17

Baylor Bradac

The Broncos head to LA to face their second divisional opponent this year. The Chargers (2-2) are looking to keep pace with the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs. LA has had a pretty decent year thus far with only a few short-comings. Philip Rivers continues to do Rivers things, keeping the team competitive. Additionally, Melvin Gordon’s replacement, Austin Ekeler, has been absolutely killing it lately and is going against a defense that allowed one player to get 225 yards on the ground.

If the Broncos want to have any chance in this game, which they do, they cant be missing 15 tackles like they did last week. That’s right, the Broncos missed 15 tackles last week, 11 of which were in the second half. No wonder Fournette went off.

If the defense can continue the progress they made last week and get some pressure on Rivers, all they’ll have to do to keep it close is keep Ekeler in check. Not the easiest task, but it’s very doable.

When it’s all said and done, I think the Denver Broncos will not set a franchise record for the worst start to a season at 0-5. I don’t have any logical reason other than a gut feeling to say this, but I’m going with Denver this week.

Broncos 27, Chargers 17

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