San Diego Chargers-Denver Broncos Week 8 NFL Thursday Game Preview

Critics who have blasted the quality of the NFL's Thursday night matchups this season will not have much room to complain this week, as Week 8 will have two of the AFC's best teams clashing in a division rivalry when the Denver Broncos (5-1) face the San Diego Chargers (5-2) at Denver's Mile High Stadium.

The matchup figures to have plenty of offensive fireworks because it will feature the AFC’s top-rated passers – Denver’s Peyton Manning (118.2) and San Diego’s Philip Rivers (113.0).

Both teams' star quarterbacks have had their offenses rolling all year, as Denver and San Diego are two of the NFL’s most efficient teams in the red zone with each team having scored points on their past 53 offensive trips inside the 20-yard line, tied for the longest active streak in the NFL.

Scoring points as often as possible is important in the red zone, but it’s touchdowns that can really make the difference.

“It’s obviously important to get seven instead of three,” says NFL Network analyst and former scout Daniel Jeremiah. “When you’re getting touchdowns, it does a couple of things. Obviously you get the momentum in the football game. Also, expanding your lead and allowing the pass rush on the other side to really crank up. It’s huge.”

The Broncos are coming off a 42-17 victory against San Francisco in which Manning (510) threw four touchdown passes to eclipse Brett Favre (508) for the most career touchdown passes in NFL history.  During the game, Manning passed for 318 yards and four touchdowns for a 157.2 passer rating.

“I have great appreciation for all the players in the NFL, playing now and those who have played before us, especially at the quarterback position,” says Manning, who also extended his NFL record for the most games with at least four touchdown passes (33). “I’m very humbled, and I’m very honored.”

This season, Denver has scored touchdowns on 15 of 19 red zone trips (NFL-best 78.9 percent) along with four field goals. All 25 of San Diego’s trips into the red zone have resulted in points in 2014, including 14 touchdowns and 11 field goals.

The Broncos, Chargers, and Seahawks are the only three NFL teams to score points on every red zone possession this season.

Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib believes the reason for Denver’s red zone effectiveness is clear, stating, “It’s Peyton.”

Since quarterback Peyton Manning joined the Broncos in 2012, Denver has scored 105 touchdowns in 152 total red zone trips, the best mark in the NFL during that span. This season, 12 of Manning’s 19 touchdown passes have come inside the 20-yard line.

As he’s done throughout his career, Manning utilizes the whole field and finds the open receiver in the end zone, regardless of who it might be.

“One of the reasons why the Broncos have been so successful in the red zone is they have a lot of different guys they can go to,” says Jeremiah. “You have a big time tight end in Julius Thomas who is a matchup nightmare for linebackers and safeties. You have Demaryius Thomas who they can use on a lot of different things going up to get the football. And you have a guy in Wes Welker who is really, really quick. You have a lot of different ways you can deploy your schemes.”

San Diego’s five-game win streak came to an end in Week 7 against Kansas City, as the Chiefs kicked the game-winning field goal with 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter to seal a 23-20 victory. Rivers passed for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the loss, and is currently ranked second in the AFC with 1,961 passing yards and third in the conference with 17 touchdowns.

With first place on the line this week against Denver, the Chargers are still in a favorable position as the midpoint approaches.

“This is a 16-week deal you sign up for, we’re here through seven of them,” says Rivers, who has passed for at least two touchdowns in six consecutive games. “We’re in an okay spot; we’ve just got to keep going.”

The Broncos and Chargers have met 10 times during the regular season since 2009, splitting the series with five wins apiece.  The Broncos head into Thursday night aiming for their fourth consecutive victory.

Manning enters this week’s matchup with a 9-2 record as a starter on Thursday, and is the all-time leader in passing yards (3,305) and touchdown passes (35) on Thursday.

“The big thing about all this is that it is a short week so we don’t have time to feel sorry about ourselves,” says San Diego linebacker Dwight Freeney. “I know Denver doesn’t care about last week. We just have to focus on Denver this Thursday night.”

Rivers has compiled a 4-1 record on Thursday, including a 27-20 victory over Denver last season. For his career, Rivers is 10-6 as a starter against Denver, and is 20 games over .500 (35-15) when starting against the AFC West. Since 2006, Rivers has the second-most passing yards (12,251) and third-most touchdowns (81) of any player in the AFC against his own division.

Making things difficult for Rivers will be the pass-rushing tandem of Von Miller and former Dallas Cowboy superstar DeMarcus Ware.  Thanks to Ware and Miller, the Broncos are only NFL team with 2 players who have 7-plus sacks each this season.  Ware is coming off a three-sack game himself last weekend, his most since joining Denver.


WEEK 8 INJURY REPORT –  SAN DIEGO CHARGERS at DENVER BRONCOS


SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

 
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Monday
LB Jeremiah Attaochu (hamstring), RB Donald Brown (concussion), CB Brandon Flowers (concussion), RB Ryan Mathews (knee), LB Manti Te'o (foot)

Tuesday
RB Donald Brown (concussion), CB Brandon Flowers (concussion), LB Dwight Freeney (not injury related), RB Ryan Mathews (knee), G Rich Ohrnberger (back), LB Manti Te'o (foot)

 
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday
CB Jason Verrett (shoulder), CB Steve Williams (groin)

Tuesday
LB Jeremiah Attaochu (hamstring), CB Jason Verrett (shoulder), CB Steve Williams (groin)

 
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday
T D.J. Fluker (ankle), G Rich Ohrnberger (back)

Tuesday
LB Kavell Conner (ankle), T D.J. Fluker (ankle)


DENVER BRONCOS

 
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Monday
RB Montee Ball (groin), CB Omar Bolden (concussion), LB Steven Johnson (ankle), K Brandon McManus (right groin)

Tuesday
RB Montee Ball (groin), CB Omar Bolden (concussion), LB Steven Johnson (ankle), K Brandon McManus (right groin)

 
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Monday
S Quinton Carter (hamstring), CB Chris Harris (knee), RB Juwan Thompson (knee), S T.J. Ward (knee)

Tuesday
S Quinton Carter (hamstring), CB Chris Harris (knee), RB Juwan Thompson (knee), S T.J. Ward (knee)


By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services