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No. 1: San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos
Despite the devastating loss of wide receiver Keenan Allen for the season, and a rough start out of the gate, the Chargers find themselves at a 3 -4 record. So why is this the game that people should keep their eyes on this week?
The AFC West is arguably the tightest playoff race in the NFL right now. Each team could win the division. Kansas City, Denver, San Diego and Oakland all have the potential to represent the AFC West in the playoffs. The Chargers currently rank last out of all them.
However, in the past two weeks, the Chargers have toppled two teams who are considered to be some of the best in football right now. Philip Rivers mounted a late game comeback against Atlanta on the road for a win in overtime. The week before, San Diego defeated the Broncos in the national spotlight on Thursday Night Football.
After missing the first four weeks of the season, rookie defensive end Joey Bosa has been wreaking havoc on opposing offensive lines. He and fellow first-year player Jatavis Brown have been a downright problem for teams to handle. Both are in consideration for defensive rookie of the year. The Chargers should pressure quarterback Trevor Siemian and force him to make mistakes. Then the balanced San Diego offense should be able to take home the game for them.
Denver’s offense has been the team’s weak point this season. The Broncos’ defense is one of the most staunch fronts in the league, as they only allowed the Houston Texans nine points on their previous match up. The key thing to take away is if the Chargers can beat Denver at Mile High Stadium, which is not an easy task, then it proves that San Diego is a legitimate force in the NFL, who had minor hiccups early on.
