Mile High Report
The final week of the regular season is finally here. This is a must-win game for the Denver Broncos if they want to secure the number one seed in the AFC playoffs and earn the perks that come along with it. The Los Angeles Chargers will be resting a lot of players, but the Broncos can’t afford to underestimate them. Here are three players I believe need to play at a high level in order to defeat the Chargers.
Right before the new year, I authored a piece on a blueprint to follow for Denver to be the top seed in the AFC. A big part of that recipe involved Bo Nix. I’ve been impressed with his progression since the bye week. However, there is no doubt he has to perform much better than the first time these teams squared off earlier in the season.
In Week 3, Nix was 14-of-25 for 153 yards and 1 touchdown. It was easily one of his worst performances of the season. The Chargers are expected to rest some key starters. Nevertheless, they still have a strong defense, particularly against the pass. They’ve done a good job taking the ball away, limiting big plays, and keeping opposing quarterbacks in check more often than not.
Another area the Chargers’ defense has been great at is third down. They are sixth in the NFL allowing just 35-percent on the season. Will Nix be able to move the chains successfully in third down situations? Courtland Sutton has been his go-to guy all season in that respect. I’m anxious to see if Nix can find another player he can trust to come down with the big catch when it matters most.
All this week, the discourse surrounding Denver’s defense is how important it is for them to start forcing turnovers. Instead of going up against Justin Herbert, they will be facing former North Dakota State standout Trey Lance. He’s flight on his feet, has the ability to beat you with the run, but still doesn’t have much experience as an NFL passer.
Since being drafted in 2021, the former third overall selection has just 156 passing attempts. I’m not sure what their offensive game plan will consist of. Though I’d wager avoiding the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Patrick Surtain II may be a part of it.
Even so, I expect the league’s premier corner to have himself a great game and do his part when the ball comes his way. He’s a true shutdown corner. If I had to guess what member of the secondary is most likely to come with a huge turnover, I’d have to bet on him. He has done that a lot throughout his career and his exemplary play speaks for itself. He leads by example, and my gut is telling me he comes up with a huge interception on Sunday.
Over the past...
