There will be an early-season battle for control of the AFC West this Sunday when the Los Angeles Chargers host the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
The Chargers are 2-0 and have been very impressive defensively, while the Broncos are 1-1 and are coming off a gut-wrenching loss last weekend to the Indianapolis Colts on a last-second field goal.
Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert is playing excellent football so far, and while the Broncos’ defense isn’t too shabby itself, they will have their hands full trying to corral him.
Read more: Amazing Stat Illustrates How Chargers’ Defense Suffocated the Raiders
Patrick Surtain II, the Broncos’ outstanding star cornerback, said in an exclusive interview with SportsBoom that Herbert has improved one specific aspect of his game this season.
“With Justin, what I’ve seen is his ability to extend plays,” says Surtain II in a one-on-one interview of the difference he’s seen with Herbert this season.
“He’s been making a lot of plays on the run, more so than what he’s been doing before.”
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 15: Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers runs with the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on September 15, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo…
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 15: Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers runs with the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on September 15, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
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Candice Ward/Getty Images
Through two games, Herbert has run for 63 yards on 16 carries, and his average of 31.5 rushing yards per game this year is much higher than his career average of 15.8 rushing yards per contest.
He isn’t exactly Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen, and he isn’t even Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers, who is excellent at extending plays and moving the chains when necessary. But Herbert has apparently added a new dimension to his game.
Another thing that makes the Bolts even more dangerous this season is their emerging group of wide receivers, which includes second-year man Ladd McConkey and third-year wideout Quentin Johnston. Johnston, who is a speedster, had been considered a disappointment, but he has eight catches, 150 yards and three touchdowns in two games this year.
“Not saying he couldn’t before, but now he’s extending those plays, and now he’s got receivers that he can depend on,” Surtain II said of Herbert.
“I think he was waiting for some guys to step up to make plays for them. Obviously they came and they sprung, and they found their ground.”
Read more: Former NFL Scout Offers Brutal Assessment of Vikings’ JJ McCarthy
If Surtain isn’t the best corner in the NFL, then perhaps no one is better than him. He’s the league’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and in 2024, he posted 11 passes defended and four interceptions while helping Denver unexpectedly make the playoffs.
This offseason, Denver added safety Talanoa Hufanga, who made the Pro Bowl in 2022, and he has made their secondary even more dangerous.
Sunday’s game between the Broncos and Chargers should have playoff implications, especially since the three-time defending AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs are currently 0-2. The two teams will face off again in Week 18 in Colorado, and that contest could very well decide who wins the division and perhaps even who makes the playoffs and who watches them from home.
For more on the Broncos and Chargers, as well as general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.