Broncos (1-1) at Chargers (2-0)<\/p>\n
When: 2:05 p.m. Sunday<\/p>\n
Where:\u00a0SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, Calif.<\/p>\n
TV\/radio:\u00a0CBS, 850 AM\/94.1 FM<\/p>\n
Broncos-Chargers series: Denver\u2019s up 72-57-1 all-time on their AFC West rivals in the regular season. The Broncos, though, are coming off two 2024 losses to the Bolts, as quarterback Justin Herbert and coach Jim Harbaugh\u2019s run game downed Denver in both divisional matchups.<\/p>\n
In the spotlight: Can Justin Herbert handle the Broncos\u2019 blitz? And vice versa?<\/p>\n
Zach Allen, for one, isn\u2019t worried. And why should he be? His pass-rush has a demonstrated record of success, dating back to the start of 2024. And the Broncos just ate Cam Ward and the Titans up two weeks ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got a special group up front,\u201d Allen said Monday. \u201cWe\u2019ve showed it last year, we\u2019ve showed it Week 1. There were games last year where we didn\u2019t have six sacks. So we\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
But they were not fine in Week 2. Denver blitzed the Colts on 71% of Indy\u2019s dropbacks last Sunday, according to Next Gen Stats \u2014 the highest single-game rate for any team since the start of last year. They pressured Indianapolis quarterback Daniel Jones 17 times and started collapsing pockets in the second half.<\/p>\n
They also got home only once. And Jones finished 16-of-25 passing for 265 yards against the blitz in Week 2, calmly sitting in the pocket and firing off quick strikes to a spread-out room of pass-catchers.<\/p>\n
That downed Denver last week in a 29-28 loss \u2014 leverage penalty or not<\/a>. And the Broncos will face a more talented quarterback in Week 3 in the Chargers\u2019 Justin Herbert, the golden-mopped gunslinger who\u2019s elevated his play to another echelon early in 2025 after five standout NFL seasons.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo weeks in \u2014 and again, this is last year as well \u2014 but you can see the confidence that they\u2019re playing with, in the receivers and the quarterback all being on the same page,\u201d Broncos head coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. \u201cThe timing has been real impressive.\u201d<\/p>\n Specifically, Herbert and Los Angeles have handled the blitz as well as any passing game in the NFL. The former Oregon Duck sifted through opposing rushes with excellent precision in 2024, finishing with a QB rating of 101.4 against the blitz. Still, offensive coordinator Greg Roman dedicated heaps of time and study in the offseason to picking up opposing blitzes. Herbert told Chargers reporters Thursday that he\u2019d gone back and studied every clip of protections the Chargers picked up in 2024 \u2014 ones executed successfully, and ones he could\u2019ve changed \u2014 to figure out how to beat the blitz.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s multiple ways of beating the blitz, and it\u2019s blocking it or getting the ball out quickly,\u201d Herbert said. \u201cAnd I think, whether you got two of those options \u2014 as long as you\u2019ve got one of \u2018em called, you\u2019re gonna do well.\u201d<\/p>\n Los Angeles, 2-0 after a win over the Raiders on Monday night, has both. Right tackle Trey Pipkins III didn\u2019t surrender a single pressure against the Raiders, despite star edge rusher Maxx Crosby breathing down his neck. And Herbert \u2014 much like Jones and Indy \u2014 has a stable of receivers available for quick-hits underneath, from second-year slot star Ladd McConkey (11 catches for 122 yards) to steady veteran Keenan Allen (12 for 129).<\/p>\n It\u2019s all added up to ridiculous efficiency for Herbert when under duress in 2025: 18-of-24 passing for 264 yards and two TDs. The Chargers, too, are running more play-action in coach Jim Harbaugh\u2019s second year than they ever have in Herbert\u2019s career, opening up big-play threat Quentin Johnston to take the top off secondaries.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019ll give you gap schemes, they\u2019ll give you zone schemes,\u201d Payton said. \u201cThe play-action that comes off of those runs is difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n Through two games, the Broncos rank third in the NFL in pressure rate. Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto is first in the NFL in QB pressures when blitzing, according to Next Gen Stats; inside linebacker Justin Strnad is sixth, and Allen ranks 12th.<\/p>\n Sheer pressures could not save them against Indianapolis, though. And they certainly won\u2019t save Denver against Herbert, a quarterback operating at as high of a level as anyone in the NFL.<\/p>\n \u201cThey have a lot of momentum coming into this week,\u201d cornerback Pat Surtain II said Wednesday. \u201cWe understand our opponent, and we know what we have to do at the end of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n Who has the edge?<\/p>\n When Broncos run:\u00a0Denver RB1 J.K. Dobbins is back in Los Angeles to tote the rock against the team that yanked him around this offseason<\/a>, and will get a fairly favorable matchup. The Chargers, despite largely holding Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty in check last week, are surrendering the ninth-highest yards per carry in the NFL through two games. RJ Harvey could get a few more looks in this one as a change-of-pace option to break off the edge, too, as Los Angeles stud OLB Khalil Mack will miss Sunday\u2019s game with a dislocated elbow. Still, Los Angeles has plenty of defensive playmakers, starting with ascending young linebacker Daiyan Henley. Edge: Even<\/p>\n When Chargers run:\u00a0Theoretically, a Jim Harbaugh-led team means an offensive line that punches other teams in the mouth. Through two weeks, though, Los Angeles\u2019s revamped ground game has been \u2026 fine. The Chargers sit in the middle of the league in run-block win rate thus far in 2025, and No. 22 overall pick Omarion Hampton has rushed for just 72 yards on 23 carries. Los Angeles is near the NFL\u2019s basement in yards per carry, too. They could bust out Sunday against a Broncos defense that just surrendered 165 yards to the Colts\u2019 Jonathan Taylor. Counterpoint: That was Jonathan Taylor.\u00a0Edge: Broncos<\/p>\n When Broncos pass:\u00a0Bo Nix has four takeaways through two games and heads into the danger zone in Los Angeles. The Chargers have surrendered the second-lowest yards per attempt (5.3) to opposing quarterbacks in the NFL, and just had Raiders QB Geno Smith (24 of 43, 180 yards, three interceptions) in purgatory on Monday. Los Angeles plays a ton of four-DB looks and has secondary playmakers in safety Derwin James Jr. and young corner Tarheeb Still. Edge: Chargers<\/p>\n When Chargers pass: Herbert has hit a new level in 2025 with a 127.8 passer rating. The Chargers also boast a triumvirate of receivers that rivals most any Denver will face this year: second-year star Ladd McConkey, deep-ball threat Quentin Johnston and vet extraordinaire Keenan Allen. The Broncos will probably go nickel-heavy in this one, which\u2019ll put Ja\u2019Quan McMillian and rookie Jahdae Barron in some big spots. Edge: Even<\/p>\n