MNF: Chargers vs Broncos Prediction and Game Thread

Monday Night Football, Week 6. Tonight we have an AFC West grudge match between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Denver Broncos. The Chargers will be hosting this game in Los Angeles.

Coming into this season the Denver Broncos had high hopes for their offense. The Broncos made a trade for Russell Wilson in the offseason, and the Broncos hoped the perennial Pro Bowl quarterback would be just what the Broncos needed to take their offense to the next level. It hasn’t worked out that way. Wilson has been dealing with an injured throwing shoulder and it has showed. He has looked bad so far this season.

The 2-3 Broncos come into this game off an ugly 12 - 9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The 9 points scored by the Broncos was a season low, but it was a continuation of a season long offensive struggle. The Broncos have scored more than 16 points just once this season. Needless to say that was not the sort of offensive production the Broncos envisioned when they acquired Wilson. The narrative has swiftly flipped from “Let Russ cook” to “Is Russ cooked?” To make matters worse, the Broncos lost their star running back Javonte Williams for the season a couple of weeks ago, and backup Melvin Gordon is banged up as well.

Though the Broncos offense has struggled, the defense has been superb, keeping the Broncos competitive. The Broncos rank 3rd in the NFL in yards allowed and 4th in points allowed. If the offense can get untracked this could be a dangerous Broncos team going forward.

The 3-2 Chargers come into this game riding a two game winning streak. The Chargers in some ways are the polar opposites of the Broncos. The Chargers’ offense, led by quarterback Justin Herbert, has scored 24 or more points in all but one game this season. The Chargers offense ranks 5th in the NFL in yards gained and 9th in scoring. The Chargers’ defense, on the other hand, has been a work in progress. The Chargers have given up 24 or more points in all but one game this year. The Chargers defense has struggled against the pass, and it has been outright disastrous against the run, yielding a league worst 5.8 yards per carry.

A Broncos offense that can’t score against a Chargers defense that can’t stop anybody from scoring. A Chargers offense that can score in bunches against a Broncos defense that keeps opponents from scoring with the best of them. Something’s gotta give here.

I’ll take the Chargers at home in this game. I have submitted my pick using the widget from our partners at Tallysight. You can follow all my picks throughout the season, as I prove for another season how I’m not made to be a gambler. Seriously, I cannot stress enough how bad an idea it would be to bet real money based on my picks. Don’t do it. Don’t even consider it. Make your own picks, and good luck. And if you do bet, consider using our friends at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Let us know your pick below, and use this thread to discuss the game.