DENVER BRONCOS (5-5) At SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (4-6)
Sunday, 4:15 p.m., CBS
OPENING LINE—Chargers by 7
2011 RECORD VS. SPREAD—Broncos 5-5, Chargers 2-8
SERIES RECORD—Broncos lead 54-48-1
LAST MEETING —Chargers beat Broncos 29-24, Oct. 9
LAST WEEK—Broncos beat Jets 17-13; Chargers lost to Bears 31-20
BRONCOS OFFENSE—OVERALL (27), RUSH (4), PASS (31)
BRONCOS DEFENSE—OVERALL (17), RUSH (16), PASS (21)
CHARGERS OFFENSE—OVERALL (8), RUSH (20), PASS (4)
CHARGERS DEFENSE—OVERALL (13), RUSH (23), PASS (8)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES—Chargers’ five-game losing streak, their longest since opening 2003 at 0-5, has dropped them into last-place tie with Kansas City in AFC West, two games behind Oakland. … Broncos coach John Fox attended high school and college in the San Diego area and coached Chargers defensive backs in 1992-93. … Broncos QB Tim Tebow is 4-1 since supplanting Kyle Orton as Denver’s starting QB, with three fourth-quarter comebacks. Tebow has faced Chargers twice in two seasons, helping to rally Broncos before both comebacks fell short. … Chargers haven’t won since beating the Broncos 29-24 on Oct. 9, when Tebow helped close a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit before his desperation pass fell incomplete in end zone on final play. … Embattled Chargers coach Norv Turner is 103-111-1 in three stops as head coach. While with Washington, Turner had losing streaks of five and seven games in 1994, and seven-game skid to open 1998. He was fired after 13th game in 2000. His Raiders lost five straight in 2004 and their last six of 2005, which got Turner fired. … Chargers have only three of their last seven first-round draft picks on the active roster. Shawne Merriman, Antonio Cromartie and Craig Davis are gone. LB Larry English is out for season. CB Antoine Cason has struggled this season, although he did intercept Jay Cutler in Sunday’s 31-20 loss to Bears. Other two are RB Ryan Mathews, who had another costly fumble last Sunday, and rookie DE Corey Liuget, who’s having quiet season. … Chargers QB Philip Rivers leads NFL with career-high 17 interceptions. He’s lost four fumbles. … Chargers are tied with three teams for last in the NFL at minus-10 turnover differential. Broncos are tied for 22nd at minus-4. … 12-time Pro Bowl LB Junior Seau will be inducted into Chargers Hall of Fame at halftime.
