SAN DIEGO — What you need to know as the Broncos (9-2) prepare to take on the Chargers (3-8) at Qualcomm Stadium:
INACTIVES
Peyton Manning, outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware, safety T.J. Ward, nose tackle Sylvester Williams, quarterback Christian Ponder, receiver Jordan Norwood and offensive lineman Sam Brenner are all out for the Broncos on Sunday.
Ware worked out for Broncos coaches a few hours before kickoff as part of his continued recovery from a back injury.
Manning did not travel with the team, staying behind in Colorado to begin rehab on his partially torn plantar fascia in his left foot.
Ward and and Williams, who both injured an ankle last Sunday against the Patriots, were ruled out Friday.
Receiver Bennie Fowler, who was dealing with a sore ankle all week, tested it in a workout with coaches and trainers at Qualcomm Stadium before all decided he would be a go.
Out for the Chargers: Guard D.J. Fluker, receiver Tyrell Williams, safety Adrian Phillips, cornerback Greg Ducre, linebacker Kavell Conner, tackle King Dunlap, nose tackle Sean Lissemore.
Chris Hairston is expected to start at left tackle for Dunlap. Kenny Wiggins will start at right guard for Fluker. Ricardo Matthews will play at nose tackle for Lissemore. And Denzel Perryman will start in place of Donald Butler at inside linebacker.
TOP STORYLINES
Balanced attack. When Brock Osweiler took the reins in the second half of the Broncos’ Week 10 loss to Kansas City then full-time at Chicago for his first start, the offense Gary Kubiak had envisioned from the start took shape. Osweiler took the majority of his snaps under center, reviving the run game and creating a balanced attack that defeated the Bears and then the previously undefeated Patriots.
Through the first nine games of the season, the Broncos’ recorded 19 turnovers (2.1 per game), and averaged for 258.4 passing yards and only 86 rushing yards per game (3.78 per carry). In the last two games, with Osweiler starting, the Broncos have produced only one turnover, while averaging 260 passing yards and 174.5 rushing yards (5.13 per carry).
Maintaining the balanced attack will be key against the Chargers, who rank 26th in the league in rushing defense (123.7 yards allowed per game) and are tied for 22nd in passing defense (253.9 yards per game).
“They play hard, I know that,” offensive coordinator Rick Dennison said of the Chargers’ defense. “They play really hard. You see they’ve got good speed, and they can bring a lot of different pressures. That’s our biggest challenge and our biggest concern. They scramble. They’ve got guys that can rush. I don’t pay much into statistics. When the film goes on, I see them scrambling and making plays. We’ve got a challenge like every other week.”
Depleted defense. The Broncos have won two of the past three games without Ware. But on Sunday, the Broncos will have to play without two other starters on defense: Ward and Williams, both of whom on a play late in the first quarter of in last weekend’s victory against New England. David Bruton will start in place of Ward, and Vance Walker will start for Williams, with rookie Darius Kilgo expected to see more time.
“Last game, we kind of got an idea because they only played eight plays anyway,” Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips said. “Vance played quite a bit and of course Bruton played quite a bit. We added (safety Josh) Bush on the team to help us some in the secondary. We’ve played with five defensive linemen several games this year. Kilgo will have to get more snaps, I’m sure, which he’s ready for. We feel good about our backup people and they have played well, but anytime you’ve got two Pro Bowl players out and Sly, who is a really good player, it’s a little bit tougher defensively.”
Ward and Williams were injured late in the first quarter against New England, and the Broncos’ defense — which leads the league in in total defense (285.8 yards allowed), passing defense (197.1) and sacks (37) — still held the Patriots to only 39 net rushing yards and 2-of-13 on third downs.
Denver’s defense faces another elite quarterback — if oft-criticized one — in Philip Rivers, who has helped the Chargers offense rank sixth in total yards (390.5) and second in passing (308.7).
Demaryius Thomas rebound. The Broncos’ locker room was as jubilant as it has ever been this season following their overtime victory against the Patriots last Sunday. But the feeling was not shared by all. Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas struggled for most of the game, catching only one of 13 targets in the victory.
The catch was arguably the biggest of the game, a 36-yard reception deep right on a first-and-10 just before the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter. The completion set up the drive that ended with a 4-yard go-ahead touchdown catch by Andre Caldwell.
The play was key, but the performance, as a whole, was not. Thomas, to his credit, didn’t shy away from the criticism in the days after.
“I felt like I let my teammates down besides that one big play,” he said. “I think the main thing that matters is we got the win and we beat a good team.
“There were passes I dropped that I should have caught, but I think it’s concentrating more, putting in the extra work and having my team behind me. They gave me extra motivation. I think that’s one of the reasons.”
Thomas’ return to form is key for the Broncos, facing a divisional opponent on the road.
HOW TO WATCH
Qualcomm Stadium, 2:05 p.m.
TV: CBS (KCNC) — Kevin Harlan, play-by-play; Rich Gannon, color; Scott Kaplan, sideline
Radio: KOA (850 AM), The Fox (103.5 FM)
SERIES HISTORY
Meetings: 110
Broncos’ record: 60-49-1 (home: 37-17-1; away: 23-32-0).
Current Broncos’ streak: won last two.
Last game: Dec. 14, 2014 at San Diego — Broncos 22, Chargers 10.
CONNECTIONS
• Broncos G Louis Vasquez played his first four seasons (2009-12) in the NFL in San Diego.
• Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was the Chargers’ DC from 2004-06.
• Broncos RB Ronnie Hillman (2010-11) and long snapper Aaron Brewer (2008-11) attended San Diego State University.
• Chargers G Orlando Franklin was second-round draft pick by the Broncos in 2011 and played in Denver from 2011-14. He signed with San Diego as a free agent last March.
• Chargers head coach Mike McCoy was the Broncos’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2009, and their offensive coordinator from 2010-12.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
14: Consecutive divisional road victories by the Broncos dating to 2011, the longest streak in NFL history.
1: Victory needed for the Broncos to record their fourth-consecutive 10-win season.
1: Victory needed for Gary Kubiak to tie Dan Reeves (1981) for the second-most wins by a Broncos head coach in his first year with the team.
1: Special teams tackle needed by David Bruton to reach 50 on his career and pass Wesley Woodyard and rank fifth on the team’s all-time list.
89: Receiving yards needed by Demaryius Thomas to join Rod Smith (six) as the only players in team history with four straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons.
100th: Career game played by DE Vance Walker on Sunday.
NEXT UP
Sun., Dec. 13 vs. Oakland, Sports Authority Field, 2:05 p.m
Nicki Jhabvala: njhabvala@denverpost.com or @NickiJhabvala
