5 Final Thoughts Ahead of Chargers-Broncos in Week 16

Dec 18, 2024 at 01:33 PM

Eric Smith

Editorial Director

The Chargers and Broncos are set for an AFC West showdown on Thursday Night Football in Week 16.

Here are five final thoughts ahead of Week 16:

1. The biggest game of the year

They don't get more important than this.

As the Bolts get ready for Thursday night's matchup with the Broncos, Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh summed up the urgency surrounding his team.

"At its highest," Harbaugh said.

Entering Week 16, both the Chargers and Broncos reside in Wild Card playoff spots in the AFC.

And while Denver (9-5) can clinch a playoff spot with a win Thursday, the Bolts (8-6) cannot.

However, a Chargers win plus losses Sunday by the Dolphins and Colts would secure a playoff berth. The Bolts can also clinch a spot with a tie plus losses by Miami, Indianapolis and Cincinnati.

If the Chargers win two of their final three games, they are also in the dance.

"We know where we are, we know where we stand as a team," Derwin James, Jr. said. "We control our own destiny.

"This Thursday, everything we want is right in front of us and it starts ... with a divisional [opponent] coming in here," James added. "We got to get a win."

Khalil Mack added: "I expect it to be a playoff atmosphere, especially on our end. Just understanding what we want to do and what we want to accomplish as a team, it's a lot riding on this game. That's the energy you have to bring to it."

Of course, there's also the storyline of how the Chargers respond from their worst game of the season in Week 15 against Tampa Bay.

How will the Bolts respond, especially on a short week?

"Throwing everything we have at it," Harbaugh said. "The energy, the competitive greatness, talent, effort, everything. Everything we have."

James added: "[We're] hungry. It's a sense of urgency on everybody's face. Nobody is panicking, nobody is pointing fingers."

The Chargers have played 14 games so far. Game No. 15 is the biggest one to date.

"These are the opportunities you want," Justin Herbert said. "You want to be playing games like that in December and January."

2. Can the defense respond?

The Chargers defense has been anywhere from solid to exceptional this season.

But everyone associated with the unit knows Sunday's outing against the Buccaneers wasn't good enough.

"Anytime you don't play well, it's a concern," Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter said. "You play a game in the National Football League and give up 40 points and 500 yards, high level of concern."

While many will be watching to see how the Chargers as a team perform after a lopsided loss, all eyes will be specifically be on the defense's answer on Thursday.

Minter said this week that there's no time to panic on a short week. Instead, he's relying on techniques and fundamentals to try and help get the unit back on track.

"I think you look to your foundation and what you built over time and hope that your foundation allows you to rebound from a game like that," Minter said. "It can only be a one off if you let it be a one off, in terms of how we play. Particularly in the second half, everything kind of got away from us.

"We've had some ups and downs, we've had good stretches, we've had some rough stretches," Minter continued. "The second half was as rough of a stretch that we've had.

"You hope that you have a strong enough foundation, that you've done enough things together, that you can look at each other, fix your problems, trust each other and move on to the next one," Minter added.

Entering Week 16, the Chargers are eighth in defensive EPA per play and rank ninth in defensive DVOA.