The Los Angeles Chargers are one of nine on-the-road teams favored by oddsmakers in Week 6. Taking on the Denver Broncos, Los Angeles faces an opponent, surprisingly, riding a three-game winning streak.
With head coach Sean Payton, the Broncos are a difficult matchup week-to-week. Payton and Denver have already vanquished the Raiders and are leaning into this week’s divisional matchup against the Chargers. Denver looks for another win in what could be the AFC’s toughest division.
The Broncos boast the second-ranked defense in the NFL, spearheaded by an elite secondary and a frenetic line with the NFL’s seventh-highest pressure rate at a whopping 25.1 percent. There’s more bad news for Jim Harbaugh and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert — Denver has sacked opposing QBs on 10.8 percent of their dropbacks.
Neither the Broncos nor the Chargers have enough talent on offense to be a sustained threat through the air, and both offensive lines have holes, leaving the quarterbacks little time to throw. But the Chargers have embraced Harbaugh’s ground philosophy. Running back J.K. Dobbins is averaging 6.1 yards per carry. At that pace, he may eclipse his previous season high for yards before the season’s mid-point.
Denver’s quarterback, Bo Nix, has proven to be a quick learner. He tossed four picks in his first two NFL games. The rookie hasn’t thrown an interception since. He had two TD passes last week in a win over Las Vegas, and for the first time, his completion rate and QBR rose to the level his team needed to be competitive.
This mile-high matchup could devolve into a muscle-against-muscle game of O-line versus D-line. Or, both teams may leverage their pass rush to cause turnovers and light up the scoreboard. Whatever happens, the Chargers-Broncos division rivalry featuring marquee coaches and quarterbacks is one to watch.
All odds from BetMGM. Looking for NFL tickets? Find them here.
Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.
Free, daily NFL updates direct to your inbox.
Sign Up
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos odds
How to watch Chargers vs. Broncos
- Venue: Empower Field at Mile High — Denver
- Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: Fubo (try for free)
Expert picks for Chargers vs. Broncos
Read more about NFL Week 6
Odds, expert picks, previews: Drake Maye in, Saleh out and Lamar Jackson vs. Jayden Daniels headline a wild week
NFL playoff projections 2024: The Athletic’s model predicts the field
Best bets Week 6: Commanders cover train keeps rolling
(Photo of Bo Nix: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
