Chargers better not breathe easy against 0-4 Broncos

In need of a win after back-to-back losses against the Detroit Lions and Houston Texans put them two games behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, the Los Angeles Chargers traveled across three time zones in Week 4 to play the NFL's version of a free space in bingo.

Their 30-10 victory Sunday at Miami leveled their record at .500, and most people think Sunday's home game with the Denver Broncos in Carson, Calif., will push them to 3-2. After all, Denver is 0-4 under first-year coach Vic Fangio, its offense not able to score consistently and its defense not the impregnable unit it has been in recent years.

But it was just a year ago that the Broncos came to Dignity Health Sports Park and upset Los Angeles, a result that ultimately cost the Bolts a division title and the top seed in the AFC playoffs. And given the Chargers' tendency for tripping over themselves in spots where they should win, they can't afford to take Denver for granted.

"There's so much parity in this league, it's ridiculous," Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. "And forget what the records are. This is a week-to-week league where if you don't get ready to play, you'll get your butt kicked."

The case can be made that the Broncos could easily be 2-2. Home losses to the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars were decided on last-play field goals, and both were set up by questionable roughing-the-passer calls, the kind that usually don't go against Denver in the Rocky Mountains.

But the Broncos have problems that can't be blamed on people wearing striped shirts. Their offense is 26th in the league in scoring and 21st in rushing, putting too much pressure on former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

He's completed nearly 67 percent of his passes, but averages less than 11 yards per completion, a function of his inability to consistently hit the deep ball and the fact that Denver doesn't have a true burner on the perimeter.

However, the Broncos have received good play from second-year wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who caught two touchdown passes in Sunday's 26-24 loss to the Jaguars. Sutton is on a pace for 88 receptions and more than 1,200 yards through four games.

"Courtland's got good size, good speed and he's a really good competitor," Fangio said. "He has a good catch radius. I think Joe likes throwing to him.

Everything's been going good for Courtland right now. He's on the upswing, he's caught a bunch of balls and made some big plays for us."

But the Chargers have more big-play guys, and could get one of them more integrated into the lineup this week. Running back Melvin Gordon, who ended his holdout before the Miami game, figures to see his first playing time in a backup role to Austin Ekeler.

While Ekeler has been surprisingly productive in Gordon's stead, Los Angeles is more whole with Gordon's breakaway speed and versatility in the backfield besides quarterback Philip Rivers.

"This will be a big week for him practice-wise," Rivers said of Gordon. "Like I said last week, he still looks good. He didn't mentally check out."

--Field Level Media