Broncos travel to LA looking for season sweep over Chargers

Updated Dec. 25, 2020 5:34 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DENVER (5-9) at LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (5-9)

Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS

OPENING LINE - Chargers by 2 1/2

RECORD VS. SPREAD - Broncos 8-6; Chargers 7-7

SERIES RECORD - Broncos lead 69-52-1

LAST MEETING - Broncos beat Chargers, 31-30, Nov. 1 at Denver

LAST WEEK - Broncos lost to Bills 48-19; Chargers beat Raiders 30-27, OT

AP PRO32 RANKING - Broncos No. 22 (tied), Chargers No. 20

BRONCOS OFFENSE - OVERALL (28), RUSH (13), PASS (28).

BRONCOS DEFENSE - OVERALL (21), RUSH (28), PASS (10T).

CHARGERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (7), RUSH (18), PASS (5).

CHARGERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (10), RUSH (22), PASS (7).

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Denver has won three straight and four of the last five in the series. ... Denver has swept the season 18 times, the most for the team against an opponent. ... Last week's loss assured the Broncos of their fourth straight losing season. ... Broncos' rookies have logged 4,194 total snaps, which is the fifth most in the league, with three players — C Lloyd Cushenberry, WR Jerry Jeudy and CB Michael Ojemudia — starting at least nine games. ... The Broncos have scored touchdowns on all seven of their trips into their opponents’ red zone in the last three weeks. ... QB Drew Lock is 8-8 in his career with 21 TDs and 16 interceptions. This season he has thrown 13 interceptions and lost three fumbles. ... K Brandon McManus returns from a one-week stint on COVID-19 reserve list as a close contact. His replacement, 31-year-old rookie Taylor Russolino, missed three of four kicks and had a short second-half kickoff that sparked Bills’ big second half last week. ... RB Melvin Gordon has rushed for eight TDs and caught a TD pass in his first season in Denver after five seasons with the Chargers. ... Gordon had six catches in first matchup with his former team. ... RB Phillip Lindsay will miss the game due to shin and knee injuries. His only TD run this season came against the Chargers on Oct. 1 when he reeled off a 55-yarder to spark Denver’s 31-30 comeback from a 21-point second-half deficit. ... TE Noah Fant is coming off a career-best eight-catch performance. Fant had seven receptions in the Broncos’ Week 8 game against the Chargers. ... OLB Bradley Chubb is fourth in the NFL with 60 quarterback knockdowns and hurries, earning his first Pro Bowl berth. ... OLB Jeremiah Attaochu is aiming for his fourth consecutive game with a sack. ... S Kareem Jackson had a career-high 12 tackles in the teams’ first meeting. ... QB Justin Herbert has 27 touchdown passes, tied with Cleveland's Baker Mayfield for the most by a rookie in NFL history. Herbert's 290.8 passing yards per game are third in the AFC. He needs 219 yards to become the fourth rookie to top 4,000 passing yards. ... RB Austin Ekeler is averaging 105.5 scrimmage yards per game since returning from a hamstring injury four weeks ago. He is averaging 58.2 scrimmage yards in six games vs. Denver. ... WR Keenan Allen is third in the league with 100 receptions en route to his fourth straight Pro Bowl selection. ... WR Tyron Johnson leads the NFL with four receptions of 50-plus yards. His 22.5-yard receiving average is best in the league among players with at least 15 catches. ... Hunter Henry, third in the AFC among receptions for tight ends with 60, was placed on the COVID-19 list on Thursday. ... The Chargers' defense has forced a three-and-out on 21.55% of their possessions, which is the fourth-highest percentage in the league. ... DE Joey Bosa, who received his third Pro Bowl bid earlier in the week, is out due to a concussion. ... CB Chris Harris Jr., who played nine seasons for Denver, faces his former team for the first time. He had his first interception with the Chargers last week. ... Fantasy tip: Chargers WR Mike Williams has 10 receptions for 216 yards and a touchdown in the past two games against the Broncos.

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