CHARGERS (5-10) at BRONCOS (7-8)
When: 1:25 p.m. Sunday
Where: Mile High Stadium, Denver
TV/Radio: Ch. 2; 98.7 FM; 105.5 FM/94.3 FM (Spanish)
Line: Broncos by 3½
Notable injury designations:
Chargers: OUT: WR Keenan Allen (heel), OLB Joey Bosa (foot), WR Joshua Palmer (concussion); DOUBTFUL: LB Kenneth Murray Jr (shoulder), LB Tanner Muse (knee), DL Nick Williams; QUESTIONABLE: G Zion Johnson (neck), DB Deane Leonard (heel), TE Nick Vannett (back).
Broncos: OUT: OLB Baron Browning (concussion), TE Greg Dulcich (hamstring/foot), T Alex Palczewski (knee), WR Courtland Sutton (concussion); QUESTIONABLE: WR Jerry Jeudy (illness), WR Marvin Mims Jr. (hamstring), RB Dwayne Washington (illness).
What’s at stake: The Chargers were eliminated from the AFC playoff race with their 24-22 loss Dec. 23 to the Buffalo Bills. The Broncos appeared to wave a white flag on their season by benching quarterback Russell Wilson for the final two games and causing an uproar in Denver. So, instead of a matchup of superstar quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Wilson, Easton Stick and Jarrett Stidham will face off. Wilson might have played his final game for the Broncos on Dec. 24, a 26-23 loss to the New England Patriots.
Who’s better: Denver coach Sean Payton’s displeasure with the Broncos’ offense with Wilson at quarterback notwithstanding, it would be a leap to suggest the Chargers are the better team. For starters, Herbert is out for the rest of the season after undergoing finger surgery. Stick has been a feel-good story in place of Herbert, but that was to be expected since he had taken only two snaps in four-plus seasons. Wide receiver Mike Williams (knee) and center Corey Linsley (heart ailment) also are out for the season.
Matchup to watch: Stidham has played only 14 games over his four-year career with the Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders and Patriots. He appeared in one game earlier this season, but did not attempt a pass during a relief appearance during a 42-17 loss Dec. 16 to the Detroit Lions. Keep an eye on how the Chargers defend him in place of Wilson, someone they’ve come to know over his many seasons in the NFL. Four of the Chargers’ five victories this season have come against backup quarterbacks, so they’ve got that going for them.
Chargers win if: The plain fact is it’s going to take something special for the Chargers to defeat the Broncos. Stick could throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns and they might still lose. It’s been that kind of a season for the Chargers. A great deal depends on whether Stick can move the ball against the Broncos. He did an adequate job in a bounce-back game against the Bills after a rough game against the Raiders, but the Chargers were forced to kick field goals rather than scoring touchdowns.
Fantasy sleeper: Cameron Dicker is 24 for 25 on field goals and has made all 35 of his extra points this season, a sleeper candidate as the Chargers’ MVP this season. He kicked five field goals against the Bills, including one from 53 yards, and he put the Chargers in a position to win with a 45-yard field goal that gave them an all-too-brief 22-21 lead with 7:19 remaining.
Prediction: How do you pick the Chargers to win anything without Herbert and injured wide receivers Allen, Williams and Palmer? It’s a tough ask for the Chargers to win even at full strength in Denver, with an 18-45-1 all-time record dating to Oct. 16, 1960. Broncos 24, Chargers 13.
