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The Denver Broncos (1-0) face a divisional team for the second consecutive week when they host the two-time defending AFC West champion San Diego Chargers (0-1) on Sunday in their home opener. Kickoff at INVESCO Field at Mile High is set for 2:15 p.m. MDT, and the game will be televised by CBS with Dick Enberg and Randy Cross calling the action.
Denver began its 2008 season with a 41-14 win in Oakland on Monday Night Football, scoring its second-most points in a divisional road game in franchise history. Broncos wide receiver Eddie Royal registered the sixth-most receiving yards (146) by a player in his NFL debut since 1960 while quarterback Jay Cutler posted a Week 1 AFC-best 299 passing yards, two touchdown passes and a
137.3 passer rating.
Looking to snap their four-game losing streak to the Chargers, Denver faces a San Diego squad that lost its season opener at home to Carolina by a 26-24 margin. The Panthers scored the game-winning touchdown on a 14-yard, fourth-down pass as time expired.
Since 1984, the Broncos are 21-3 (.875) in home openers for the league's best record during that time. Head Coach Mike Shanahan (1995-Pres.) has guided the Broncos to a 12-1 (.923) mark in home openers and is 14-1 (.933) in those games for his NFL coaching career. The Broncos enter Sunday's game against San Diego having won their last eight home openers dating back to the 2000 season.
Through the opening week of the 2008 campaign, Royal leads all NFL players in receiving yards (146) while ranking third in the league in combined yards (185) and yards from scrimmage (155). The Broncos' offense averaged 7.5 yards per play and registered 441 yards against Oakland on Monday with those totals both placing
fourth in the NFL for Kickoff Weekend.
Defensively, the Broncos opened the year by holding Oakland to 2-of-12 (16.7%) success on third downs, forcing the Raiders to an average third down attempt of 7.2 yards.
The Broncos lead the all-time series with the Chargers 52-43-1, and enjoy a 34-13-1 record in Denver. Only 4 points seperate the two teams over that 96 game stretch (Denver 2014 - San Diego 2010).
Previous 5 Matchups
at SAN DIEGO 23, Denver 3 (Dec. 24, 2007)
Broncos K Jason Elam appears in his 235th career regular-season game, passing John Elway into sole possession of the most games played in club history... Denver extends its scoring streak to 244 consecutive games, a streak that is the fourth-longest in NFL history and the league's longest active streak...Denver makes its
57th all-time appearance on Monday Night Football, a total that ties for the fifth-most in NFL history... Denver holds San Diego to 187 passing yards, marking the fifth consecutive game in which the Broncos do not allow their opponent to record more than 200 passing yards... The Broncos' loss to San Diego snaps their threegame winning streak on Christmas Eve as well as their three-game winning streak in regular-season road finales.
SAN DIEGO 41, at DENVER 3 (Oct. 7, 2007)
The Broncos' loss to the Chargers ends their five-year streak of beginning a season with a 2-0 record in AFC West play... K Jason Elam accounts for Denver's lone points with a 30-yard field goal in the second quarter, extending Denver's scoring streak to 234 consecutive games... The Chargers take a 20-3 lead into halftime
before scoring the game's final 21 points... San Diego takes advantage of three Broncos turnovers that lead to 17 points, including a touchdown scored on a fumbled kickoff return in the first quarter...Broncos QB Jay Cutler completes at least 60 percent of his passes for the fourth consecutive game with a 63.9 percent mark (23-of-36) along with 232 passing yards... TE Tony Scheffler records the first blocked punt for Denver since the 2003 season (LB Jashon Sykes at Indianapolis)... The Broncos hold Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson to a 3.2-yard rushing average (21 carries for 67 yards)... Denver WR Glenn Martinez, who entered the game with
one career catch, posts six grabs for 70 yards while WR Brandon Marshall adds seven catches for 72 yards.
at SAN DIEGO 48, DENVER 20 (Dec. 10, 2006)
The Broncos score 17 unanswered points in the third quarter after falling behind 28-3 at halftime but are unable to earn a win in San Diego... With their victory, the Chargers sweep their season series with Denver for the first time since 1982... Broncos QB Jay Cutler throws two touchdown passes to TE Tony Scheffler within a span of 48 seconds in the third quarter to tie for the quickest in NFL history that two rookies produced a pair of touchdown passes...Broncos RB Tatum Bell (17-116) posts a 100-yard rushing outing for the second consecutive game, snapping San Diego's 20-game streak without allowing an individual 100-yard rusher at home... San Diego scores touchdowns on 6-of-8 trips inside the red zone... Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson sets an NFL single season record for touchdowns with his 29th in the fourth quarter.
SAN DIEGO 35, at DENVER 27 (Nov. 19, 2006)
The Chargers erase a 24-7 Broncos third-quarter lead, marking the largest comeback to win a game by a team in Denver since Seattle overcame a 20-0 deficit to defeat the Broncos 31-27 on Dec. 10, 1995... CB Darrent Williams' 31-yard interception return for a touchdown puts Denver ahead 24-7 with 9:25 left in the third quarter before the Chargers outscore the Broncos 28-3 for the remainder of the game... San Diego scores touchdowns on all four red zone possessions... Chargers RB LaDainian Tomlinson records his first career 100-yard rushing game in Denver (105 yds.) and scores four touchdowns (3 rush, 1 rec.).
DENVER 23, at SAN DIEGO 7 (Dec. 31, 2005)
The Broncos, despite resting several starters against San Diego with the AFC's No. 2 playoff seed clinched, win their third regular season finale in the last four years... Denver S John Lynch forces two fumbles on two sacks that directly lead to nine Broncos points (TD, FG)... Second-year Broncos RB Tatum Bell makes the first
start of his career and scores three rushing touchdowns... Broncos QB Jake Plummer is replaced by QB Bradlee Van Pelt to start the second half, and Van Pelt finishes with 41 rushing yards in the contest... Denver holds San Diego to 2-for-14 (14.3%) success on third downs.