With the AFC West crown on the line, the Denver Broncos (11-4) will be looking to take care of business against the San Diego Chargers (4-11) in the final regular season game. A win secures a first round bye and the aforementioned division title for the Broncos, but the big question will be whether the players are going to play like this game truly matters.
It's human nature to be overconfident when all signs point to an easy win. Hopefully, this Broncos team has enough savvy veterans to understand that anything can happen in the NFL, especially when the opposing team has an elite competitor like Philip Rivers as their quarterback.
Here are Mile High Report's Chargers-Broncos score predictions for Week 17 and be sure to give your predictions in the widget below!
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Broncos 31, Chargers 3 - Tim Lynch
It pains me to preach about overconfidence and then lay down a blowout score prediction, but this is how much the Broncos should win by if the Broncos players play the game like they should. The Chargers have scored thirty or more points twice in their last five games, but have also scored just a field goal in three of their last six. All three of those field goal games came against the Denver Broncos (once) and the Kansas City Chiefs (twice).
That leads me to believe that it is unlikely that Rivers puts up a three or four touchdown game against this defense, so why not have the Broncos duplicate what the Chiefs have done to this team in recent weeks? It would certainly give me some confidence heading into the playoffs and maybe even give the Broncos defense a little bit more swag that they had seemed to lose over the final two months of the regular season.
Plus it could give DeMarcus Ware that last number one he wants for the defense to give them the top mark in total yards, passing yards, rushing yards and points given up on defense.
Broncos 44, Chargers 0 - Scotty Payne
The San Diego Chargers bring their bags packed to Mile High and put limited effort into this game to just get through the final game of the season. They're ravaged my injuries and are just not a very good team. Number 17 for the Broncos will come out there and resemble his backup Peyton Manning. He will carve up the Charger secondary and look very...Manning like? He even has the red forhe...wait a minute. Peyton has stolen Brocks jersey and breaks the record for most wins by a quarterback. Meanwhile, somewhere Laurie is fangirling because her fantasy has come true!
Ian Henson's Biblical Prediction
The season started on Proverbs 27:17 with "Iron sharpens iron," but it will end on Psalms 35:26, "May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion."
The attack on Peyton and Ashley Manning is just as much a shot at the Denver Broncos, allowing the New England Patriots to be cleansed from the vitriol streaming pallets of NFL fans and regardless where you stand on the Manning/Osweiler starter issue, you're undoubtedly tired of hearing about this. So are the Broncos and guess who next man up is? The San Diego Chargers and whoever they can muster to start at center. I don't expect Star Wars numbers, but I do expect some Broncos athletes to make their best case for why Eric Weddle should make Colorado his first free agency stop.
Broncos 27, Chargers 6 - Ian St. Clair
Brock Osweiler steals a card from Philip Rivers and wears a bolo tie to the stadium. In all seriousness, the Denver Broncos will have to try - really hard - to lose this game. The San Diego Chargers still have Rivers and he always plays well in Denver (he loves playing here). They have a decent defense that played pretty well in Oakland. But with no one healthy and so much on the line for the Broncos, they need to put this game away. Play a complete game in all phases. Dominate both lines of scrimmage and head into the bye with some good mojo. They do that. Oh, and Peyton Manning will not play. Osweiler hides Manning's helmet and we get a reversal of what played out last year when Osweiler wasn't ready.
Broncos 45, Chargers 15 - Kelly Fleming
The Chargers have a high draft pick on the line, and I expect them to do everything in their power to ensure they drop down in the final standings while keeping their starters safe and warm on the bench. The Broncos will be lucky enough to get so far ahead that Manning will come back in with some second string receivers and score two more touch downs.
Broncos 34, Chargers 17 - Sadaraine
This is going to be the game we've all been looking for. It won't be easy early as we'll be up only 13-10 in the 1st half. But we'll pull away as the game wears on and win 34-17 as the team earns a much needed bye week as we prepare for the big dance. C.J. Anderson runs for over 150 yards. Brock throws 3 TDs and 300 yards with no picks.
Broncos 27, Chargers 13 - Pete Baron
The Brocket Launcher is armed and ready for battle. Last week was a proving ground for how comfortable Brock is at running the hurry up offense... Mission accomplished. This is a game that on paper, the Broncos will dominate. My only hesitation at predicting a blowout is that this franchise has historically played down to their opponents level. I'm not sure why they do that, but they do. However, unlike the Chiefs and Raiders, the Chargers won't pick up a victory in the Mile High City. Broncos roll to a 27-13 victory.
Broncos win by 50 - Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann
No way Broncos lose - home game, playing for a bye, San Diego is terrible. And though I don't care how we win - by a little or a lot - I would be disappointed if we don't completely dominate. This should be the easiest game of the year to work on our "full game" competitiveness while watching Demaryius Thomas get his 32nd game with over 100 yards (franchise record), Brock Osweiler show us why he really can take us all the way in the playoffs, Brandon McManus shed any remaining demons, and the defense to make a case for best ever in Denver. I know it's just the Chargers, but a complete game will be a nice confidence boost for making sure this year's playoffs are more than Schlereth's predicted "one and done."