The Denver Broncos take on the Los Angeles Chargers on this Sunday. At 2-2, the Broncos are looking to rebound after their Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Chargers are winless on the season, depleted by injuries, and have major issues on offense and defense. Here is a deeper look at Denver’s Week 5 opponent.
2025 Los Angeles Chargers Season Review
The Chargers finished their 2025 regular season with an 11-6 record earning second place in the AFC West. They lost to the New England Patriots
in the AFC Wildcard Round.
2026 Los Angeles Chargers Offseason Additions and Departures
The Chargers made several big additions this offseason. Unfortunately, a handful of those players haven’t been able to stay healthy. Tyler Biadasz was their big addition to bolster their pivot of their offensive line, but he suffered a knee injury during the offseason and is out for the entire year. They also added two tight ends in David Njoku and Charlie Kolar. Njoku’s season is already over after suffering a broken leg, while Kolar fractured his forearm and is questionable to play against Denver on Sunday.
They opted to re-up the contracts of several key players on defense including edge rusher Khalil Mack, safety Tony Jefferson, as well as versatile interior defensive lineman Teair Tart. Their most notable departure was edge rusher Odafe Oweh who signed a lucrative 4-year, $96 million contract with the Washington Commanders.
Los Angeles had eight selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. Miami standout Akheem Mesidor was their first-round pick to bolster their pass rush, while they continued to fortify their offensive line by drafting Florida center Jake Slaughter in the second round. Fourth-round pick Genesis Smith, a versatile defensive back, has two interceptions on the season and has already earned half of their defense’s snaps thus far.
Offensive X-Factor: Quarterback Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert is having a rough start to his 2026 season. The seventh-year signal caller is posting career lows across the board. His completion percentage is under 60-percent. Not only that, but Herbert has also been sacked 12 times and sports more interceptions (6) compared to touchdowns (4).
It’s not all Herbert’s fault. His offensive line is tremendously banged up, and the lack of quality protection up front is a big reason why the Chargers are struggling on offense. Even with his issues thus far, I’m still dubbing him as their X-Factor on offense. We’ve seen him play big games against the Broncos in the past. Denver can’t afford to let him and the winless Chargers find a way to earn an upset victory.
Patrick Surtain II will be out for Sunday’s matchup and there is a good chance Riley Moss will be too. That means Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine will be starting on the boundary. To help the secondary out, this is a game where the pass rush has to kick into high gear. The Chargers could be without three starters up front. All things considered, this should be an advantageous matchup for Denver to get back on track sacking opposing quarterbacks.
Defensive X-Factor: Edge Rusher Tuli Tuipulotu
Like their offense, the Chargers’ defense isn’t firing on all cylinders. There has been a significant dropoff in their cohesiveness compared to last season where they were a top ten unit in the NFL. As of now, they rank middle of the pack in scoring defense and are below league-average when it comes to defending the run and pass.
However, one particular player is still playing quite well. That’s Tuli Tuipulotu. The fourth-year edge rusher is coming off a great 2025 gridiron campaign. He posted 45 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and 61 quarterback pressures. That production earned him the first Pro Bowl honor of his promising career.
Through four games, Tuipulotu has 18 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 forced fumble, two sacks, and 13 pressures. There has been a slight decrease in his hurry and pressure rate, but they are still quite good for the position overall. He’s a quality pass rusher who can also wreck an opposing run game. The Broncos offensive line will need to be prepared for his well-rounded game and play at a high level to keep him at bay.
How the Broncos can secure a victory over the Chargers
ICYMI: Yesterday, I gave three things the Broncos must accomplish to earn their third victory of the season. Even though the Chargers are winless on the year, Denver has to treat Sunday’s matchup like a must-win game. They have a lot to prove and have yet to play a complete game in all three phases. All things considered, I think they’ll find a way to defeat their division rival and get their third victory of the season.
Hart’s Prediction: Broncos 27, Chargers 17.
