The Denver Broncos were able to secure a victory in Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans but fizzled out defensively and had no answers for Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday. Sitting at 1-1, the Broncos face off in a tough AFC West matchup in Week 3. Let’s take a deeper look at the Chargers, some of their key players, and what the Broncos have to do on Sunday to secure a win on the road in Los Angeles.
2024 Los Angeles Chargers Review
The Chargers finished their 2024 campaign with
an 11-6 record in Jim Harbaugh’s first season as their head coach. They were second in the AFC West but suffered an embarrassing Wild Card Round loss to the Houston Texans. On offense, they ranked 11th in points scored and 20th in yards gained. On defense, they were first in the league in points allowed and 11th in yards allowed.
2025 Los Angeles Chargers Offseason Additions
The Chargers were quite busy in free agency this past offseason despite having a well-built team returning from last year. On offense, the Chargers made numerous additions including offensive lineman Mekhi Becton, running back Najee Harris, tight end Tyler Conklin, wide receiver Keenan Allen. Defensively, they brought in Da’Shawn Hand to start at defensive end, with Donte Jackson to be a key cog in their revamped secondary at cornerback.
I was a fan of what the Chargers did in the 2025 NFL Draft. In order to bolster their rushing attack, they selected Omarion Hampton in the first round. As a potential long-term solution, they followed that up by picking wide receiver Tre Harris in the second round. I also liked their picks of Jamaree Caldwell and Kyle Kennard as potential future starters on their defensive front seven.
Offensive X-Factor: Quarterback Justin Herbert
The Chargers revamped their backfield this season by drafting Hampton and adding Harris in free agency. Those two players fit the physical mold Harbaugh loves at running back, but so far, the Chargers’ ground game hasn’t taken off as expected. But you know who has played well two games into the season? Quarterback Justin Herbert who once again gets my X-Factor designation for their offense.
In his first two games, Herbert has played mistake free football completing 44-of-61 passes for 560 yards and 5 touchdowns. What is even more impressive is how consistently he is throwing the ball for first downs. Twenty-four of those competitions have resulted in moving the chains. After last week’s woeful performance, the Broncos’ defense will have to try and find a way to shut down the Chargers’ passing attack.
Herbert certainly has a lot of options to throw to. The main production on offense at wide receiver comes from Quentin Johnson, Ladd McConkey, and veteran Keenan Allen. After a one-year stint with the Chicago Bears, Allen reunited with the Chargers for his 13th season in the NFL. When you add their rookie Harris into the mix, that’s a strong core of four that Denver’s secondary will have to keep at bay in order to come out with a road victory.
Defensive X-Factor: Linebacker Daiyan Henley
Derwin James earned this designation last year because he is one of the National Football League’s most versatile defenders. For this season, I thought I’d switch gears and highlight a player that has really got my attention to start the season. That’s inside linebacker Daiyan Henley who is quickly becoming a fixture in Defensive Coordinator Jessee Minter’s defense.
In his third year in the NFL, Henley is coming off an impact sophomore season. In ’24, he had 147 tackles, 1 interception, and 1 sack. Two games into their ‘25 campaign, Henley is off to a fast start sporting 18 tackles, 3 tackles for loss. 2 quarterback hits, and 1 interception. He is definitely a player you will have to keep your eye on this Sunday.
He has great athleticism and sideline-to-sideline ability. Whether it’s defending the pass or run, he is a well-rounded player that is one of the league’s up-and-coming stars at the position. The Broncos will have to be cognizant of his playmaking ability and range. He has the ability to create a lot of havoc and Denver can’t afford to let him hamper their plans on offense to a significant degree.
How the Broncos can secure a victory over the Chargers
This matchup is for the top spot in the AFC West. It might only be Week 3, but this is definitely going to be one of the Broncos’ most important matchups of the season. Over the past several years, the Chargers have had the Broncos number. If the Broncos want to come away with a victory, they will need to play mistake free football on offense, and the defense will have to force some turnovers and get after Herbert. Keeping Bo Nix clean will be important on offense. The Chargers’ pass rush took a hit with Khalil Mack’s injury last week.
Hart’s Prediction: Chargers 27, Broncos 20.
