The final week of the regular season is finally here. This is a must-win game for the Denver Broncos if they want to secure the number one seed in the AFC playoffs and earn the perks that come along with it. The Los Angeles Chargers will be resting a lot of players, but the Broncos can’t afford to underestimate them. Here are three players I believe need to play at a high level in order to defeat the Chargers.
Bo Nix — Quarterback
Right before the new year, I authored a piece on a blueprint to follow for Denver to be the top
seed in the AFC. A big part of that recipe involved Bo Nix. I’ve been impressed with his progression since the bye week. However, there is no doubt he has to perform much better than the first time these teams squared off earlier in the season.
In Week 3, Nix was 14-of-25 for 153 yards and 1 touchdown. It was easily one of his worst performances of the season. The Chargers are expected to rest some key starters. Nevertheless, they still have a strong defense, particularly against the pass. They’ve done a good job taking the ball away, limiting big plays, and keeping opposing quarterbacks in check more often than not.
Another area the Chargers’ defense has been great at is third down. They are sixth in the NFL allowing just 35-percent on the season. Will Nix be able to move the chains successfully in third down situations? Courtland Sutton has been his go-to guy all season in that respect. I’m anxious to see if Nix can find another player he can trust to come down with the big catch when it matters most.
Patrick Surtain II — Cornerback
All this week, the discourse surrounding Denver’s defense is how important it is for them to start forcing turnovers. Instead of going up against Justin Herbert, they will be facing former North Dakota State standout Trey Lance. He’s flight on his feet, has the ability to beat you with the run, but still doesn’t have much experience as an NFL passer.
Since being drafted in 2021, the former third overall selection has just 156 passing attempts. I’m not sure what their offensive game plan will consist of. Though I’d wager avoiding the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Patrick Surtain II may be a part of it.
Even so, I expect the league’s premier corner to have himself a great game and do his part when the ball comes his way. He’s a true shutdown corner. If I had to guess what member of the secondary is most likely to come with a huge turnover, I’d have to bet on him. He has done that a lot throughout his career and his exemplary play speaks for itself. He leads by example, and my gut is telling me he comes up with a huge interception on Sunday.
Jaleel McLaughlin — Running Back
Over the past several weeks, rookie running back RJ Harvey has been quite the performer. He is now at twelve touchdowns on the season and has made an impact as a runner and receiver. It’s clear that Head Coach Sean Payton has a vision for him as a Swiss army knife in his offense. Heck, some might even call Harvey the ‘Joker’ he has been looking for.
But in order to win this game, and to win in the postseason, the Broncos are going to need another running back to step up. With J.K. Dobbins out, that puts a lot of pressure on former FCS standout Jaleel McLaughlin to be that guy. Earning more expanded reps the past two weeks, McLaughlin has made the most of them and is averaging over six yards per carry in the last two contests.
I’m hoping that he can continue that success against the Chargers. The Chargers are Top 10 in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game. On the flip side, they are middle of the pack giving up nearly 4.4 yards per carry. Earlier in the week, Payton mentioned a bigger role for McLaughlin moving forward. I’m excited to see how he performs with more opportunities in this Week 18 matchup.
