Regardless of how this game turns out, all anyone will talk about is Peyton Manning. Whether he plays well or not, all eyes are on him. Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, coming off a historic season where he broke nearly every single-season record, but he has struggled in the playoffs. His record is 9-11 in the postseason, but not all of the blame can be placed on the quarterback. He does not double as a defensive back, he does not double as a wide receiver, but because he is the quarterback and is expected to play mistake-free football all the time, he gets the blame.
The Chargers have really gotten hot over the past few weeks. They are coming off a big win against the Cincinnati Bengals and are very, very confident. They have beaten Manning and company in Denver and know they can do it again. The Broncos defense has been suspect all season, especially now that they are without linebacker Von Miller. They could get a break if running back Ryan Matthews is unable to play today, which would make Danny Woodhead the main back. Woodhead has been a great compliment to Matthews, but it is unclear if he can carry the work load of a primary back, especially one whose job is to keep Peyton Manning on the sideline.
The Broncos get back Wes Welker this week to complement their already stacked receiving corps. While everyone is ready to put this game on Manning’s back, if the Broncos defense cannot get stops, then that will be the deciding factor in this game. The Chargers know it and the Broncos know it, now it is just a matter of who executes better. Chargers vs. Broncos- who you takin?
