Broncos vs Chargers: position-group matchup

The biggest mismatch: the Broncos pass coverage (7th) against the Chargers quarterback play (31st).

Week 5: Broncos at ChargersSun, Oct 11 · 4:05 PM ETBroncos favored by 3.5

On paper

4 games in. Samples are still small, so a rank can move a lot in a week. Ranks are out of 32 teams and 1st is always best, on offense and defense alike.

Broncos

pairings with the edge

Chargers

pairings with the edge

of 8

On paper, the Broncos hold the edge across the position groups.

Broncos big edge
Broncos pass coverage (7th) against the Chargers quarterback play (31st)
Broncos big edge
Broncos pass coverage (9th) against the Chargers receiving corps (28th)
Chargers big edge
Chargers run game (13th) against the Broncos run defense (31st)
Chargers big edge
Chargers pass coverage (9th) against the Broncos quarterback play (24th)

Position group by position group

Each offense against the other team's defense, one position group at a time. Circle: the offense. Diamond: the defense. Whoever sits further right wins that pairing.

Broncos offense vs Chargers defense

Pass protection vs pass rush
Even
WeakestBest
The Broncos pass protection ranks 6th. The Chargers pass rush ranks 4th.
The numbers and the players
Broncos pass protection
- Sacks allowed per dropback3.5% (5th)
- Pressure allowed per dropback22% (15th)
- Garett Bolles (T) 100% of snaps
- Mike McGlinchey (T) 100% of snaps
- Ben Powers (G) 100% of snaps
- Luke Wattenberg (C) 100% of snaps
- Quinn Meinerz (G) 99% of snaps
Chargers pass rush
- Sacks per dropback7.4% (10th)
- Pressure per dropback32% (5th)
- Quarterback hits per dropback19.7% (4th)
- Khalil Mack (LB) 10 pressures, 3 sacks
- Tuli Tuipulotu (LB) 8 pressures, 2 sacks
- Daiyan Henley (LB) 3 pressures, 0.5 sacks
Run game vs run defense
Even
WeakestBest
The Broncos run game ranks 14th. The Chargers run defense ranks 18th.
The numbers and the players
Broncos run game
- Points added per run−0.02 (8th)
- Runs that keep the drive on track39% (16th)
- Rushing yards after contact1.5 (19th)
- Runs of 10+ yards7.1% (22nd)
- Rushing yards before contact2.1 (25th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line13% (5th)
- J.K. Dobbins (RB) −0.17 per run on 46
- RJ Harvey (RB) −0.04 per run on 12
- Garett Bolles (T) 100% of snaps
- Mike McGlinchey (T) 100% of snaps
- Ben Powers (G) 100% of snaps
- Luke Wattenberg (C) 100% of snaps
- Quinn Meinerz (G) 99% of snaps
Chargers run defense
- Points allowed per run−0.11 (14th)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line17% (18th)
- Runs of 10+ yards allowed8.8% (14th)
- Missed tackles9.1% (21st)
- Daiyan Henley (LB) 25 tackles, 1 missed
- Del'Shawn Phillips (LB) 23 tackles, 3 missed
Quarterback vs coverage
Chargers big edge
WeakestBest
The Broncos quarterback play ranks 24th. The Chargers pass coverage ranks 9th.
Chargers (Week 4 report, latest out): Derwin James (S, questionable, hamstring); Elijah Molden (S, questionable, hamstring)
The numbers and the players
Broncos quarterback play
- Points added per dropback−0.04 (22nd)
- Completions above expected−3.6 (27th)
- Interceptions per throw2.1% (21st)
- Passes of 20+ yards per dropback7.0% (21st)
- Bo Nix (QB) −0.04 per dropback on 140
Chargers pass coverage
- Points allowed per throw+0.01 (15th)
- Completions allowed above expected+1.1 (16th)
- Interceptions per throw3.4% (4th)
- Cam Hart (CB) 71.6 passer rating allowed on 16 targets
- Derwin James (S) 101.7 passer rating allowed on 11 targets
Receivers vs coverage
Broncos edge
WeakestBest
The Broncos receiving corps ranks 15th. The Chargers pass coverage ranks 22nd.
Chargers (Week 4 report, latest out): Derwin James (S, questionable, hamstring); Elijah Molden (S, questionable, hamstring)
The numbers and the players
Broncos receiving corps
- Points added per target+0.08 (23rd)
- Yards after the catch6.2 (8th)
- Drops per target3.2% (11th)
- Tackles broken per catch3.8% (20th)
- Jaylen Waddle (WR) +0.08 per target on 27
- RJ Harvey (RB) +0.05 per target on 21
- Courtland Sutton (WR) −0.71 per target on 20
Chargers pass coverage
- Passes of 20+ yards allowed9.8% (23rd)
- Passer rating allowed93.6 (20th)
- Points allowed per throw+0.01 (15th)
- Cam Hart (CB) 71.6 passer rating allowed on 16 targets
- Derwin James (S) 101.7 passer rating allowed on 11 targets

Chargers offense vs Broncos defense

Pass protection vs pass rush
Broncos big edge
WeakestBest
The Chargers pass protection ranks 30th. The Broncos pass rush ranks 13th.
Chargers (Week 4 report, latest out): Kayode Awosika (G, out, fibula)
The numbers and the players
Chargers pass protection
- Sacks allowed per dropback7.8% (25th)
- Pressure allowed per dropback31% (31st)
- Jake Slaughter (OL) 100% of snaps
- Rashawn Slater (T) 96% of snaps
- Cole Strange (G) 96% of snaps
- Joe Alt (T) 84% of snaps
- Trevor Penning (OL) 68% of snaps
Broncos pass rush
- Sacks per dropback5.3% (20th)
- Pressure per dropback22% (20th)
- Quarterback hits per dropback19.1% (6th)
- Zach Allen (DL) 13 pressures, 3 sacks
- Nik Bonitto (LB) 5 pressures, 1 sacks
- Malcolm Roach (DT) 4 pressures, 1 sacks
Run game vs run defense
Chargers big edge
WeakestBest
The Chargers run game ranks 13th. The Broncos run defense ranks 31st.
Chargers (Week 4 report, latest out): Kayode Awosika (G, out, fibula)
The numbers and the players
Chargers run game
- Points added per run−0.20 (27th)
- Runs that keep the drive on track43% (13th)
- Rushing yards after contact2.0 (7th)
- Runs of 10+ yards10.2% (12th)
- Rushing yards before contact2.3 (21st)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line15% (7th)
- Omarion Hampton (RB) −0.21 per run on 59
- Keaton Mitchell (RB) −0.13 per run on 26
- Jake Slaughter (OL) 100% of snaps
- Rashawn Slater (T) 96% of snaps
- Cole Strange (G) 96% of snaps
- Joe Alt (T) 84% of snaps
- Trevor Penning (OL) 68% of snaps
Broncos run defense
- Points allowed per run+0.08 (31st)
- Runs stopped at or behind the line15% (22nd)
- Runs of 10+ yards allowed11.3% (25th)
- Missed tackles14.9% (32nd)
- Alex Singleton (LB) 47 tackles, 6 missed
- Justin Strnad (LB) 19 tackles, 2 missed
Quarterback vs coverage
Broncos big edge
WeakestBest
The Chargers quarterback play ranks 31st. The Broncos pass coverage ranks 7th.
The numbers and the players
Chargers quarterback play
- Points added per dropback−0.17 (29th)
- Completions above expected−4.9 (29th)
- Interceptions per throw4.7% (30th)
- Passes of 20+ yards per dropback7.8% (19th)
- Justin Herbert (QB) −0.18 per dropback on 127
Broncos pass coverage
- Points allowed per throw−0.03 (10th)
- Completions allowed above expected−2.9 (7th)
- Interceptions per throw2.8% (10th)
- Riley Moss (CB) 91.9 passer rating allowed on 22 targets
- Patrick Surtain II (CB) 68.5 passer rating allowed on 18 targets
Receivers vs coverage
Broncos big edge
WeakestBest
The Chargers receiving corps ranks 28th. The Broncos pass coverage ranks 9th.
Chargers (Week 4 report, latest out): Charlie Kolar (TE, out, forearm)
The numbers and the players
Chargers receiving corps
- Points added per target−0.04 (31st)
- Yards after the catch5.1 (14th)
- Drops per target6.1% (26th)
- Tackles broken per catch2.9% (26th)
- Tre Harris (WR) +0.28 per target on 21
- Quentin Johnston (WR) −0.11 per target on 18
- Ladd McConkey (WR) +0.63 per target on 17
Broncos pass coverage
- Passes of 20+ yards allowed7.9% (16th)
- Passer rating allowed83.5 (6th)
- Points allowed per throw−0.03 (10th)
- Riley Moss (CB) 91.9 passer rating allowed on 22 targets
- Patrick Surtain II (CB) 68.5 passer rating allowed on 18 targets

Tale of the tape

Every unit on its own, side by side.

BroncosChargers

24th
QuarterbackOffense
31st
9th
Offensive lineOffense
24th
15th
ReceiversOffense
28th
15th
Run gameOffense
13th
13th
Pass rushDefense
4th
31st
Run defenseDefense
18th
8th
Pass coverageDefense
16th

Longer bar is better. Each unit is graded on the stats shown in the pairings above, ranked among all 32 teams.

How these grades are calculated

Each position group is judged on three to five plain stats, listed below. All of them are per play or per throw, never season totals.
Every stat is ranked across all 32 teams, 1st to 32th, the right way round (fewer drops is better, more pressure is better for a pass rush).
A rank becomes a score from 0 to 100, with 1st at 100 and last at 0. The group's grade is the average of its stats' scores.
Teams are ranked by that grade, and that rank is the number on the cards.

For example, the Chargers quarterback is 31st. Its stats rank 29th (points added per dropback), 29th (completions above expected), 30th (interceptions per throw), and 19th (passes of 20+ yards per dropback). Averaged, that is a grade of 17 out of 100, which is 31st among the 32 teams.

This is why a grade can disagree with a total or with another site's rating. A team can rank high in rushing yards because it carries the ball a lot or trails late, and still rank low here because each run adds little. Film grades, like PFF's, come from watching every player on every snap, and these do not. Early in the season a few plays can move a rank a lot.

Quarterback: points added per dropback, completions above expected, interceptions per throw, passes of 20+ yards per dropback
Offensive line: sacks allowed per dropback, pressure allowed per dropback, rushing yards before contact, runs stopped at or behind the line
Receivers: points added per target, yards after the catch, drops per target, tackles broken per catch
Run game: points added per run, runs that keep the drive on track, rushing yards after contact, runs of 10+ yards
Pass rush: sacks per dropback, pressure per dropback, quarterback hits per dropback
Run defense: points allowed per run, runs stopped at or behind the line, runs of 10+ yards allowed, missed tackles
Pass coverage: points allowed per throw, completions allowed above expected, passes of 20+ yards allowed, interceptions per throw, passer rating allowed

The coaches

Records are regular-season games since 1999, against the spread as listed by the games file. A new coach has no history here yet.

Measure	Broncos	Chargers
Head coach	Sean Payton	Jim Harbaugh
Record as a head coach	186-110 in 296 games	66-35-1 in 102 games
With this team	34-21 since 2023	22-16 since 2024
Against the spread, this season	2-2	0-3-1
Against the spread, career	160-132-4	60-39-3
Against the spread as an underdog	55-42-2	14-8-3
Against the spread as a favorite	105-90-2	46-31
Coming off a bye	12-6	3-2-1
Head coach against head coach	2-4 against Jim Harbaugh	4-2 against Sean Payton
Team against team since 1999	31-23	23-31

Last meetings, newest first: Broncos 19-3 (2025 Wk 18) · Broncos 20-23 (2025 Wk 3) · Broncos 27-34 (2024 Wk 16) · Broncos 16-23 (2024 Wk 6) · Broncos 16-9 (2023 Wk 17)

How each team plays

Not good or bad, just the style. Ranks go from the highest rate down, so a 1st means the most of it in the league.

How the offenses like to play

Pass rate over expected
Broncos −2.7 pts (18th highest)
Chargers −9.9 pts (31st highest) — runs more than the situation calls for
Play-action share of dropbacks
Broncos 22% (22nd highest)
Chargers 27% (10th highest)
Plays with pre-snap motion
Broncos 57% (18th highest)
Chargers 73% (3rd highest) — moves players before almost every snap
No-huddle plays
Broncos 7% (10th highest)
Chargers 5% (19th highest)
Plays from the shotgun
Broncos 67% (10th highest)
Chargers 69% (6th highest) — lives in the shotgun

How the defenses like to play

Blitz rate
Broncos 39% (6th highest) — sends extra rushers often
Chargers 27% (21st highest)
Pass rushers sent
Broncos 4.4 (9th highest)
Chargers 4.3 (18th highest)
Runs against a loaded box (8+)
Broncos 16% (5th highest) — stacks the box against the run
Chargers 9% (16th highest)

Who is missing

The latest injury report for each team, sorted by position group. A starter averaged more than half the team's snaps in the games he played.

Broncos

Latest report is from Week 4; the Week 5 report is not out yet.

Dondrea Tillman LBOut · hamstring · run defense

Chargers

Latest report is from Week 4; the Week 5 report is not out yet.

Charlie Kolar TEStarterOut · forearm · receivers
Kayode Awosika GStarterOut · fibula · offensive line
Brenen Thompson WROut · quadricep · receivers
Dalvin Tomlinson DTOut · hamstring · pass rush
Derwin James SStarterQuestionable · hamstring · pass coverage
Elijah Molden SStarterQuestionable · hamstring · pass coverage
Donte Jackson CBQuestionable · concussion · pass coverage
Ladd McConkey WRQuestionable · foot · receivers
Trey Lance QBQuestionable · groin · quarterback

← All 32 teams

Data: nflverse play-by-play, CC BY 4.0. Ranks use the 2026 regular season through Week 4. Also FTN charting, Pro Football Reference advanced stats, snap counts and injury reports, all through nflverse. Calculations and charts by Raiders Rundown.

Broncos vs Chargers: position-group matchup

On paper

Broncos pass coverage (7th) against the Chargers quarterback play (31st)

Broncos pass coverage (9th) against the Chargers receiving corps (28th)

Chargers run game (13th) against the Broncos run defense (31st)

Chargers pass coverage (9th) against the Broncos quarterback play (24th)

Position group by position group

Broncos offense vs Chargers defense

Pass protection vs pass rush

Run game vs run defense

Quarterback vs coverage

Receivers vs coverage

Chargers offense vs Broncos defense

Pass protection vs pass rush

Run game vs run defense

Quarterback vs coverage

Receivers vs coverage

Tale of the tape

The coaches

How each team plays

Who is missing

Broncos

Chargers