The NFL kicks off Week 8 on Thursday night when the DENVER BRONCOS (5-1) host the SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (5-2) at Sports Authority Field at Mile High in Denver (CBS/NFLN, 8:25 PM ET). The Broncos and Chargers have met 10 times during the regular season since 2009, splitting the series with five wins apiece.
The Broncos head into Thursday night aiming for their fourth consecutive victory following a 42-17 win over San Francisco on Sunday Night Football. During the game, quarterback PEYTON MANNING passed for 318 yards and four touchdowns for a 157.2 passer rating. At the 3:09 mark of the second quarter, Manning threw his third touchdown of the game (eight yards to DEMARYIUS THOMAS), and the 509th of his career, surpassing BRETT FAVRE (508) for the most career touchdown passes in NFL history.
“I'm very humbled and very honored. I certainly think about how grateful I am for all the teammates and coaches that I've played with and played for throughout my career, not only here in Denver – in Indianapolis and all the people that have helped me along the way,” says Manning. “We have the Thursday night game this week, so there’s not much of a celebration right now.”
Manning enters this week’s matchup with a 9-2 record as a starter on Thursday, and is the all-time leader in passing yards (3,305) and touchdown passes (35) on Thursday.
San Diego aims to rebound from a 23-20 loss to Kansas City.
“The big thing about all this is that it is a short week so we don’t have time to feel sorry about ourselves,” says San Diego linebacker DWIGHT FREENEY. “I know Denver doesn’t care about last week. We just have to focus on Denver this Thursday night.”
Quarterback PHILIP RIVERS passed for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. Rivers is currently ranked second in the AFC with 1,961 passing yards and ranks third in the conference with 17 touchdowns.
Rivers has compiled a 4-1 record on Thursday, including a 27-20 victory over Denver last season. For his career, Rivers is 10-6 as a starter against Denver, and is 20 games over .500 (35-15) when starting against the AFC West. Since 2006, Rivers has the second-most passing yards (12,251) and third-most touchdowns (81) of any player in the AFC against his own division.
Game Notes
CHARGERS:QB PHILIP RIVERS has won 5 of past 6 vs. AFC West, passing for 1,506 yards & 14 TDs vs. 3 INTs for 107.5 rating. Has 120+ rating in 5 of past 6. Chargers are 35-3 (.921) when Rivers starts & has 120+ rating
RB BRANDEN OLIVER (undrafted) leads NFL rookies with 316 yards on 72 att. (4.4 average) with 2 TDs
TE ANTONIO GATES (9,556) needs 29 receiving yards to surpass HOFer LANCE ALWORTH (9,584) for most in club history. Needs 4 catches to become 4th TE in NFL history with 750 career.
WR EDDIE ROYAL has 5 TDs in past 5.
WR KEENAN ALLEN had 2 TD catches in last meeting
DE COREY LIUGET has sack in 2 of past 3 vs. AFC West.
DE DWIGHT FREENEY has at least half sack in 3 of past 4 vs. Den. (with Ind.).
S ERIC WEDDLE has 13 INTs since 2011, most in AFC
BRONCOS:
QB PEYTON MANNING (510) had 4 pass TDs last week, surpassing BRETT FAVRE (508) for most in NFL history. Has 33 career 4-TD games, most in NFL history, & his teams are 30-3 (.909) in those games. Aims for 13th in row with 2+ TDs
RB RONNIE HILLMAN rushed for 74 yards & career-high 2 TDs last week. In 2 career starts, has 174 rush yards & 2 TDs
In past 3, WR DEMARYIUS THOMAS has 26 catches for 521 yards (20 avg.) & 5 TDs, most rec. yards of any 3-game span in club history. Since 2012, leads NFL with 30 TD catches.
WRs WES WELKER & EMMANUEL SANDERS each had 1st TD of season last week. TE JULIUS THOMAS leads all NFL players with 9 TDs. Needs 1 TD to become 1st TE in Broncos history with 10+ TDs in consecutive seasons
Broncos are only NFL team with 2 players with 7+ sacks each (LBs VON MILLER & DE MARCUS WARE). Since entering NFL in 2011, Miller leads AFC with 43 sacks, including 2 vs. SF. Ware had 3 sacks last week, most since joining Den.
CB AQIB TALIB aims for 3rd in row with INT.
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