STADIUM: Empower Field at Mile High Stadium
REFEREE: Craig Wrolstad
DATE: Sunday, December 31, 2023
GAME TIME: 4:25 PM ET
CBS: Tom McCarthy, James Lofton, Jay Feeley, Tiffany Blackmon
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) LAC: 83 or 382 DEN: 109 or 227
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY REG. SEASON: DEN leads series, 71-55-1 (won past 2). THE LAST TIME: REG. SEASON: 12/10/23: DEN 24 at LAC 7.
HEAD COACHES NOTES: Giff Smith vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 0-0 Reg. Season: 0-1 (.000) Postseason: 0-0 (.000). Sean Payton vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 4-0 Reg. Season: 159-97 (.621) Postseason: 9-8 (.529).
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS NOTES:
• QB EASTON STICK completed 23 of 33 atts. (69.7 pct.) for 215 yards & 0 INTs & rushed for 25 yards & 1st-career TD last week. Aims for 3rd in row with 215+ pass yards.
• RB AUSTIN EKELER had 86 scrimmage yards (65 rush, 21 rec.) last week. Has 85+ scrimmage yards in 2 of past 3. Had 100 scrimmage yards (51 rush, 49 rec.) & rush TD in Week 14 meeting. Aims for his 6th in row vs. Den. with 70+ scrimmage yards & has TD in 6 of his past 7 vs. Den. Needs 35 scrimmage yards for 4th-career 1,000-yard season. Has 69 career TDs (39 rush, 30 rec.), tied with Rod Smith for 3rd-most by undrafted player in common-draft era.
• WR KEENAN ALLEN aims for his 10th in row with 55+ rec. yards & 8th in row with 5+ catches. Has 632 rec. yards (105.3 per game) in 6 road games this season. Had 6 catches for 68 yards in Week 14 meeting & has rec. TD in 2 of his past 3 vs. Den. Ranks 2nd in NFL with career-high 108 catches, single-season franchise record.
• WR JOSHUA PALMER had 5 catches last week. Aims for his 3rd in row on road with 100+ rec. yards.
• TE GERALD EVERETT aims for his 4th in row with 5+ catches.
• LB KHALIL MACK aims for 3rd in row with TFL. Has PD in 2 of past 3. Has 2 sacks & FF in 3 of his past 4 on road. Has 8 sacks in 6 career games at Den. Ranks 4th in NFL with 15 sacks.
• LB ERIC KENDRICKS aims for 5th in row with 0.5+ sacks. Had sack in Week 14 meeting & has sack in 2 of 3 career games vs. Den.
• LB TULI TUIPULOTU (rookie) had 5 tackles, half sack & FF last week.
• S DERWIN JAMES led team with 8 tackles last week, his 10thstraight game with 5+ tackles. Has PD in 2 of past 3. Had 11 tackles & PD in Week 14 meeting.
• CB ALOHI GILMAN had 1st INT & 3rd FF of season in Week 16.
DENVER BRONCOS NOTES:
• QB RUSSELL WILSON joined HOFer Peyton Manning as the only QBs ever with 3,000+ pass yards in each of 1st 12 seasons.
• QB JARRETT STIDHAM expected to make 1st start of season. Has 584 pass yards (292 per game) in 2 career starts (both with LV in 2022).
• RB JAVONTE WILLIAMS had rush TD last week & has rush TD in 2 of past 3. Had 91 scrimmage yards (66 rush, 25 rec.) in Week 14 meeting & has rush TD in 2 of 3 career games vs. LAC.
• RB JALEEL MCLAUGHLIN (rookie) led team with 67 scrimmage yards (37 rush, 30 rec.) last week.
• WR COURTLAND SUTTON has 50+ rec. yards in 6 of past 7. Has TD catch in each of his past 2 vs. LAC. Ranks 3rd in NFL with 10 rec. TDs in 2023, most by Den. player since 2014.
• WR JERRY JEUDY had 5 catches for 154 yards in the last home meeting (1/8/23). Needs 2 catches for 3rd-career 50-catch season.
• WR MARVIN MIMS (rookie) led team with 63 rec. yards in Week 16.
• WR BRANDON JOHNSON had 4th rec. TD of season last week.
• LB ALEX SINGLETON led the team with 12 tackles & had PD in Week 16, 11th game this season with 10+ tackles, most in NFL. Aims for 3rd in row at home with PD. Has 46 tackles (15.3 per game) in his past 3 vs. LAC. Ranks tied-4th in NFL with 151 tackles.
• LB JOSEY JEWELL had TFL last week. Had 9 tackles, sack, FR & PD in Week 14 meeting.
• LB JONATHON COOPER aims for 3rd in row with sack. Had only career INT in Week 14 meeting.
• CB PAT SURTAIN has 5+ tackles in 3 of past 4. Is the first Den. player since 2000 with 10+ PD in each of 1st 3 seasons.
• S JUSTIN SIMMONS had sack & FF in Week 14 meeting, 2ndstraight game vs. LAC with FF.
