ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It's only Week 3, and there are still months to go in the NFL season.
No matter the outcome on Sunday against the Chargers, there's plenty more football to be played this year.
But that doesn't mean the Broncos don't recognize the opportunity they have this weekend as they travel to take on a division rival at SoFi Stadium.
"This is a big-time game," cornerback Pat Surtain II said Wednesday. "Obviously, a divisional opponent. Win this game and we're first in the division. That's a big mark that we want to hit, especially early on in the season. It's always good to win those divisional games early on to set you forward for the rest of the season."
The Chargers have earned season-opening wins over the Chiefs and Raiders, but the Broncos will catapult themselves to first place in the division with a win. That chance to take an early lead in the AFC West has served as a motivating refrain as the Broncos look to rebound from a last-second loss to the Colts and improve to 2-1 on the season.
After the Chargers nabbed both wins in last year's series, it's also a chance for the Broncos to counter back in the divisional rivalry.
"We have an opportunity to be able to make a statement Sunday," Sutton said. "It's upon us to be able to take advantage."
These are the questions that will determine if Denver can do that on Sunday in SoFi:
CAN DENVER'S OFFENSE CONTINUE TO MAKE STRIDES?
In last season's meeting in Los Angeles, the Broncos scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions to jump out to a double-digit lead that they held until late in the third quarter.
As they return to SoFi Stadium looking to hand the Chargers their first loss, the focus is on keeping that momentum — and finishing the job.
"It's going to be a tough battle," quarterback Bo Nix said. "We're going to have to play well in all three phases to get the job done, but we feel confident, especially after going there last year and not being able to finish. We want to go out over there and start the same way we did, and this time just finish the football game."
Nix completed 29-of-40 passes for 263 yards, two touchdowns and a 106.6 quarterback rating in that matchup last season, and he tossed another three touchdown passes in the first half of last week's game as the Broncos scored on four of their first six possessions vs. the Colts.
The Chargers' defense, though, currently ranks third in points allowed through two weeks. And with a secondary led by All-Pro safety Derwin James, Los Angeles has displayed an attacking defense that doesn't give up many big plays.
"They play a lot of zone," Nix said. "They keep things in front of them. They just kind of rely on their [defensive] line to get some pressure. They do a good job with what they do, and they don't give up a lot of explosives. So we just have to find a way to execute and find some explosives."
Head Coach Sean Payton said the Broncos will emphasize getting wide receiver Courtland Sutton involved against Los Angeles after he had just one catch in Week 2, and running back J.K. Dobbins could provide a burst in his return to face his his former team.
"I had a special season last year," Dobbins said. "So, it's a special place to me — SoFi, the fans and LA. But I'm just going there to win the game. I'm going to do whatever it takes to win the game, however that may be. It may be ugly, it may be pretty, but I'm just going there to win the game."
Should Denver replicate some of its first-half success from last year's game in LA, the Broncos will be in a strong position to knock off their division rival.
CAN THE BRONCOS SLOW JUSTIN HERBERT?
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is off to a fast start, as he's thrown for five touchdowns and no interceptions while recording a 127.8 passer rating over the season's first two weeks.
Herbert has posted a passer rating of at least 110 in five consecutive games and recorded four consecutive games with at least two touchdowns and no interceptions, which are both the longest active streaks in the NFL.
In the first two weeks, Herbert has also made plays with his legs. He iced a Week 1 win with a third-down scramble and has posted three consecutive games with at least 30 rush yards.
"He's a special athlete," Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph said Thursday. "He's playing at a high level right now. He's probably the MVP right now after two games. He is accurate. He's obviously a big man, so he can see over the pressure. He's escaping on major downs, second-and-long and third downs, keeps drives alive. So, how we rush this guy is going to be key. How we cover the receiving targets and make him throw the ball is also going to be key. It's a combination of rush and coverage to contain this quarterback. It's a run-first offense. The balancing act between stopping the run and defending the pass is going to be critical."
Herbert has spread the ball around to receivers Quentin Johnston, Keenan Allen and Ladd McConkey, as all three players have at least eight catches and 120 yards in two games this season. Johnston posted a 60-yard touchdown in Week 2, and Denver must find a way to prevent chunk yardage after allowing four plays of at least 40 yards vs. the Colts.
Herbert's last regular-season interception came in Week 16 last season against the Broncos, and Denver will aim to force more mistakes in this matchup. The Broncos haven't recorded an interception yet this season, but they'll look to bounce back from a Week 2 performance that wasn't up to their standard.
"The details, the small things matter," outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said. "Starting fast matters. I have no doubt that we're going to bounce back and be even better."
The Broncos' key to success may start on first down. When Denver had early down stops against Indianapolis, the defense found ways to get stops. The Colts were just 1-of-7 on third-and-5 or longer in the Week 2 game. But when Indianapolis got to third-and-short, the Colts converted all but one of their six attempts.
If Denver can keep Herbert in check and force a few mistakes, it would certainly help the Broncos' chances to grab a win in LA.
WHO WINS IN THE RED ZONE?
If the Broncos and Chargers are locked in a tight game on Sunday, any number of factors could ultimately make the difference. The turnover battle, certainly, looms large as Denver aims to be on the correct side of that equation for the first time this season.
The team's performance inside the 20-yard line, though, may be just as important. In Week 2, the Broncos' offense converted all three of its red-zone trips into touchdowns while holding the Colts to 2-of-6 in the red zone. Denver's performance in that area helped negate Indianapolis' ability to move the ball on offense and gave the Broncos a chance late in the game.
Both team's defenses have been elite in the early weeks of the season, as the Chargers and Broncos rank first and third, respectively, in allowing touchdowns in that area of the field. The Chargers have allowed touchdowns on 1-of-6 red-zone possessions, while the Broncos have given up touchdowns in 2-of-8 red-zone trips.
"That's always our goal," Joseph said. "If you win red zone, it keeps the points to a minimum. That's our goal each week, but obviously we have to fix what went wrong in the first half [vs. the Colts]. We can't duck that — and we won't duck that and we haven't. We'll fix those things and move on and get better from it."
Offensively, the Broncos have scored on 4-of-6 (66.7%) red-zone trips, while the Chargers have found their way into the end zone on 3-of-7 (42.9%) opportunities.
In a close rivalry — five of the last six games have been decided by a touchdown or less — the team that can gain the edge in the red zone could very well come out ahead.
