The Denver Broncos are teetering on the edge of falling off the postseason map as they prepare to visit the San Diego Chargers on Monday night.
But, if the Broncos need inspiration that a playoff run is possible after a 3-6 start to the season, they have come to the right city.
It was just two years ago that Denver was three games ahead of San Diego with three to play, only to lose all three and the AFC West title to the Chargers on the season's final day.
Much like that year, the division is again there for the taking this season. Kansas City and Oakland are tied for first at 5-4 with San Diego (4-5) looming one game back and the Broncos bringing up the rear.
Denver sent a message that it still has some fight in it, laying a 49-29 beating on the Chiefs a week ago as Kyle Orton threw for 296 yards and a career-high four touchdowns.
The message was not well received by Kansas City coach Todd Haley, who appeared to be admonishing Broncos coach Josh McDaniels while eschewing the traditional postgame handshake.
Otherwise, it was a stellar performance by Denver, which jumped out to a 35-0 second-quarter lead en route to snapping a four-game losing streak.
Orton threw three first-quarter scoring passes and the Broncos finally got some production out of their running game as second-year back Knowshon Moreno rushed for a career-high 106 yards on 22 carries. It was his first career 100-yard effort.
Denver’s much-maligned defense, which ranks next to last in the AFC with 252 points allowed, was burned for 469 yards by Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel, but most of that came in garbage time.
San Diego will be seeking its third consecutive victory as it attempts to dig out from one of its customary slow starts to the season.
Quarterback Philip Rivers is having a sensational season despite a receiving corps that has been decimated by injuries. Rivers has thrown for an NFL-high 2,944 yards and is tied for the league lead with 19 touchdown passes against just eight interceptions. It is the second-most passing yards through nine games in NFL history.
Prior to last week’s bye, Rivers threw four touchdowns – two to rookie Seyi Ajirotutu – to rally the Chargers to a 29-23 victory at Houston. He was playing without all-world tight end Antonio Gates as well as starting wideouts Malcom Floyd and Legedu Naanee.
Floyd, who had missed the last three games with a hamstring injury, is expected to return. The outlook is less clear on Naanee and Gates, who did not practice due to a plantar fascia injury.
Rookie running back Ryan Mathews also didn’t practice Thursday, but the Chargers are expected to get back kicker Nate Kaeding, who missed the last three games with a groin injury.
The Chargers, who have been awful on special teams this season, must be wary of Eddie Royal, who returned a punt and kickoff in the same game in a 34-23 Broncos win on Oct. 19, 2009.
San Diego avenged that loss with a 32-3 win in Denver a month later.