As the season is nearing the end, the playoff picture is getting clearer. In week 16, the AFC will witness two of its divisional rivals face off against each other to stay in the playoff contention. It’s Denver Broncos vs Los Angeles Chargers. Both teams are in the wildcard now. But the Broncos have an upper hand with a 9-5 win-loss record while the Chargers have an 8-6 record.

In such a scenario, the injury report becomes very important. The Broncos HC Sean Payton will miss only his two players. The RB Jaleel McLaughlin (quad) did not practice on Monday. Though he was a limited participant on Tuesday, he didn’t practice on Wednesday. Their CB Riley Moss (knee) didn’t practice on Monday but had limited practice on the subsequent two days. However, the Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh is not in a very pleasant situation.

The other two players, CB Cam Hart (concussion) and TE Will Dissly (shoulder), did not practice this week. However, the actual status of the five other players is also not a very happy update for the Chargers. Their CB Elijah Molden (knee) didn’t practice this week, but the team has listed him as doubtful for the week 16 game. Four other players are questionable for the Broncos matchup.

Their TE Hayden Hurst (hip) was absent from practice on Monday but did full practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. Guard Zion Johnson (ankle) and DT Otito Ogbonnia (pelvis) did not practice on Monday and Tuesday. While Johnson practiced in full capacity on Wednesday, Ogbonnia was a limited participant. Their MLB Denzel Perryman (groin) did limited practice on the first two days, but practiced in the full session on Wednesday.

It’s a headache for the Chargers’ HC. They need to win this game to make their playoff contention solid. It’s crucial.

Can the Chargers make it 2-0 against the Broncos in the 2024 season?

The AFC West is one of the most competitive divisions in the league. Apart from the Broncos and Chargers, they have the Chiefs too. The Raiders are already out of playoffs. Last time, when the Broncos played against the Chargers in the week 6 matchup, they were never in the game.

The Chargers took a 23-0 lead at the end of the 3rd quarter. In the 4th quarter, the Broncos fought back and finished the game 23-16. However, apart from the result, there was another talking point of the game. Jim Harbaugh had an atrial flutter on the sidelines, a heart condition that causes irregular heartbeat.

Be it the excitement of the game or his push for the result, the coach complained of chest pain. He later visited a doctor to get a minor surgery done. That was something that the fans knew nothing about. This shows the Chargers are under pressure to win the game again. It would be a challenge as the Broncos are coming off a 4-game winning streak while the former are coming from a 2-game losing streak.