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Four Chargers' Weaknesses The Broncos Can Exploit In Week 5

Here's how the Broncos attack the Chargers with success on Sunday.

The Denver Broncos now sit 0-4 after another heartbreaking home loss, this time to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Broncos are now set to hit the road, heading to Los Angeles to take on the Chargers. 

This Broncos team has come close to victory twice, but the defense has failed to hold down the fort while protecting a lead with under two minutes to go. Can Denver get their first win of the season? 

The Chargers are an interesting opponent but Denver tends to play well against them on the road. L.A. has historically been consistently so banged up, and this year is no different. 

Despite their battle with the injury bug, the Chargers have Philip Rivers — a capable quarterback who has managed to create some big moments and get some wins when the deck is stacked against him.

As with every game this season, there are certain areas of this opponent the Broncos can attack. After really studying the Chargers, and breaking down each of their games, there are four areas the Broncos can exploit. 

Of course, Denver has to go out there and execute and that has been a big issue with this team this season. Here's how the Broncos can suss out L.A.'s vulnerabilities. 

1. A Banged Up & Beleaguered Secondary

Denver Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton (14) catches a fourth quarter pass as Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward (26) defends at StubHub Center.

The Chargers are missing All-Pro safety Derwin James, and their secondary is struggling as a result. They just can’t find a way to make their defensive backfield work. The Chargers do rank 11th in total passing yards, but they are allowing teams to move the ball. 

This is a bend but don’t break defense, but despite how good their ranking may make them seem, there are more issues here than meet the eye.

Casey Hayward is a great cornerback, and the Broncos will want to try and stay away from him. He has only allowed nine catches on 16 targets thus far, managing to intercept one pass. Denver will always want to be cautious of Desmond King, L.A.'s nickel corner. While he has allowed nine catches on 11 targets, he is a big play waiting to happen.

If the Broncos are attacking the Chargers through the air, Rich Scangarello will want to get the tight ends involved and matched up on one of their safeties. Both Chargers' safeties have allowed every target to be caught, but one, with an interception between them. They have struggled with tight ends in coverage, when they don’t have their cover linebacker matched up. 

It would be ideal for the Broncos' offense to get CB Brandon Facyson on the field and exploit him. He has been one of the worst corners in the NFL and has allowed 12 of his 16 targets to be caught, struggling to bring down the receiver after the catch.

Additionally, the Chargers do a good job of shutting down passes on first down, unless they are underneath. On second and third down, though, they are doing poorly. 

On second down, anything under 15 yards, and over 15 in the middle of the field or to the left side, they have allowed 119-plus passer rating with five touchdowns. On third down, the Broncos will want to avoid the short right, but every other area on th field has yielded a 105 passer rating or higher to opposing QBs.

Based on Football Outsiders' DVOA metric, the Chargers' passing defense is 33.1%, which is worse than the Broncos'. If you want to move the ball against the Chargers, it is best to do so through the air as long as you are smart about it.

2. Backup Tackles Ripe For The Taking

Denver Broncos outside linebacker Von Miller (58) defends Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon (28) at StubHub Center.

The Chargers are banged up all over their offensive line, and they have multiple backups playing a good number of reps. This bodes well for the Broncos, with Von Miller heading to L.A. 

Losing Bradley Chubb is going hurt, though. However, rookie Malik Reed has flashed but this is going to be a good matchup and test for the rookie.

Trent Scott and Sam Tevi are the Chargers' left and right tackles, respectively. Both have been playing poorly as run blockers and especially as pass protectors. They've given up a large number of pressures, have combined to allow seven sacks and have been penalized five through their first four games. 

This is the easiest way to get pressure on Philip Rivers, but the Broncos need to keep him from climbing the pocket. To do that, they need to attack left guard Dan Feeney. 

He has been really bad this season and has given up three sacks. To help attack those offensive tackles, Denver needs to have Shelby Harris, Dre’Mont Jones and DeMarcus Walker pick on Feeney and give him fits in pass protection.

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3. A Receiving Corps Lacking Weapons

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The Chargers are banged up in the weapons department, so that is where the Broncos have to exploit them. Hunter Henry and Virgil Green are both banged up at tight end, and Mike Williams is as well. Keenan Allen is still great, and a dangerous threat, but at tight end and wide receiver, the Chargers have had issues trying to find that guy who can step up.

Dontrelle Inman is the closest to having stepped up they have, but he has just eight catches on 13 targets for 138 yards. Geremy Davis and Travis Benjamin have combined for 42 yards on six catches from 12 targets, but the latter is questionable to play. 

Limiting them to the underneath, forcing short throws and coming up and make the tackle is a way to slow them down. Denver can’t let them beat them deep, especially Allen, or this will be a long game. 

As for the tight ends, Sean Culkin has one catch on two targets for 12 yards, while Lance Kendricks has three catches on five targets for 50 yards. The Chargers are lacking firepower outside of Allen from their receivers and tight ends. 

Outside of Allen, the bigger worries for offensive firepower are Melvin Gordon, who ended his holdout, and Austin Ekeler, who has been a dangerous receiving weapon out of the backfield this season. Those two are more of a concern as receiving weapons out of the backfield than the backup receivers and tight ends that will be taking the field for L.A.

4. A Defense Giving Up Big Gains On Left Side

The way to attack the Chargers on the ground is rushing the right way. Now that doesn’t mean you rush to the right side, but actually the opposite. 

Attack the left side of that defense, where they have given up 4.3 yards per carry off the left tackle, 8.0 between the tackle and guard and 5.0 between the center and guard. Teams have run at the Chargers defense that way 28 times this season with success.

There is also room for success behind the center where teams average 4.0 yards per carry with 30 runs this season, two of which were for 10-plus yards. Running off the right tackle can see success as well, where teams average 3.9 yards per carry, with two carries of 10-plus yards. 

Denver does not want to run far right, where the speed of the Chargers' cover linebacker Uchenna Nwosu really shines. They have only been tested twice on the right edge this season and gave up one total yard. There just isn’t much success here, and thus should be avoided by Denver. 

The Chargers have a good run defense, though, and teams have struggled to move the ball against them on the ground. However, there are ways to attack them, and Denver just has to do it the right way.

Answering The Bell

Knowing what areas to attack the Chargers is one thing, but what players/units do the Broncos need to utilize on both sides of the ball in order to exploit these areas? Here's the list. 

Offensive Tackles: Stopping Joey Bosa

Whoever ends up blocking Bosa has to step up. He gets moved around the defense, and with Melvin Ingram likely out, there is more pressure on Bosa. Bosa can wreck an offense and make big plays. The Broncos' O-line has been playing good football the last two weeks, and they are going to be tested once again.

Linebackers: Accounting for Gordon & Ekeler

With how dangerous Ekeler and Gordon can be as receivers, and the lack of receiver weapons for the Chargers, these linebackers need to step up. If Ekeler gets outside, he has the speed to take it all the way, and Gordon can make defenders miss and has good speed himself. Outside of Keenan Allen, these two are the biggest dangers in the passing game.

Noah Fant, TE: Fant has been getting better each week, and could have a huge game in Week 5. Denver will need to try and get him matched up on a safety, and if they do, there is a good chance he can win that rep. But, if Fant gets matched up on Uchenna Nwosu, Joe Flacco needs to look elsewhere. Nwosu has played really well this season.

Justin Simmons, FS: Philip Rivers does a great job looking off safeties, so Simmons has to play the most disciplined game of his life. If he doesn’t, Rivers will likely tear this secondary apart. It has been a rough year for Simmons, who has been out of position and has gotten manipulated too easily by the QB's eyes. This would be the perfect game for Simmons to meet the expectations placed upon him entering the season.

Emmanuel Sanders & Courtland Sutton: The Broncos need to avoid Casey Hayward. So whichever receiver isn’t matched up on Hayward, that's who should be targeted heavily by Flacco. Again, the Chargers' depth at corner has struggled and Sanders and Sutton can really test that depth.

Chris Harris, Jr.: Harris wanted to draw the opponent's WR1 this season but he has not lived up to expectations. He will once again have his hands full with Keenan Allen. Denver really needs Harris to take him out of the game. Will Harris finally play like he's been talking, or will he continue to be an issue in coverage with poor play? 

Follow Erick on Twitter @ErickTrickel and @MileHighHuddle.