Chargers News: Broncos HC Sean Payton Reveals What Makes the Bolts So Dangerous Right Now

The Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos are set for a divisional showdown on Sunday that holds greater stakes than bragging rights for the 2023 season. Both teams are vying for a playoff spot, and both teams are currently on the outside looking in.

The Chargers are currently #12 in the playoff race, with the Broncos three spots ahead at #9. Denver currently has a better shot at the postseason, but that will come crashing down should they drop a game to their rivals.

Head coach Sean Payton is certainly not counting out the Chargers and he knows what makes the team so dangerous, despite having a 5-7 record. Payton spoke to Elliot Teaford of The OC Register and detailed what his team has to watch out for.

“These guys are third overall as a team in sacks,” Broncos coach Sean Payton told reporters in Denver when asked about Mack and the Chargers’ defense. “The thing that jumps out at you defensively with some things is that they are playing really good third-down defense. They’re third-best in the NFL.

Via

Sean Payton, OC Register

Despite struggling on both sides of the ball due to injury, the Chargers are respectfully picking things up on their defensive output. Payton commented on the Botls having the third-most sacks in the league, along with having the third-best third-down defense. That has a lot to do with superstar Khalil Mack, who leads the league with 15 sacks.

A lot of people can try to discredit the Chargers for holding down the lowly Patriots to not score any points, but even the best NFL teams are not shutting out their opponents. The Bolts appear to be getting hot right when it matters, and as the saying goes: "defense wins championships."

That is not to say that the offense is clicking in the same manner that the defense is, but the defense is doing what it can to stop opponents from running up the score on them.

Justin Herbert and company will need to match this effort if they are to escape Sunday with a do-or-die win. The Chargers have a reported 7% chance to make the playoffs right now. With a win, that number will double to 14%. With a loss, they will have less than a 2% chance.

The Chargers have a good team, it just hasn't clicked in the way that most people thought it would. Should the offense output match the pure motor of Mack and the defense, teams will have to look out for this potential dark horse playoff candidate.

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