December 17th 2024.
When it comes to football, starting off strong is crucial for any team. But when it comes to Thursday night games, a fast start is not just preferred, it's absolutely critical. The head coach of the Denver Broncos, Sean Payton, knows this all too well. In fact, before their first Thursday night game of the season against the New Orleans Saints in Week 7, Payton pointed out that teams who are leading at halftime on Thursday nights tend to win a disproportionate number of games.
With their upcoming Thursday night game against a division rival, the Los Angeles Chargers, who are also vying for a spot in the postseason, the Broncos are emphasizing the importance of starting off strong. The Chargers have been known to be a fast-starting team this season, especially evident in their Week 5 game against the Broncos where they stormed out to a 20-0 lead at Empower Field.
Payton highlighted the Chargers' strong first-quarter performance, stating that their point differential in the first quarter is actually better than the Broncos'. This makes it even more important for the Broncos to come out strong from the get-go.
Overall, the Chargers have outscored their opponents 70-36 in the first quarter and have a total first-half point differential of 81. This is significantly higher than their overall point differential of plus-47, indicating that they tend to struggle in the second half. On the other hand, the Broncos have a first-quarter point differential of minus-24, but have managed to turn things around and have a plus-10 point differential in the first half.
It's clear that these two teams have opposite patterns when it comes to scoring in the first half, with the Chargers having the advantage on Thursday night games. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph understands the importance of starting off strong in a short-week game, stating that playing clean and fast early on is crucial, especially on the road against a tough team like the Chargers.
In other news, the Broncos received some good news on the injury front. Cornerback Riley Moss, who has been out since injuring his MCL in November, is making progress and was estimated to be a limited participant in Tuesday's walk-through practice. This is a positive sign for the Broncos, especially with All-Pro cornerback Pat Surtain II expected to be a full participant for the second consecutive day.
As for the Chargers, defensive lineman D.J. Jones and running back Jaleel McLaughlin were upgraded from did not participate to limited participation, while John Franklin-Myers remains a did not participate for the second day in a row.
With such a quick turnaround from their last game, the Broncos are keeping it simple in their preparations for Thursday night. This will be the second Thursday night game for the Broncos this season, while it will be the first for the Chargers. Payton acknowledged the challenges of playing on a short week and emphasized the importance of not overloading the players with too many new plays, but rather focusing on executing plays that they are already familiar with.
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