Chargers at Broncos
7:25 p.m. Central, CBS/NFL Network
LINE — Broncos by 7 1/2
LAST MEETING Broncos beat Chargers 24-17, Jan. 12, 2014, AFC divisional playoff
LAST WEEK Chargers lost to Chiefs, 23-20; Broncos beat 49ers, 42-17
RANKINGS Chargers: offense (11), defense (5); Broncos: offense (4), defense (6)
NOTES San Diego has won four of last five regular-season games in Denver, including a Thursday night contest last December. … Coach Mike McCoy knows Denver well after spending 2009-2012 as offensive coordinator. … quarterback Philip Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates have connected 67 times for touchdowns, most by QB-TE combination in league history. … Rivers has at least one TD pass in team-record 27 consecutive games. His last game without TD throw was Dec. 2, 2012, against Cincinnati. … Next touchdown pass will be 239th of Rivers’ career, tying him with Len Dawson for 19th all-time. … Gates has 73 catches for 916 yards and 6 touchdowns in 20 games vs. Denver. … Former Broncos wide receiver Eddie Royal has 14 receptions on third down, tied for second most in league. Royal needs one more catch for 300 in career. … kicker Nick Novak has converted franchise-best 31 consecutive field goals. … cornerback Brandon Flowers (concussion) was knocked out of last weekend’s game with concussion. … Denver quarterback Peyton Manning broke Brett Favre’s NFL record for most touchdowns passing with his toss to wide receiver Demaryius Thomas in second quarter on Sunday. Manning had four TD passes and is at 510. … Manning is 5,026 yards away from Favre’s mark for most yards passing in league history. … Thomas has 521 yards receiving in last three games, the most prolific stretch in team history. … linebacker Von Miller leads NFL with eight sacks, defensive end DeMarcus Ware is tied for second with seven. … Broncos are 15-4 in divisional games under Coach John Fox. … In 74 series, Denver’s defense has forced 24 three-and-outs, second-best percentage in league. … Aqib Talib has 25 career interceptions, tied for third most by a cornerback since he broke into league in 2008.