2026 Week 5 Preview: Broncos Look to Avoid Trap Game Against Winless Chargers
The Denver Broncos (2-2) will look to get back above .500 when they travel to Inglewood, California to face the winless Los Angeles Chargers (0-4) in Week 5. Los Angeles has struggled to begin the season, while Denver is coming off a difficult loss to the undefeated San Francisco 49ers.
On paper, this should be one of the easier games on the Broncos’ schedule. But Denver cannot afford to treat it as an automatic victory. The Broncos have historically struggled at SoFi Stadium, have dealt with slow starts throughout the season and could be without several key players in the secondary.
If Denver allows the Chargers to hang around, a game that should be comfortable could quickly become much more difficult.
The Broncos’ Secondary Could Be the X-Factor
One of the biggest concerns heading into Week 5 will be the state of Denver’s secondary.
The Broncos will likely be without Patrick Surtain II, while Riley Moss could also miss the matchup. That could leave Denver relying on Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine as starting cornerbacks.
Replacing Surtain would be a difficult task under any circumstances. However, the Broncos have already demonstrated that they can overcome his absence.
Surtain missed three games in 2025, and Denver won all three contests. That does not make losing the 2024 NFL Defensive Play of the Year any less significant, but it should give the Broncos some confidence that their secondary can withstand his absence.
Barron and Abrams-Draine could ultimately determine how difficult this game becomes.
Los Angeles has not been good offensively, but Justin Herbert remains capable of making difficult throws when given enough time. Herbert has completed just 71 of 119 passes for 816 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions through four games, but some of his struggles can be attributed to the offensive line in front of him.
Herbert has already been sacked 12 times this season.
If Denver’s secondary can hold up while the pass rush pressures Herbert, the Broncos should have opportunities to force more mistakes from a quarterback who has already thrown six interceptions.
But if the Chargers can consistently exploit Denver’s inexperienced cornerbacks, they could keep themselves in a game that otherwise favors the Broncos heavily.
How Barron and Abrams-Draine perform could be the X-factor.
Denver Needs to Finally Start Fast
The Broncos’ slow starts have become too consistent to ignore.
Denver has scored just 13 first-half points through four games, and that lack of early offensive production has forced the team into comeback mode far too often. The Broncos overcame double-digit deficits against both the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Rams, but that formula eventually caught up with them against the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco.
There is no reason to make this game more difficult than it needs to be.
The Chargers have yet to score more than 23 points in a single game this season, and Los Angeles has been particularly ineffective in critical situations. The Chargers are converting just 34.6 percent of their third downs and have struggled even more in the red zone.
Against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4, Los Angeles converted just five of 15 third-down opportunities. Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3, the Chargers reached the red zone four times but scored just one touchdown.
Those are opportunities Denver needs to take advantage of.
If the Broncos can establish an early lead, they can force Los Angeles to play from behind and put more pressure on an offense that has already struggled to sustain drives.
If Denver starts slowly again, however, it could give the Chargers the confidence they need to make this a competitive game.
The Broncos’ Running Game Needs to Find a Spark
Denver also needs to figure out how to get its rushing attack moving.
J.K. Dobbins has rushed for 161 yards on 46 carries through four games, averaging just 3.5 yards per attempt. He has yet to find the end zone this season, while the Broncos as a team are averaging just 3.6 yards per carry.
That is not good enough.
Fortunately for Denver, Los Angeles has struggled to stop the run. The Chargers are allowing 121.8 rushing yards per game through four contests, giving the Broncos an opportunity to attack one of their opponent’s biggest weaknesses.
A productive running game would accomplish more than simply adding yards to the stat sheet. It would force Los Angeles to respect the possibility of a run, create more manageable down-and-distance situations and take some pressure off Bo Nix.
If Denver cannot establish the run, however, Nix could once again be asked to carry too much of the offense through the passing game.
The Broncos have enough talent to win that way, but they should not need to rely on it against a winless Chargers team.
This is an opportunity for Denver’s rushing attack to finally show some life against a Los Angeles defense that has struggled to stop the run.
The Broncos Have Historically Struggled Against the Chargers at SoFi Stadium
If there is one reason to hesitate before calling this a guaranteed victory for Denver, it is the Broncos’ history at SoFi Stadium.
Denver’s 1-5 record against the Chargers at that venue suggests that playing in Inglewood has not always brought out the Broncos’ best.
Denver does not need to play a perfect game. The Broncos simply need to take advantage of their opportunities and avoid allowing Los Angeles to gain momentum.
The Chargers have already demonstrated that they can move the ball at times, but they have repeatedly struggled to finish drives, convert third downs and protect the football. If Denver forces Los Angeles to consistently earn every yard, the Chargers’ own mistakes should eventually create opportunities.
The Broncos have enough advantages in this matchup that they should not need a fourth-quarter comeback.
Can Denver Take Care of Business Against a Winless AFC West Rival?
The Broncos should win this game.
That much is difficult to dispute.
But will Denver make it harder than it needs to be?
Can the Broncos avoid another slow start?
Can Jahdae Barron and Kris Abrams-Draine hold up if Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss are unavailable?
Can Denver’s defense force Justin Herbert into more mistakes?
Can J.K. Dobbins and the running game exploit a weak Los Angeles run defense?
And can the Broncos exploit the Chargers’ struggles on third downs, in the red zone and with protecting the football?
If Denver does those things, it should leave Inglewood with its third victory of the season.
Los Angeles is desperate for something to go right at 0-4. The Broncos have enough advantages in this matchup to prevent that from happening.
Denver just needs to take care of business.
