Broncos/Chargers: Passionate Rivalry Renewed

Aside from the number of times two teams have played each other in the past, and the meaning of the games’ outcomes, the biggest factor in defining a rivalry holds truest for the San Diego Chargers and the Denver Broncos.

These two teams flat-out hate each other.

And though Jay Cutler is no longer in Denver (his rift with San Diego QB Philip Rivers was the spark in the two teams’ rift), there is still plenty to despise for both sides. Cutler once bluntly stated, “I don’t like him,” in referring to his San Diego counterpart. Rivers trumped those words by making a choking gesture toward Cutler in December 2007 when the Broncos failed to convert a fourth down play.

Also fueling the passions of both teams were their two memorable match ups of last season. Thanks to the first of those games, in Week 2, there aren’t many football fans who don’t know the name Ed Hochuli these days.

With 1:17 to play in the fourth quarter, Cutler dropped back to pass at the San Diego 1-yard line. Cocking his arm to fire a pass, the ball came loose in what replays clearly showed to be a fumble recovered by the Chargers. However, Hochuli, the game’s referee, ruled the play an incomplete pass and whistled the play dead. Two plays later, Jay Cutler hit wide receiver Eddie Royal for both a touchdown pass and a two-point conversion to give Denver the game’s winning points.

The “Ed Hochuli Rule,” was born, allowing officials to review quarterback pass/fumble plays.

Fast forward to Week 17. The winner of this game would earn the final AFC playoff spot, as the West Division Champion. The two teams had identical 7-8 records, but were moving in different directions. San Diego had won three straight, while the Broncos had lost two in a row.

With so much at stake, the on-field competition failed to live up to the pre-game hype, as the Chargers took a 24-6 lead in the first half on their way to a 52-21 win. San Diego would go on to beat the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Wildcard Game, and then fell to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional Round.

In the first five weeks of this season, the pendulum of fortune has swung back in Denver’s favor, winners of all five of their contests. The Broncos bested the New England Patriots in overtime last week. The Denver defense leads the NFL in fewest points allowed, with opponents averaging just 8.6 points per game.  Defensive End Elvis Dumervil leads the league with 8 sacks. And though the Broncos offense isn’t quite on the elite level, Kyle Orton (yes, that Kyle Orton) continues to lead them down the field on long drives (six drives of 80 yards or more, including a 90 and a 98-yarder).

Meanwhile, San Diego (2-2) seems to lack identity. The defense is giving up an average of 25.5 points a game, while the offense can’t seem to move the football consistently. Rivers continues to throw well, but teams easily key on his pass-catching targets as running backs Darren Sproles and LaDanian Tomlinson (yes, that LaDanian Tomlinson) have gained just 160 yards, collectively, through the teams first four tilts.

On paper, this game seems to favor the Broncos. New Denver Head Coach Josh McDaniels seems to have pulled the right strings, despite an offseason filled with disarray and negative speculation. The team continues to prove doubters wrong each week.

So why is Denver a 3 ½ point underdog? Do the bookmakers feel that home teams have an advantage in such intense rivalries, due to rabid fan bases? Is Vegas looking at recent history, which shows that Denver has not won in San Diego since 2005? Or is there some other x-factor, one of those things that make the common folk wonder just what do these bookies know that we don’t???

Whatever the case may be, the Monday Night Football stage is set for another installment of an exciting rivalry.