Chargers vs. Broncos live updates: Scores, highlights, and results for ‘Monday Night Football’

The MNF doubleheader wraps up with a clash of AFC West rivals.

Monday Night Football’s season premiere doubleheader finishes up with a late-night contest between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers. These AFC West foes will meet up in Mile High Stadium with a kickoff time of 10:20 p.m. ET on ESPN, streaming online at WatchESPN.

The Chargers are starting over in more ways than one. Head coach Mike McCoy got fired after a 5-11 season, with Anthony Lynn taking his place. The team also moved to Los Angeles after 56 years in San Diego, and have a temporary home at the LA Galaxy’s StubHub Center while the new Inglewood stadium is under construction. An NFL team playing in a small soccer stadium will certainly be interesting to see, but that will have to wait a while with the Chargers on the road this week.

As for the team itself, the offense should once again be potent with Philip Rivers back for his 13th season. They’re also getting Melvin Gordon and Keenan Allen back healthy, but first-round receiver Mike Williams is still recovering from a back injury that kept him out of training camp. The offensive line also suffered a blow when rookie guard Forrest Lamp tore his ACL. As always, injury luck is not on the Chargers’ side.

Fortunately, the defense is quietly improved, especially with cornerback Jason Verrett back from ACL surgery and pairing up with Casey Hayward in the secondary. Then there’s Joey Bosa, the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year. Despite missing four games with a holdout and hamstring injury, Bosa was a beast on the defensive line, racking up 10.5 sacks in just 12 games. He’s already one of the best pass rushers in football, and the Chargers’ most important weapon on defense.

The Broncos had a disappointing follow-up to their Super Bowl campaign, finishing 9-7 and missing the playoffs. The offense was largely to blame, as average quarterback play and a bad offensive line led to the Broncos averaging just 20.8 points per game, 22nd in the league.

Trevor Siemian will be the starter once again after beating out Paxton Lynch for the job in camp. He’s not exactly a world-beater under center, but Siemian was much more impressive than Lynch, who isn’t making much progress after being drafted in the first round lastyear. C.J. Anderson returns as the starting running back, although he might have competition from Jamaal Charles, who won a roster spot after a good preseason performance. Charles is 30 years old and recovering from multiple knee injuries, but if he’s anything close to his prime the Broncos could have a nifty ace up their sleeve in the run game.

On defense, things are largely the same with the “No Fly Zone” returning nearly all its starters. Von Miller is coming off another dominant season with 13.5 sacks, while Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. are a formidable cornerback duo. The biggest absence is safety T.J. Ward, who got cut at the end of presaeson. There’s also an injury concern with linebacker Shane Ray, on injured reserve with a torn ligament with his wrist. Ray should be back in the second half of the year, but the Broncos will miss him in the early going.

If you like “revenge” narratives, McCoy is now the Broncos’ offensive coordinator and is facing the team that fired him this week. That will probably make things interesting in the post-game handshakes.

Pregame reading

Looking Back: Peyton Manning and the Broncos storm back to stun the Chargers

Demaryius Thomas says McCoy may want to put up 100 points on the Chargers

“If you were the head coach for the Chargers, and you got fired, and you play them on Monday Night, what would you want to do?” said wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, laughing. “I’d try to put up 100 if I could. I don’t know if that’s possible, but I’d try.”

Not possible, but that doesn’t mean Thomas won’t try.

Trevor Siemian comparisons to Alex Smith are no longer a slight

Will the Los Angeles Chargers Win the AFC West?

The Chargers will win the AFC West ... if they stay completely healthy. But since that's as unlikely as a team losing four straight games while holding a fourth quarter lead is, I will default and say that the Chiefs will win the AFC West. Health is an important factor for the team that will win the division, and looking around, it seems like the only competent backup QB in the division is on the Chiefs roster.

Monday Night Football preview: When the Chargers have the ball

Monday Night Football preview: When the Broncos have the ball