Five Key Matchups: Broncos vs. Chargers

What more needs to be said about this matchup? Miller has sacked Rivers more than he's sacked any other quarterback, and he added one — as well as a key interception — in the Broncos' 23-22 win earlier this year. 

There's plenty of respect between these two stars, though. Miller lauded Rivers as "an MVP" on Thursday, and earlier in the season, Rivers called Miller "a Defensive Player of the Year-type guy." There won't be any love lost between the two on Sunday, though, especially after Rivers' comments following the earlier game.

"Philip Rivers said, 'We lost three games. We lost to two good teams, and we stubbed our toe with the Broncos,'" Miller recalled Thursday. "For us, it's little stuff like that. Especially for me personally, it's just little stuff like that where it's like, 'OK. We have a second crack at it, let's see.' I've got another shot, [and] they've got another shot, too. Let's see."

Even as the Broncos have fallen out of playoff contention, Adam Gotsis has emerged as a standout along the defensive line. The Melbourne, Australia native has recorded a sack and a pass breakup in each of the past two games, and against the Browns, he also had a forced fumble and a crucial fourth-down stop.

When he goes up against Okung, though, he'll not only face a two-time Pro Bowler, but also a former teammate. Okung and Gotsis were both on the 2016 Broncos. If they learned anything about each other by facing off in practice, they could try to take advantage on Sunday.

Following Emmanuel Sanders' injury, DaeSean Hamilton has stepped up as the Broncos' most-targeted receiver, and the rookie out of Penn State has delivered in his new role. In the past three weeks, Hamilton has reeled in a team-leading 20 passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns.

"I'd say I've grown a lot," Hamilton said Wednesday. "Obviously, just me being a rookie coming in and not really knowing much, [I was] just eager to play and eager to expand my role. [I'm] really just maturing as the games go on and seeing the different things that happen in the NFL."

Hamilton has shown sure hands and crisp route running with his expanded opportunities, and he'll have to bring those skills to every play, especially when he's matched up against Casey Hayward Jr. The veteran cornerback was a Pro Bowl selection last year and has played well again this year, even though he hasn't recorded as many interceptions. Hayward is a versatile cornerback, and he can line up against any wide receiver. If he's on Hamilton, it'll be an intriguing matchup between a young up-and-comer and a veteran at the top of his craft.

When Jared Veldheer and Melvin Ingram meet on Sunday, it will be a clash of two of the most consistent players over the past several years. Veldheer, when healthy, has been as solid as they come on the right side of the offensive line, and last week marked the first holding penalty accepted against him this season. But he'll have his hands full this week against Ingram, a Pro Bowl selection for the second consecutive year. Ingram has seven sacks this season, and he's aided by the return of a healthy Joey Bosa on the opposite end of the defensive line.

"Joey's getting better every week," Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said Wednesday. "We knew it was going to take some time for him to catch up, and he's catching up. It definitely helps Melvin on the other side. [It's] just freeing him up some to have more opportunities to go one-on-one [against] tackles. … Having one of your better defensive players back, that definitely cannot hurt."

The last time these two teams met, Gates caught five passes for 80 yards and a touchdown, his best outing of the season. This time around, Justin Simmons and Co. will want to limit the eight-time Pro Bowl selection much more effectively.

Gates isn't quite the weapon he used to be, but he can still make the Broncos pay. Of his five catches in Week 11, three were long third-down conversions. The Broncos need to take advantage of those long down-and-distance situations on Sunday, and that starts with stopping Gates.