2020 vision: Looking ahead to Denver's Week 11 matchup vs. the Los Angeles Chargers

[Miles]

The Broncos' regular-season opener isn't for another few months, but over the next few weeks, DenverBroncos.com will take an early look at each game on the Broncos' 2020 schedule. We don't know how injuries could impact each contest, but we'll present the pressing storylines, matchups, questions and more.


It's never too early to start talking football.


We continue with Denver's Week 11 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.


Storylines to monitor:


After spending the first nine years of his career in Denver, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. will make his return to the Mile High City after signing with the Chargers this offseason. And while the welcome for Harris should be warm from both his former teammates and the fans in attendance, there will be fierce competition between Harris and the receiver he lines up against. It would be fun for most Broncos fans to see Harris line up against Courtland Sutton for at least a snap or two, but if Harris is playing in the slot, it seems more likely that he'll be matched up with either Jerry Jeudy or KJ Hamler.


This Week 11 game also marks the first time Melvin Gordon III will face the Chargers after five years with the team — and it's been clear from several offseason interviews that Gordon is looking forward to facing his former team.


The Broncos swept the Chargers in 2019 for the first time since 2015, and Denver has lost to their division rival at home just once since 2013. Denver will need to earn another win in Week 11 to stay on a playoff path.


Player to watch:


QB Tyrod Taylor


Week 11 may be too early to expect rookie Justin Herbert to be under center, so we'll focus on Taylor for the purposes of this section. The expected starter for the Chargers enters his second season with the team and should start for the first time since entering the 2018 season as the Browns' signal caller. Before a short stint in Cleveland, Taylor earned a 22-20 record in Buffalo as a three-year starter for the Bills. Taylor, who made the Pro Bowl in 2015, has always been a steady option who avoids turnovers. In his career, he's completed 61.6 percent of his passes for 54 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. So while the touchdown numbers have never been spectacular — the most he threw in a season as a starter was 20 — he won't make mistakes to beat the team. If the Broncos can force Taylor into throwing an interception, though, that could change the game. Taylor is just 4-13-1 when he throws an interception.