SAN DIEGO -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the Denver Broncos' 22-10 victory against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium:
The Broncos medical staff will be busy evaluating players Monday. Linebacker Brandon Marshall, who is the team’s leading tackler, left the stadium wearing a walking boot on his left foot. Left tackle Ryan Clady left the game with a right thigh injury in the first quarter and did not return, and Danny Trevathan left with a leg injury in the fourth quarter and did not return.
Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, who had his right ankle stepped on during practice two weeks ago, was also limping slightly following the game and may be held out of practice in the coming week. The Broncos will have an additional day off this week since they don’t play until Monday night. The team is not expected to practice Tuesday or Wednesday. With 123 yards on his six catches, Thomas had his eighth 100-yard receiving game of the season. Rod Smith is the only other player in franchise history to have eight 100-yard games in a season.
Sunday’s game was certainly a slug-it-out affair with touchdowns hard to come by. After the game Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Ware said: “That was an old-school game right there -- rugged. And it showed something that we came in here and won that kind of game."
The win meant the Broncos have won four consecutive AFC West titles, but beyond the guaranteed playoff spot that comes with it, there wasn’t much of a celebration. John Elway presented coach John Fox with the game ball and the Broncos were quick to turn their attention to bigger things. Emmanuel Sanders said: “Our ultimate goal is to win a world championship. When Elway put together this team it was to win a world championship."
