Initial thoughts from the Broncos’ 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16 at SoFi Stadium: 1. Self-inflicted wounds: As sheer pain goes, that Chiefs road game’s got a little company now. You don’t need to see the world with orange-and-blue glasses to notice that the Broncos gifted the Bolts at least nine points in the middle of the contest.

The Broncos missed out on a shot to end the second longest current playoff drought in the NFL with Thursday night's 34-27 loss to the Chargers.

The Denver Broncos (9-5) and Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) face off in a crucial Week 16 AFC showdown with wildcard implications. Injuries plague both teams, intensifying the must-win nature of the game.