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Chargers offense must do its part

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Brandon Flowers won’t play.

Jason Verrett seems unlikely to either.

The Chargers could be down two top cornerbacks in a game they can ill-afford to spare any. Cornerback Richard Marshall, who had a few lapses Sunday, may start. Marcus Gilchrist, a strong safety, likely will be needed at slot cornerback.

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The defense must rise to the occasion. It’s not the only one.

Beating the Broncos and quarterback Peyton Manning is as much about what happens when Manning is on the sideline as on the field. The Chargers proved so last year at this same site. Repeating that success is the challenge Thursday night at Sports Authority Field.

Some wonder what coach Mike McCoy is like around the team behind closed doors. A stickler for situational football may be where best to start.

If his team is to win this game, the four-day turnaround in that department almost certainly is the story.

The Chargers were brutal from a situational standpoint Sunday during a 23-20 loss to the Chiefs. The offense converted three-of-10 third downs — five of those attempts were from 9-plus yards, including two from 14 and one from 25 — while the defense allowed seven conversions on its first 12.

There also were struggles in the red zone, a third-down Marshall penalty turning a field-goal drive into a touchdown one. On the ensuing series, the offense stalled in the red zone for a fourth-quarter field goal.

Talk about the cornerbacks Thursday. Talk about the pass rush.

Beating Manning is as much about how the Chargers offense fares in critical situations. Sustaining drives on third down, a focus each game, carries more importance this one.

“We’ve got to hold up our end of it, too,” quarterback Philip Rivers said. “Going against this offense and this quarterback, you’ve got to do it. I don’t think we go into the game playing keep-away. We go into the game playing ‘score.’ If we score fast, great. But we’ve got to score. We can’t go three or four possessions without scoring.”

“Last week, we didn’t do our job,” offensive coordinator Frank Reich said. “It’s on us as coaches and players to be better this week.”

Something like last year would do.

Verrett (shoulder) did not play Dec. 12 during a Thursday night game in Denver. The first-round pick was in college. Flowers (concussion) did not play that game. He was in Kansas City.

But the Chargers’ defense shut down the run and got off the field on third down, as their offense went 6-for-12 on third down and held possession for nearly 39 minutes.

San Diego is 6-6 versus Manning all-time.

“It always comes down to playing a team game: special teams, offense,” defensive coordinator John Pagano said. “I think those things have been so unique in those deals and the guys going out and really truly executing.That’s something we’re going to have to do because this is the No. 1 of all offenses we’ve faced this year, and it’s probably not coming at the best time where we’re not playing and executing at a high level like we should.”

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