Chargers News: Bolts DC Reveals What Makes Broncos Jarret Stidham So Dangerous

LA's defensive coordinator isn't underestimating the Broncos backup QB.

The Los Angeles Chargers' 2023 season is slowly winding down. The Bolts have two games left, and both will come against division rivals. Week 17 has the Bolts traveling to the Mile High and facing the Denver Broncos. 

The Broncos are not officially out of the playoff race, with 7% odds, according to NFL.com. The odds are against them, and they may have packed things up and moved on to 2024, similar to the Bolts. Denver will have their backup quarterback starting, Jarrett Stidham. 

Stidham will get his first start of the season and his first start since Week 18 last season as a Las Vegas Raider. The 27-year-old will get his shot and play loosely against a team in the Chargers playing with nothing to lose. It will be the game of the backups, and even though the Broncos will be without Russell Wilson, LA won't underestimate their division rivals. 

Chargers defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley won't be underestimating the Broncos, especially Stidham, who is no stranger to beating a defensive-led Ansley team. LA's DC spoke to Chargers senior writer Eric Smith and talked about the challenges Stidham will present.

"I'm 0-1 versus Jarrett Stidham, he beat me in 2017 when I was at Alabama," Ansley noted about a game against Auburn. "He's a good player, pocket guy. He has sneaky athleticism. He's bigger than you think.

(Per Derrick Ansley via Chargers.com)

Ansley served as the defensive back coach for the University of Alabama in 2017 before moving on to the NFL. 

The Chargers' defense isn't and never was a threat for the season, but as we all know, it's only partially his fault. 2023 is the first year with Ansley as the coach, and although the numbers and play don't do him justice, you could throw all that out the window in a division game. 

Stidham is no stranger to coming off the bench and putting up numbers, as we've seen last season. This game may not have much on the line from the outside looking in; however, it means something to Derrick as he looks to defeat Stidham, this time at the pro level.