AFC Notes: Broncos, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reports Broncos RB Melvin Gordon will play through a sprained thumb.
• Broncos HC Vic Fangio said LB Kenny Young is in concussion protocol. (Mike Klis)

Chargers

• Chargers HC Brandon Staley said RB Austin Ekeler‘s ankle injury is fine and he could’ve returned to the game if needed. (Jeff Miller)
• Staley said S Derwin James felt tightness in his hamstring after Friday’s practice: “We just wanted to make sure that we were careful. … So hoping for a good recovery here and hopefully we can get him back Thursday night.” (Gilbert Manzano)
• Staley expects WR Keenan Allen (Covid) to be available for Thursday’s game vs. the Chiefs “barring a setback.” (Adam Schefter)

Chiefs/Raiders

The Raiders gathered at the Chiefs logo before the game started, which ended up giving Kansas City extra motivation to come out and play their best game of the season.

“You definitely don’t want people to come into your stadium and disrespect things that you kind of built,” QB Patrick Mahomes said, via ESPN. “It gave us a little more motivation to go out there and win against a really good football team that we have a rivalry against that usually is a tough football game.”

Raiders LB K.J. Wright acknowledged that the pregame actions fueled a fire for the Chiefs.

“I would have been upset, too, if I was them,” Wright said. “Anybody that comes there and do that? And they definitely came out and responded to their anger and we couldn’t hold up. It was spur of the moment. One guy said, ‘Let’s go’ and we all got to ride together. We all went out there together. We did it as a team and just gave them a little more motivation than we needed to give them.“