DENVER (AP) – Peyton Manning threw two touchdown passes to Emmanuel Sanders and the Denver Broncos led the San Diego Chargers 14-7 at halftime Thursday night.
Manning found Sanders for a 2-yard score early in the second quarter and a 31-yarder with 32 seconds remaining in the half.
After the Broncos scored first, Philip Rivers answered with a short TD strike to Keenan Allen. The score was set up when Rivers found Antonio Gates on third-and-20 for a 31-yard gain to the 2.
The Broncos caught a break on the ensuing kickoff, when Andre Caldwell was stripped of the ball. But replay indicated his left elbow was down and the Broncos maintained possession.
Eight players later, Sanders blew past a San Diego secondary missing Brandon Flowers (concussion) and easily hauled in Manning’s pass.
Manning kept his roll going, throwing TD passes No. 511 and 512.
The five-time NFL MVP was coming off an emotional four-TD performance Sunday night against San Francisco in which he surpassed Brett Favre as the NFL’s touchdown pass king.
San Diego has won four of the last five regular-season games in Denver, including a Thursday night contest last December in which the Chargers controlled the clock and kept the ball out of Manning’s hands.
That led the Broncos change their work week. They practiced without pads and helmets.
But their first two drives led to punts.
Same with San Diego. After the Chargers went three-and-out on his second series, Rivers retreated to the sideline while yelling into his helmet.
Manning finished the first half 14 of 19 for 174 yards. Rivers wasn’t far behind, going 15 of 18 for 118 yards.
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