Chargers vs. Broncos: What LA must do on offense to win the game in Week 3

The Chargers and Broncos face off in Week 3 in a contest that could have major playoff implications. Los Angeles is already 2-0 with divisional wins over the Chiefs and Raiders, while the Broncos are 1-1 and will be looking to stop the Bolts from sprinting out to more of a lead in the AFC West.

Here are a few things LA will need to do offensively to secure the win.

Get Najee Harris more involved

Harris has only taken 9 carries to Omarion Hampton's 23, but the veteran is currently outpacing the rookie by over half a yard per carry, on average. The Chargers turned the ball over to Harris after Hampton fumbled on the exchange with Justin Herbert near the end of last week's game, which means we may see a more even snap split this week against a strong Broncos run defense. That's not to say Hampton should be benched - he's entering his third NFL game and carries a ton of value as a receiver and blocker in the pass game. But Harris is better equipped right now to handle the messy trenches Los Angeles has produced - only 11 of the Chargers' rushing yards as a team have come before contact this season.

Target the Broncos' linebackers

Broncos linebackers Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad have allowed 10 catches for 168 yards on 13 targets in pass coverage this season. Los Angeles has seen the fruits of targeting Strnad before, in last year's contests, and Denver will be without Dre Greenlaw (quad) for another week, which leaves this duo on the field. Even with Will Dissly (knee) out, the Chargers should hammer the intermediate areas of the field, whether that's Tyler Conklin or getting Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen on more crossing-style routes.

Find a way to separate

Maybe the Chargers can throw every pass between the hashes and succeed enough to win the game on Sunday, but it's more likely that a talented Broncos defense will find a way to adjust. If and when they do, Los Angeles needs their receivers to generate more separation on the boundary, especially because coordinator Greg Roman has dialed up a handful of sideline shots in both contests so far this year, regardless of the overall game plan. Against the Raiders, those shots went 0-for-3, all to Quentin Johnston, who struggled with physical coverage from Las Vegas' DBs. Whether it's Johnston or emerging rookie Tre' Harris, the Chargers will need a better showing outside the numbers to create some explosive plays.

Finish drives

Despite the loss last week, Denver held Indianapolis to 2-of-6 in the red zone, which kept the Broncos within arm's reach all afternoon despite another rocky showing from the offense. The Chargers are currently the league's 25th-best team at turning red zone opportunities into touchdowns, with three trips to the end zone in seven trips. Chargers fans have already seen Jim Harbaugh settle for short field goals in both games this season as well, so LA would do well to remove the choice from their head coach's hands and put the ball into the end zone for good measure.

This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers' offensive keys to victory against the Broncos