Los Angeles Chargers

What do the AFC Champion Broncos have that the Chargers don't?

Published Jan. 25, 2016 10:48 p.m. ET

foxsports

Nothing hurts quite like watching the Denver Broncos play in another Super Bowl, right Chargers fans?

Peyton Manning and Co. just hoisted their second Lamar Hunt trophy in three seasons, building off the foundation of a fifth straight division title. In two weeks, they’ll have as many Super Bowl appearances (eight) as the rest of the division combined.

Something has to change. But to beat their current AFC West overlords, the Chargers could stand to reshape their roster a bit like the Broncos'.

They should start by finding a dominant sackmaster. Denver has two — Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware posted 18.5 combined sacks over 16 games. Then, their group turned up the heat in the AFC playoffs on Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady, forcing both into uncomfortable throws.

Denver posted 52.0 sacks in 2015; San Diego had 32.0. And that trend will continue as long as the Bolts line up without a name-brand edge rusher to scare opposing quarterbacks. Their last one was Shawne Merriman.

Jeremiah Attaochu (6.0 sacks) and Melvin Ingram (10.5) are great starting points. Now, the Bolts need to land the next Von Miller (perhaps Ohio State’s Joey Bosa) in order to knock the Broncos from their perch.