The day after Christmas started cold and rainy, but it cleared up and warmed up for the Broncos to practice and put the final touches on their preparation for the trip to San Diego.

A NEW TOP RIVALRY?

With the intensity heating up between the Broncos and Chargers, it’s fair to ask if this rivalry has become the biggest one for the Broncos, jumping ahead of the long-lasting rivalry with the Raiders.

Head Coach Mike Shanahan was asked that question after Friday’s practice.

“I think so,” Shanahan said. “I think any time a team is playing well and they’ve won the division a couple years, I think there’s always that anticipation about playing a good team, especially at their place for all the marbles. Obviously a lot goes into it.”

Jamie Winborn weighed in on that as well, saying that all the heat has definitely been turned up on Broncos-Chargers games.

But no matter how intense the rivalry may be, it all comes down to how they play on the field, and when they take the field Sunday, the end result will send the winner to the playoffs.

“They were a good team when we beat them the first time, they’ll be a good team this time also. They’re the same team, man, we’re the same team – it’s all about who plays the best on that day. We just know we’ve got a job ahead of us,” Winborn said. “But we’ve been focused this week and we’re ready to play.”