Peyton Manning threw three scoring passes to Emmanuel Sanders, and Juwan Thompson had two short touchdown runs as the Denver Broncos beat the visiting San Diego Chargers, 35-21, on Thursday night.
Manning built on the career record he wrested from Brett Favre in the Broncos' victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, throwing touchdown passes No. 511, 512 and 513.
Manning found Sanders for a 2-yard score early in the second quarter and a 31-yarder with 32 seconds remaining in the half to put the Broncos ahead by 14-7.
His third touchdown toss to Sanders was threaded between two defenders from 3 yards out. It was set up when Chris Harris Jr. intercepted a Philip Rivers pass. Sanders entered the game with just one scoring catch.
Manning completed 25 of 35 passes for 286 yards, with no interceptions.
Rivers had three touchdown passes, two to Antonio Gates and one to Keenan Allen. Rivers was 30 of 41 for 252 yards, with two interceptions.
Denver (6-1) leads the A.F.C. West over San Diego (5-3) and Kansas City.
CLOWNEY EXPECTS TO PLAY The No. 1 overall draft pick Jadeveon Clowney is expected to play for the Houston Texans on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
'I would be surprised if I didn't,' Clowney said.
Clowney, an outside linebacker, returned to practice last week for the first time since having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee after being injured in Houston's opener. He was not quite ready to play on Monday night against Pittsburgh, but he expects to be on the field as the Texans try to end a three-game skid.
Asked if he thought he was close to where he had been before the injury, Clowney said: 'I have no clue right now. I always feel like I can be better than I am now. So who knows? We'll see around game time.'
TITANS TURN TO ROOKIE Tennessee plans to start the rookie Zach Mettenberger at quarterback against Houston on Sunday.
Jake Locker has missed three of the past four games with injuries, and Coach Ken Whisenhunt said this was an opportunity to see what Mettenberger, a sixth-round draft pick out of Louisiana State, could do with the Titans struggling at 2-5.
'He's a talented, young player, and maybe it'll give us a spark,' Whisenhunt said.
CUTLER SPEAKS ON MARSHALL Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler said receiver Brandon Marshall did not single out him or anyone else during an outburst after last Sunday's loss to the Miami Dolphins.
'He didn't come near me,' Cutler said. 'He didn't say my name. I don't think he attacked anyone personally.'
Cutler's comments came on the heels of a 27-14 loss at Soldier Field that raised questions about the direction of the team.
Reporters standing in the hallway after the game overheard Marshall screaming in the locker room. Some reports said the relationship between Marshall and Cutler was strained, while others said Marshall was yelling at kicker Robbie Gould,
Coach Marc Trestman said, 'Our locker room is not the only one where players express themselves when things haven't gone well.'
GRUDEN LEANING TO MCCOY Colt McCoy remained on pace to start for the Washington Redskins on Monday against the Dallas Cowboys, although Coach Jay Gruden said he would not make a decision on Robert Griffin III until shortly before kickoff.
While not ruling out Griffin, Gruden said he still needed to show that he was recovered from a dislocated ankle.
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