The Broncos didn’t exactly solve their offensive problems Sunday, but they did find a way to leave with a win anyway.
Sean Payton’s move to take back playcalling duties didn’t produce a dramatic turnaround, yet Denver did just enough in the fourth quarter to capitalize on Chargers mistakes and escape with a 23-17 victory. The result gets the Broncos to 3-2 and keeps the Chargers winless at 0-5.
The game turned after Los Angeles pushed ahead 17-10 with two third-quarter touchdowns and had Denver in a tough spot with around 10 minutes left. Jim Harbaugh chose to keep the pressure on, going for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 41-yard-line, but Justin Herbert was stopped well short on the sneak.
Denver wasted no time making that decision hurt. Bo Nix found Courtland Sutton for a touchdown on the next possession, and then Broncos defensive lineman D.J.
Jones forced Herbert into a fumble on the following Chargers series. The Broncos then settled for a field goal after their own drive stalled at the 1-yard-line, and they added another after safety Brandon Jones intercepted Herbert on the next Los Angeles possession.
Herbert’s turnover total is now nine on the season, and the Chargers also handed Denver the setup for the first Broncos touchdown of the day with another giveaway. It’s the latest ugly turn in a stretch that has gone sideways since Week 1.
Denver’s offense still had plenty of flaws. The Broncos managed only 95 yards in the second half, went 1-of-12 on third down, and didn’t pick up a first down on any drive that wasn’t aided by a Chargers turnover. So even with Payton back in charge of the calls, there’s no sense that everything has been fixed.
The Broncos now have a short week ahead of them before heading to Seattle on Thursday night. The Chargers, meanwhile, go to Kansas City next Sunday to face a Chiefs team that will be coming in rested and aiming to move to 5-0.
In Other News...
Chargers Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away As Pressure Builds On Herbert
The Chargers had another game within reach in Inglewood before it tilted the wrong way late, with Denver rallying for a 23-17 win after Sean Payton took over play-calling duties and the Broncos leaned on key defensive turnovers in the fourth quarter. Bo Nix tied it with a touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton, and Wil Lutz finished the comeback with a pair of late field goals, leaving Los Angeles to sort through a loss that looked there for the taking.
For Justin Herbert, the finish only added to the burden that comes with every close game that slips away. The Chargers had chances to close it out, but the final stretch unraveled quickly, and Denver seized control after Herberts turnover set up the go-ahead kick. When the margin is that thin, every mistake gets magnified, and this one will sting because it was the kind of game Los Angeles needed to put away. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Harbaughs Chargers Just Reached A Troubling New Low
The Chargers start under Jim Harbaugh has taken on a familiar kind of urgency for a team trying to stop a fast slide before it turns into something far worse. After losing to the Broncos, Los Angeles fell to 0-5, the worst opening of Harbaughs NFL career and a stark departure from the winning track record he built across his first six pro seasons.
Harbaugh was left searching for answers afterward, saying the players have to fight with their hearts and bring their best effort as the pressure keeps building. It is a rough place to be this early, especially with the Chiefs waiting on the road next week and little margin left for a team already staring at a troubling new low. [Read more 🡒]
Jim Harbaugh Sounds Lost As Chargers Season Starts Slipping Away
The Chargers season has gone from bad to unstable in a hurry, and the home loss to Denver only added to the sense that nothing is getting fixed quickly. Los Angeles is 0-5, the offense has been hit hard by injuries, and a unit that was supposed to get a fresh start under new coordinator Mike McDaniel has instead looked disconnected while Justin Herbert has struggled to find his usual rhythm.
Jim Harbaughs comments after the Broncos game captured the mood around the team more than any box score could. With the losses piling up and the offense still searching for answers, the bigger issue now is less about one disappointing afternoon and more about what the message inside the building is supposed to be as the season keeps slipping away. [Read more 🡒]