The Chargers walked into Sunday’s game at SoFi Stadium already strung thin, and by the end of a 23-17 loss to the Broncos, the cracks were impossible to ignore. Injuries, drops, busted protection and a costly fourth-quarter gamble all piled into one ugly finish as Denver left with the win.
Justin Herbert’s day summed up the frustration. He led a 9:28 drive to open the third quarter and finished it with a short touchdown to third-string tight end Hayden Rucci, tying the score at 10. Herbert also ran well, but the game turned on two plays that crushed the Chargers’ chance: a monster fumble loss when he was hit by his lineman’s foot, and a late interception that wiped out the rest of the effort.
The backfield at least delivered some life. Kimani Vidal ripped off a 42-yard touchdown run behind excellent blocking and through tackles to put the Chargers ahead 17-10. Keaton Mitchell flashed some ability as a receiver, while Omarion Hampton remained absent from the picture.
The passing game, though, was barely hanging on. Ladd McConkey dressed despite a bad foot but did not play.
Tre Harris emerged as the top option, though that came with the kind of dropped pass that undercut the moment, and he later got hurt and exited. Quentin Johnston was out as well, which at least meant there was a chance for fewer drops.
The tight end group took damage too, and Theo “?” Wease was among the pass catchers who managed to haul one in.
Up front, the Chargers were piecing it together with a makeshift starting five: LT Travis Burke; LG Logan Taylor; C Jake Slaughter; RG Cole “Holding Isn’t” Strange and RT Alex Harkey. Four of those five were rookies, and Strange was the only one of the group initially viewed as a starter when camp began. Rashawn Slater was out after ankle surgery and is expected to miss four weeks, while Joe Alt missed the game with a neck issue.
The defense did enough in several spots to keep the Chargers alive. Teair Tart flashed his ability, though not without an offside penalty mixed in.
Jamaree Caldwell recorded a tackle for loss, and the run defense held up. At linebacker, Akheem Mesidor finally got on the board with a sack, Tuli Tuipulotu forced a fumble on Bo Nix and recovered it, and also batted down a pass.
Del’Shawn Phillips got a hand on another throw that replay did not reward, while Daiyan Henley kept stacking tackles and continued to shine in coverage.
There were problems on the back end, too. Derwin James was out again.
Tarheeb Still drew a pass interference flag on an uncatchable pass, and Tony Jefferson got hit with a similar call on another underthrown ball. Cam Hart was beaten deep early.
RJ Mickens was flagged for a facemask near the goal line, setting up Denver’s first touchdown, and Genesis Smith made a key tip before losing track of a later touchdown pass.
Special teams gave the Chargers a clean start when Cameron Dicker opened the scoring with a 42-yard field goal, but a holding penalty on a punt flipped field position in Denver’s favor.
Jim Harbaugh had his wounded roster ready to go, but his biggest swing came in the fourth quarter with the Chargers leading 17-10. He chose to go for it on fourth-and-1, Herbert didn’t convert, and Denver took over with a short field that turned into the win.
The decision made sense in the moment, but it handed the Broncos exactly what they needed. Harbaugh also has to know timeouts are precious.
Now it’s on to Kansas City, where the Chargers face a Chiefs team they’ve generally pushed hard in the Patrick Mahomes era. This one, though, looks different. With this many injuries and this many problems, it’s hard to picture this version of the Chargers getting back on the road and pulling off the kind of rescue they’d need.
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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
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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 🡒]