Bo Nix didn’t put together a dazzling stat line Sunday, but he did enough to get the Broncos exactly what they needed.
Denver went into Los Angeles and walked out with a 23-17 win over the Chargers, a result shaped by a tight fourth quarter and a late defensive takeaway. In a matchup between two former Oregon Ducks quarterbacks, Nix finished 16 of 27 for 123 yards and a touchdown, while Justin Herbert went 14 of 24 for 121 yards with a touchdown, an interception and 54 rushing yards on six carries.
The loss dropped the Chargers to 0-5 in what has become a rough start for third-year coach Jim Harbaugh, who was expected to build a winner around Herbert. Denver, meanwhile, moved to 3-2 and stayed tied with the Las Vegas Raiders at 3-2 for second place in the AFC West.
The game turned into a back-and-forth fight after the Broncos held a 10-3 lead in the third quarter. Herbert answered with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Rucci to tie it at 10-10, and the Chargers later took a 17-10 lead in the fourth.
Nix helped Denver answer right back. He found Courtland Sutton on a 5-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 17-17 with 8:53 left, then directed a drive that ended with Wil Lutz knocking through a 19-yard field goal to put the Broncos ahead 20-17.
That wasn’t the end of it. On the Chargers’ next possession, Denver safety Brandon Jones picked off Herbert and returned it 7 yards to the Chargers’ 34-yard line. A few plays later, Lutz added a 36-yard field goal to push the Broncos’ lead to 23-17 with 1:08 remaining.
Herbert still had one last shot, getting Los Angeles to the Denver 39-yard line with three seconds left. But the final play ended with Herbert being sacked as time expired.
The Broncos will host the Chargers in Week 18, with the date and time still to be determined.
In Other News...
Big Ten Weighs In On Controversial Ending To UCLAs Biggest Win
UCLAs 17-15 road win over Oregon already had the feel of a game that would linger, mostly because the Bruins leaned on their defense and left the Ducks chasing a result that slipped away in the fourth quarter. The finish turned on a sequence that had everyone in Autzen looking twice, as Oregon came up short on two separate two-point tries while trying to keep pace in a one-possession game.
The postgame conversation only grew louder once the Big Ten acknowledged an officiating error on the spot of the ball for the second conversion attempt and released a statement saying it had reviewed the play and remains committed to consistent rule application. For Oregon, that does not change the result, but it does add another layer to a loss that will be replayed for a long time whenever the Ducks look back at how close they came. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Biggest Early Problem Starts With A Troubling Offensive Line Miss
Oregons early-season offensive problems have been easy to see and even easier to trace back to the front five. The Ducks have not gotten the run game going the way they expected, and the pass protection has been shaky enough to make life harder on backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, even with talented backs in the room. It has left a roster that should be able to move the ball looking out of sync in the one area that usually gives a team its identity.
Dan Lanning has already acknowledged the evaluation miss, saying the staff believed too much in its in-house offensive line talent after losing key pieces and did not lean enough on the transfer portal to patch the group. For Oregon, that is the uncomfortable part: this is not just about one bad game or one bad stretch, but about a foundational issue that can ripple through everything the Ducks want to do on offense. The line has to stabilize first, and until it does, the rest of the attack is stuck waiting. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Has A Dylan Raiola Reunion Brewing With One Big Catch
With Dante Moore still in concussion protocol, Oregon is heading into its matchup with Nebraska with the quarterback picture unsettled, and that naturally puts Dylan Raiola back in the spotlight. The backup arrived with plenty of buzz and has already shown the range that comes with being thrust into a bigger role, following a strong showing against USC before a rough night in the loss to UCLA.
Raiolas next chance could come against the school he once called home, which gives this game a little extra weight even before the kickoff. For Oregon, it is less about the reunion angle than the practical question of who will be under center, and that uncertainty leaves the Ducks waiting on a decision that could shape the way this trip unfolds. [Read more 🡒]