Bo Nix didn’t need to be dazzling to outplay Justin Herbert on Sunday. He just needed to be steady, and that was enough for the Denver Broncos to walk out of Los Angeles with a 23-17 win in a matchup that pitted two former Oregon Ducks quarterbacks against each other.
Nix finished 16 of 27 for 123 yards and a touchdown. Herbert was nearly as efficient through the air, going 14 of 24 for 121 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while also adding 54 rushing yards on six carries. In the end, the Broncos made the key plays late and the Chargers came up empty again in a season that has gone off the rails.
Denver improved to 3-2 and stayed tied with the Las Vegas Raiders at 3-2 for second place in the AFC West. Los Angeles dropped to 0-5 under third-year coach Jim Harbaugh, a rough start for a team that was supposed to be built around Herbert.
The game kept swinging in the second half. The Chargers were trailing 10-3 in the third quarter when Herbert threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Rucci to tie it at 10-10. Then, with Los Angeles up 17-10 in the fourth quarter, Nix answered by finding Courtland Sutton on a 5-yard touchdown pass to knot the score at 17-17 with 8:53 left.
From there, Denver took control with just enough offense and one big defensive play. Nix directed a drive that ended with Wil Lutz drilling a 19-yard field goal to put the Broncos ahead 20-17. On the Chargers’ next possession, Brandon Jones stepped in front of Herbert’s throw, intercepted it, and returned it 7 yards to the Chargers’ 34-yard line.
A few plays later, Lutz added a 36-yard field goal, pushing Denver’s lead to 23-17 with 1:08 left.
Herbert still got Los Angeles moving one last time, taking the Chargers to the Denver 39-yard line with three seconds left. But the comeback died on the next snap when he was 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...
Oregon State Rolled But Two Concerns Still Followed The Beavers
Oregon States 66-14 win over San Diego State at Reser Stadium looked like the kind of complete performance a coach wants to bottle up and save for later. The Beavers controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides, with the offense rolling and the defense delivering a steady answer whenever the Aztecs tried to settle in. Jesse Legree was among the players who stood out, and the overall feel was of a team that dictated the game rather than reacting to it.
Still, the cleanest wins usually leave a few things to sort through, and this one was no exception. The return of Pac-12 referees added its own layer, with a handful of officiating mistakes mixed into the afternoon, while Oregon State also had some issues to clean up in the kicking game and at cornerback. After a lopsided result like this, those are the kinds of details that matter most, because better opponents tend to find every crack. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Now Faces A New Problem In Washington State Game
Washington State is adding a fresh wrinkle for Oregon State to sort out this week, with coach Kirby Moore turning to Owen Eshelman at quarterback. Eshelman redshirted last year and has been preparing as the starter, so the Beavers will now have to game-plan for a quarterback they have not seen in college action yet.
The move comes after Caden Pinnick struggled through the first six games, leaving Washington State in search of a spark on offense. For Oregon State, it means another layer of uncertainty in a matchup where the Cougars are trying to reset the position and make the Beavers adjust on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon State Gets Needed Reinforcements As One Injury Concern Grows
Oregon State is getting some welcome signs of help as the season moves along, even if the injury picture is still uneven. Receiver Xayvion Noland is expected to be available this week after missing the previous game, which gives the Beavers another option as they try to steady the offense and keep some rhythm going around a line that has been shorthanded.
The bigger concern remains on the defensive side, where linebacker Kord Shaw is not close to a return and appears unlikely to be back this season. Along the offensive front, there is some movement in the right direction: left tackle Josiah Timoteo has been practicing again, and interior lineman Carter Guillaume is edging nearer to being ready, giving Oregon State at least a little hope that its front could get healthier soon. [Read more 🡒]