The Denver Broncos looked horrible for three and a half quarters against the Los Angeles Chargers, but at least made the score respectable.
Those concerns about the Denver Broncos offense that always seemed to right itself before the concerns could gain any steam have come back with a vengeance. There is no blaming the weather or crowd noise. This is a perfect day of a football in Denver and the Broncos offense didn’t look like it belonged in the NFL. The Los Angeles Chargers defense dominated for three and a half quarters.
Then Bo Nix showed why he might be a player in this league. He made the plays on third down and fourth downs to put up two fourth quarter touchdowns and a field goal to make it a one-score game. He gave fans hope, but the early game offensive and defensive struggles were just too much to overcome for Denver. The defense had carried them all season, but they finally had a tough game. They held to field goals early, but the onslaught of third down conversions led to an onslaught of touchdowns too and a 23-point fourth quarter lead.
Few teams can overcome that kind of fourth quarter deficit and these Broncos were no different. At 3-3, they have a short week to take on the New Orleans Saints and have more questions then answers at this point.
First Quarter
Every concern about the Broncos 3-2 start was on full display to start the game. Bo Nix’s first pass was intercepted and the offense in general would finish with just 26 total yards and one first down in the first quarter.
Tipped and picked! @Chargers with an early turnover.
: #LACvsDEN on CBS/Paramount+
: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/bGGcPdUYUL— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024
Meanwhile, the Chargers scored on both of their finished drives in the first quarter for an early 10-0 lead. No doubt that was helped by Pat Surtain’s concussion that knocked the star cornerback out of the game after the first defensive play.
It was about the worst quarter possible for the start of the game for Denver.
Chargers 10, Broncos 0. Read full first quarter recap.
Second Quarter
The Chargers continued putting on a clinic on offense and defense in the first half. Their offense would eat up half the quarter on one 20-play drive. While the Broncos would hold them to a field goal, the Broncos’ offense had no answer against the Chargers’ defense.
Chargers had the ball for 20 plays and went like 4 for 4 on 3rd downs. Only ended with 3 points but a quick 3 and out by the offense will put a very tired defense back on the field.
Nix and the offense needs to put together a drive and score some points
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) October 13, 2024
After that 20-play drive, the Broncos offense seemed to start to get some momentum going. Unfortunately, Javonte Williams would cough up the football near midfield to negate what was a promising offensive series.
That was the straw that broke the Broncos’ backs. Whatever hopes they had of overcoming the early deficit evaporated. JK Dobbins would power his way into the end zone with a minute left in the half to put the Chargers up big at halftime.
Chargers 20, Broncos 0. Read full second quarter recap.
Third Quarter
The Broncos biggest play of the game came during their first drive of the second half. After nearly being sacked, Bo Nix broke from Bud Dupree’s grasp and took off for a 21-yard gain. It was the first time all day that the fans had something noteworthy to cheer. Unfortunately, the offense would then go incompletion, incompletion, delay of game, illegal formation, and incompletion after that big play to punt it right back to the Chargers.
Meanwhile, the Chargers began their next drive inside their own 10 yard line and marched right down the field converting third and long after third and long. The Denver defense would hold to a field goal on that drive, but with zero offensive help it didn’t matter.
Chargers 23, Broncos 0. Read full third quarter recap.
Fourth Quarter
The Broncos offense finally surpassed 100 total yards on the day early in the fourth quarter. They got into Chargers territory before being faced with a fourth and two just outside of field goal range. They’d obviously go for it down by 23 points. Bo Nix would find rookie Devaughn Vele who was open and powered his way all the way down to the Chargers two yard line for a 37-yard gain.
Devaughn Vele with the catch and run to set up first and goal for the @Broncos!
: #LACvsDEN on CBS/Paramount+
: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/qMIbJQykE2— NFL (@NFL) October 13, 2024
Nix would fire in a pass to Troy Franklin in the back of the end zone to finally get Denver on the board capping a 95-yard scoring drive to make the score Chargers 23, Broncos 7.
Getting fans hopes up some, the Broncos defense then came out and stonewalled Herbert and the offense into a three-and-out after a Justin Strnad sack on third down. Mims then returned the punt to the Broncos 37 yard line.
Bo Nix found Courtland Sutton for a big gain and then hit Vele gain for another first down to streak the Broncos to the Chargers 25-yard line. Things faltered from there after a few incompletions. Nix got a pass to Javonte Williams to setup a fourth and five where he would take off for a first down scramble to the 15 yard line. Nix then lobbed a pass to the end zone where Courtland Sutton made a play only Sutton makes for the touchdown.
Bo Nix hits Courtland Sutton for a highlight reel touchdown catch pic.twitter.com/KtqVeHGwLU
— MileHighReport (@MileHighReport) October 13, 2024
After a failed two-point conversion, the Chargers went back to the ground game to run out the clock on their two score lead. And run the clock out they would until there just wasn’t enough time for the Broncos to make any kind of legitimate comeback attempt.
At least the final score didn’t end up looking as bad as it should have, but the Broncos offense has got to figure out how to find some consistency moving forward. It’s maddening to watch them try to function as an NFL offense at times.
Chargers 23, Broncos 16.