New week, same ending. A walk-off 43-yard field goal from the Chargers’ Cameron Dicker sent the Broncos home with a losing record and marked two weeks in a row in which Denver has lost on a field goal as time expired.
A three-point margin and nail-biting result felt fitting for this clash of AFC West rivals and 2024 playoff teams. The Chargers took a 10-0 lead in the second quarter, but in one four-minute stretch of regulation, Denver compiled a 52-yard touchdown from Bo Nix to Courtland Sutton, a 41-yard rumble and 19-yard touchdown from J.K. Dobbins, a Jonah Elliss forced fumble on the ensuing kickoff and a Wil Lutz field goal. That sequence flipped a 10-0 deficit into a 17-10 Denver lead, and heading into the fourth quarter, the Broncos positioned themselves well for a 1-0 start in the division.
Denver couldn’t hold on. The Broncos turned first-and-goal at the Chargers’ five-yard line into just three points and went three-and-out on their final two drives, while Herbert rallied the Chargers to a game-tying touchdown drive midway through the quarter and directed the game-winning drive with under two minutes remaining. Herbert’s 12-yard dart to Ladd McConkey set Dicker up for the game-winning points as time expired, dropping Denver to 1-2.
Let’s take a deeper dive into the Broncos’ 23-20 defeat:
By the Numbers: 20. The Chargers recorded 29 first downs, to just 9 for Denver. Given the staggering first-down differential, it’s a minor miracle that the game even came down to the final seconds of regulation. Denver’s offense relied on playmakers Courtland Sutton and J.K. Dobbins to spark touchdown drives, but Los Angeles fielded a more consistent offense on Sunday.
They Said It: “None of us go out and play a perfect game. I don’t want him to ever feel the pressure of needing to be perfect for us to go out there and be successful.” — WR Courtland Sutton on Bo Nix
Player Spotlight: J.K. Dobbins. Up against his previous team, J.K. Dobbins produced a performance that was emblematic of the entire offense on Sunday: dynamic in spurts, but lacking consistency. The Broncos started off the second half with a three-play, 66-yard drive — and Dobbins accounted for every yard. Capitalizing on red zone trips with touchdowns, a differentiator between the Broncos’ offense and the Chargers’ that kept Denver in the game, was another characteristic of the Dobbins-led drive. But outside of that three-play sequence, the veteran back tallied 17 yards on his other eight carries. With three touchdowns in his first three games as a Bronco, Dobbins has been a positive addition to Denver’s offense and has turned heads with his big-play ability, but Denver and its lead back couldn’t recapture that spark in the fourth quarter with the game on the line.
Turning Point: Bo Nix’s 52-yard touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton. The Broncos didn’t win on Sunday, but this major gamble on fourth down changed the complexion of the game. At the time, Denver was headed for a scoreless first half and was well outside of field-goal range on fourth down. Instead of looking just beyond the sticks to set up Wil Lutz for a difficult attempt to end the half, Bo Nix looked deep downfield and launched a pass to Courtland Sutton, who busted the Chargers’ coverage and took in the reception for a 52-yard touchdown pass. That strike cut the Broncos’ deficit to 10-7 at the break, which turned into a 17-10 Denver lead just minutes into the second half. Sutton finished the game with six receptions for 118 yards and the score.
Around the Division: The Broncos’ loss carries the added sting of divisional implications. With Sunday’s result, the Chargers have collected a win against each of the other teams in the AFC West and hold a two-game lead already. Las Vegas fell in blowout fashion to a Marcus Mariota-led Washington squad, while Kansas City earned its first win of the season in a Sunday Night Football road victory over the New York Giants. The Broncos’ chances to win the division aren’t obsolete with the loss — we’re still in September, after all — but they squandered a fourth-quarter lead over the top team in the division.
Closing Notes: One of the most impactful developments from the weekend came hours before kickoff. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who arrived from San Francisco as one of the Broncos’ premier free-agent pickups, has yet to make his Broncos debut while dealing with a thigh injury, and the wait is now confirmed to endure longer than most of Broncos Country anticipated. Denver put Greenlaw on its injured reserve, which frees up a roster spot but ensures that Greenlaw will miss the next four contests. The Broncos’ defense had standout moments in Weeks 1 and 3, but Greenlaw’s addition, once he’s healthy, could be the difference between a middle-of-the-pack unit and elite-level play. Payton addressed the situation after the game: “He’s been busting his tail. This will take a little bit of the pressure off… The last thing we want to do is have him come out too early and reinjure it.” … The Broncos’ supposedly easier games have proven to be difficult challenges this season — the Titans made Bo Nix look like a regression candidate, and the Colts lit up the Broncos’ vaunted unit for more than 470 total yards. Still, Denver’s Week 4 opponent, the Bengals, could be the Broncos’ prime opportunity to exact a blowout. Cincinnati is reeling from a 48-10 loss to Carson Wentz and the Minnesota Vikings and, sadly, will not have Joe Burrow for a couple more months due to a turf toe injury. Add in the prime-time spotlight and motivation from back-to-back gutting losses, and the Broncos have an ideal matchup for getting themselves back on course. … The Broncos’ defense allowed 300 passing yards to Justin Herbert, but their effort was admirable on Sunday. Brandon Jones picked off a pass for the Broncos’ first interception of the season and Jonah Elliss forced a pivotal fumbled kickoff return at the start of the second half, guiding the Broncos to a +2 advantage in turnover margin. Denver’s defense was at a disadvantage in the Chargers’ 36:20-23:40 lead in time of possession, yet held Los Angeles to one touchdown in three red zone trips. Ending the matchup by allowing a game-winning drive is a tough note to end on for this unit and the performance had its miscues, but Denver’s defense showed major strides after last week’s defensive debacle.
