INGLEWOOD, Calif. — After finding themselves down 21-13 at halftime on Thursday night against the Denver Broncos, questions emerged about the Los Angeles Chargers’ resilience, especially following a dismal four-quarter performance earlier in the season. They answered those concerns decisively, staging a comeback that solidified their playoff ambitions with a 34-27 victory.
Quarterback Justin Herbert threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns, playing a key role in the Chargers’ turnaround. His 19-yard touchdown strike to Derius Davis early in the fourth quarter gave Los Angeles the momentum it needed to seize the lead. With this win, the Chargers (9-6) now have a 97% chance of making the playoffs, and could secure a spot for the second time in three years if both Indianapolis and Miami suffer losses this Sunday.
“It was a total team effort by everyone. It was phenomenal,” commented head coach Jim Harbaugh. “The test and challenge is how you are going to respond. They went back to work and stayed the course.”
A remarkable highlight of the evening was Cameron Dicker’s successful fair-catch kick from 57 yards, marking the first successful attempt of its kind in the NFL in nearly half a century, bringing the score to 21-13 just before halftime.
On the flip side, the Broncos (9-6) faced disappointment as their four-game winning streak came to an end, despite having an 85% probability of making the playoffs. They face challenging upcoming matches against Cincinnati and Kansas City. “Obviously, a disappointing loss,” remarked Denver coach Sean Payton. “We had a fast start, and then uncharacteristically this season, we didn’t finish or play nearly well enough in the second half.”
Denver seemed poised to secure their first playoff berth since 2015 when they quickly built a 21-10 lead after scoring on their first three drives. However, following a 41-yard field goal by Wil Lutz that temporarily put the Broncos ahead 24-13, the Chargers responded aggressively.
“The first three drives, 21 points, and then just kind of stalled,” said quarterback Bo Nix, who completed 29 of 40 passes for 263 yards and two touchdowns. He expressed frustration over the inability to maintain momentum, noting that they faced the same Chargers defense in the second half but could not capitalize.
Running back Gus Edwards, who rushed for 68 yards on 14 carries, scored twice for the Chargers, including a 5-yard dash that reduced the deficit to 24-19. Unfortunately, attempts at a two-point conversion failed when Herbert was denied at the goal line. Earlier, Edwards had tied the game with a 1-yard plunge in the first quarter.
After the Broncos went three-and-out again, L.A. seized its first lead of the night. On first-and-10 from the Denver 19, Herbert scrambled and delivered a stunning pass to Davis, who turned the reception into a touchdown with 12:29 left on the clock. “I scrambled out, saw the pressure and he just turned upfield and made an incredible play,” Herbert noted.
Herbert connected with Joshua Palmer on a two-point conversion, making it a 27-24 game after Palmer executed a remarkable one-handed catch in the end zone. The Chargers sealed their victory with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Herbert to Hassan Haskins with only 2:27 remaining.
Lutz added a 55-yard field goal for Denver, narrowing the score to within a touchdown, but the Chargers secured the win when Nick Niemann recovered the onside kick, crushing any hopes for a Denver comeback. Herbert showcased his versatility, distributing the ball to ten different receivers, highlighted by Ladd McConkey’s six receptions for 87 yards.
Nix had previously thrown two touchdown passes in the first half, demonstrating efficient play by completing 15 of 21 passes for 155 yards before halftime.
The action kicked off when Audric Estime’s 3-yard run put the Broncos ahead 7-0 in the opening quarter, marking just the third occasion this season that Denver scored on its initial drive.
Reflecting on the season’s struggles, the Chargers had faced a rough stretch, being outscored 48-13 over a four-quarter span that included a poor end to the previous game against Tampa Bay. At halftime, rather than Harbaugh leading the discussion, it was safety Derwin James who took charge and motivated his teammates to step up their game. “It’s time for us to play our best ball in December, January,” he said.
Despite climbing to a commanding position early in the game, the Broncos only managed 107 yards after halftime. The Chargers’ unique ability to execute a seldom-used fair-catch kick was underscored when Denver’s Tremon Smith committed a penalty that allowed Dicker’s historic attempt.
In injury news for Los Angeles, safety Marcus Maye (ankle) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (hamstring) exited the game and did not return.
Looking ahead, the Broncos are scheduled to face Cincinnati on December 28, while the Chargers will be up against New England on the same day.