INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Denver Broncos had a promising advantage of 11 points during the third quarter on Thursday night, as they aimed for a victory that would secure their place in the playoffs for the first time in eight years. However, the team witnessed a significant shift as the Los Angeles Chargers stormed back to claim a 34-27 win.
After the Broncos were outscored 21-6 in the latter half of the game, they now face an additional week of anticipation before having another opportunity to solidify a postseason berth. This most recent loss left the Broncos (9-6) reflecting on what could have been, particularly as they enter a holiday break filled with disappointment over their failure to maintain their early momentum.
“I just feel like the frustration comes from the fact that we knew we could have won this game, and we started the way we knew that we wanted to,” linebacker Jonathon Cooper expressed. “We just didn’t finish the way we wanted to. … Everybody is hurt. It’s a tough loss, a very tough loss. But we’ve just got to learn from it and come back next week stronger and focus on getting our 10th win.”
The Broncos seemed headed toward a commanding victory when they performed exceptionally well at the end of the first half. However, the blame for their collapse during the second half can be spread across various facets of the game, including offense, defense, and special teams, which allowed a rare opportunity for points off the NFL’s first successful fair-catch kick in 48 years just before halftime.
Initially, Denver demonstrated offensive prowess with impressive drives totaling 219 yards and three touchdowns. Unfortunately, the remainder of the night saw them only managing 136 yards and two field goals. After starting strong by converting their first three third-down attempts, they faltered with a dismal record of 2 for 10 afterward.
Bo Nix contributed 239 passing yards and two touchdowns during the contest, yet the Broncos’ struggles in the rushing department, amassing only 46 yards in the final three quarters, proved to be an insurmountable obstacle. While the Broncos recorded two sacks on quarterback Justin Herbert, he answered back by completing 11 of 16 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns during the second half. The Chargers engineered three touchdown drives of over 70 yards, exploiting the Broncos’ defensive weaknesses that had previously been so resilient.
Head Coach Sean Payton openly expressed his frustration while maintaining confidence despite the team’s shortcomings against the Chargers, coached by Jim Harbaugh. “It was disappointing because there was a lot at stake, and we know that,” Payton said. “We had a fast start. I was encouraged by that, and then uncharacteristically this season, we didn’t finish or play nearly well enough in the second half, both offensively and defensively. Time of possession. The third-down numbers. Our rushing numbers fell off in the second half. Credit Los Angeles for fighting their way back in, and we didn’t make enough plays in the end. So we go from there.”
Even with this setback, the Broncos can still clinch a playoff position with a victory in their next game. Regrettably, they missed out on an opportunity to break the franchise’s lengthy playoff drought following their Super Bowl win. Additionally, they faced a season sweep from the Chargers for the first time since 2010.
The Broncos are set to visit Cincinnati on Saturday, December 28, in a game crucial for the Bengals’ slim playoff aspirations. Their season finale will see them hosting the defending Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs. “We can’t allow ourselves to relax throughout quarters,” stated Broncos safety Patrick Surtain II. “I think today was definitely a moment where we realized that we let that one get away towards the end of the second half.”