The Broncos didn’t commit a leverage penalty this week, but they found themselves in the same position that they did at the end of their Week 2 loss to the Colts.
Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker knocked home a 43-yard field goal as time expired to lift his team to a 23-20 home win over their AFC West rivals. The win moves the Chargers to 3-0 for the first time since 2022.
The win ended a rollercoaster game. The Chargers jumped out to a 10-0 lead, but the Broncos got a touchdown just before halftime and then scored 10 quick points in the third quarter. After the team’s traded field goals, Justin Herbert and the Chargers got the ball with a little over five minutes to play.
Herbert was sacked five times and hit 14 times, but he was able to find enough time to complete passes to Keenan Allen and Omarion Hampton for first downs. The pressure returned a couple of plays later, but Herbert evaded it long enough to whip a pass to Allen in the back of the end zone to tie the score.
The Broncos went three-and-out when Bo Nix overthrew an open Courtland Sutton on a deep ball and Herbert hit three straight passes to move the Chargers over midfield. A Hampton run and Ladd McConkey catch got them into field goal range and Dicker made them winners.
Herbert was 28-of-47 for 300 yards and threw an interception in addition to the touchdown. Hampton ran 19 times for 70 yards and caught six passes for 59 yards as he took on a bigger role in the wake of Najee Harris’ departure. Harris appeared to tear his Achilles, although there’s been no specific word from the Chargers about his condition yet.
Sutton had six catches for 118 yards and J.K. Dobbins ran 11 times for 83 yards and a touchdown against his former team, but the Broncos went three-and-out six times during an inconsistent offensive performance. Bo Nix was 14-of-25 for 153 yards and a touchdown as the Broncos fell to 1-2 on the season.
The Broncos will head back home to host the Bengals on Monday night in Week 4. The Chargers will cross the country to take on the Giants next Sunday.
Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins had negative-four rushing yards in the first half on Sunday, but the team found a way to get him going to kick off the third quarter.
Dobbins broke loose for a 41-yard run on the Broncos’ first play and then ran for six yards on the next one. Play three was a 19-yarder that ended in the end zone and put the Broncos up 14-10.
That marked a sudden change as Denver went the first 29-plus minutes of the game without scoring any points.
They didn’t have to wait long to extend that lead. Derius Davis fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Broncos are up 17-10 after a Wil Lutz field goal.
The Chargers have a lead at halftime of Sunday’s game against the Broncos, but they lost a key offensive contributor during the second quarter.
Running back Najee Harris went down without being contacted on a Justin Herbert pass to wide receiver Quentin Johnston. The injury had all the hallmarks of a torn Achilles — it was Harris’ left leg — but the team has only confirmed that he is out for the rest of this game.
The Chargers finished off the drive when Harris was hurt with a 22-yard pass to Johnston that set up a short touchdown run by rookie Omarion Hampton. That pushed their lead to 10-0 with 1:53 left to play in the half.
Chargers right guard Mekhi Becton also left the game to be evaluated for a head injury.
The Chargers dominated possession in the first half, but three sacks of Justin Herbert helped keep them from adding to their point total. Herbert is 10-of-20 for 128 yards and Johnston has five catches for 77 yards.
The Broncos only picked up two first downs over their first four possessions and they got one more before facing a fourth-and-2 near midfield with under a minute to play. Bo Nix faked a pitch and the Chargers defense bit because Courtland Sutton was running wide open down the field. Nix floated a pass into his hands and the 52-yard touchdown cut the Chargers’ lead to 10-7 at the break.
Linebacker Daiyan Henley is available for the Chargers on Sunday.
Henley was listed as questionable to face the Broncos because of an illness, but he is not on the team’s inactive list. The Chargers placed Denzel Perryman on injured reserve, so the news means they’ll still have one of their original starters at the position.
Cornerback Cam Hart (hip) was also listed as questionable, but he is inactive. Safety Elijah Molden, linebacker Emany Johnson, wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith, tight end Will Dissly, and defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia are also out for the Chargers.
The Broncos ruled tight end Evan Engram out on Friday. Defensive end Sai’vion Jones, linebacker Que Robinson, tackle Frank Crum, quarterback Sam Ehlinger, and running back Jaleel McLaughlin are the other scratches.
The Broncos have placed linebacker Dre Greenlaw on injured reserve, Zac Stevens of DNVR reports. The plan is for Greenlaw to get his injured quad 100 percent healed before returning as soon as Week 7 against the Giants.
He is required to miss at least four games.
Greenlaw missed all of the offseason program after hurting his quad while working out in April. The initial report was a tear, but the team clarified it was a strain and Greenlaw would miss only eight weeks.
Greenlaw returned in time for training camp but then left practice early on July 31. He has not seen the field since.
He signed a three-year, $35 million deal with Denver in the offseason. That after missing all but two games in 2024 while recovering from an Achilles tear in the Super Bowl.
