The Chargers had a choice between punting or trying to convert a fourth down in their own territory with just over 10 minutes to play in Sunday’s game against the Broncos and head coach Jim Harbaugh opted to go for it.
A sneak with quarterback Justin Herbert went nowhere and the Broncos took over at the Chargers’ 41-yard line. Bo Nix hit Courtland Sutton for a first down, picked up seven yards on a run and then hit Jaylen Waddle for another first down while being roughed by Chargers safety Tony Jefferson. Nix hit Sutton for a five-yard score a couple of plays later and it is 17-17 with under nine minutes to play in Los Angeles.
Harbaugh’s choice will be questioned either way, but it will really be in the spotlight if the Chargers fall to 0-5. The Broncos did not have a first down in the second half before the touchdown drive and punting would have forced them to drive much more of the field to draw even.
Now it’ll be up to the Chargers to make that a less pointed decision. It won’t help the Broncos that safety Talanoa Hufanga is out with an ankle injury.
Broncos Clips
The Chargers have another chance to protect a second half lead for their first win of the 2026 season.
Running back Kimani Vidal rumbled for a 42-yard touchdown one play after the Chargers’ defense forced a turnover. Los Angeles now leads the Broncos 17-10 with less than a minute left to play in the third quarter.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix scrambled out of the pocket and lost the ball while being tackled by Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipilotu, Tuipilotu recovered the ball and Vidal broke loose one play later.
The Chargers opened the third quarter with a 10-minute drive that ended with Justin Herbert flipping a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hayden Rucci. After gaining 74 yards in the first half, the Chargers are already up to 140 in the second half.
Sean Payton’s return to calling the offensive plays for the Broncos has not resulted in a major change in fortune for the unit, but they did enough to take a lead into halftime for the first time this season.
Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga stripped Chargers tight end Charlie Kolar of the ball on the first Chargers possession of the afternoon and running back J.K. Dobbins ran for a touchdown a few plays later to stake the Broncos to an early 7-0 lead. The two teams traded field goals from there and it is 10-3 Broncos at the break.
Dobbins had 10 carries for 24 yards and Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is 10-of-16 for 82 yards, but the Broncos are just 1-of-7 on third downs so far on Sunday. That’s kept them from catching fire, but their defense has done the same to the Chargers.
Los Angeles has 74 offensive yards and they’ve gone 1-of-6 on their third down opportunities. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has resisted making the kind of move that Payton made this week with offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, but there’s no sign that things are getting any better for the Chargers.
Wide receiver Ladd McConkey will be available for the Chargers as they try to avoid an 0-5 start to the season on Sunday.
McConkey was listed as questionable to play with a foot injury on Friday’s injury report, but he avoided the inactive list for the home game against the Broncos. McConkey has 12 catches for 183 yards and a touchdown so far this season,
The Chargers ruled wide receiver Quentin Johnston, right tackle Joe Alt, cornerback Donte Jackson, guard Kayode Awosika, wide receiver Brenen Thompson, and safety Derwin James out on Friday. Cornerback Rodney Shelley is the only other inactive player.
Cornerbacks Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss were ruled out after being injured in Week 4. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger, defensive lineman Jordan Jackson, defensive lineman Tyler Onyedim, offensive lineman Kage Casey, and tight end Dallen Bentley are also out.
During the Week 3 win over the Rams, Broncos offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz manhandled L.A. defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Meinerz promptly received a notice of a drug test — and he posted it on social media.
To no surprise, the NFL has responded by disciplining Meinerz.
Via Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post, Meinerz was fined $15,000 for posting the notice of the PED test. Gabriel adds that Meinerz is appealing the punishment.
The current policy is as clear as it can be: "[A]ny recording or photography of any stage of the collection process via any media (audio or visual), including but not limited to screen shots of testing notifications, video of the collectors or the collection of a specimen, and sharing such information via any social media is not permitted. A player found in violation of the rule prohibiting unauthorized recording of the collection process and sharing such information on social media will be subject to a fine of $15,000.”
That’s what Meinerz did. The negotiated terms of the PED policy prohibit it. The situation is as open and shut as it can be.
The Chargers announced a flurry of roster moves ahead of Sunday’s game against the Broncos, including quarterback Trey Lance’s move to injured reserve.
Lance had already been ruled out for this week with a groin injury and he will miss at least four games as a result of Saturday’s move. DJ Uiagalelei will be Justin Herbert’s backup.
The Chargers also placed offensive lineman Trevor Penning on injured reserve. They put left tackle Rashawn Slate on the list Friday, which left them with three open spots on the active roster.
Fullback Scott Matlock and offensive lineman Branson Taylor will fill two of them after being activated from injured reserve. Wide receiver Theo Wease was signed off of the practice squad to fill the remaining slot.
The Chargers elevated offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill and cornerback Isas Waxter from the practice squad to round out the day’s moves. Both players will revert back after the game against Denver.
Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb’s job description underwent a dramatic change this week.
Webb took over as the team’s offensive playcaller during the offseason, but head coach Sean Payton took that role back after the unit’s sluggish play through the first four weeks of the season. During a Friday press conference, Webb was asked if he thinks four games was long enough to make a decision about sticking with the status quo.
“Luckily that’s not my job, that’s [Payton’s] job,” Webb said, via Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post. “Obviously I think he answered that. I think the world of him and how we’ve gone about it. Really the ownership to our players. It’s not ideal, but in the same breath, it’s exciting because we’re 2-2 in the first four games. Our first four opponents were a combined 13-3 to start the season. Welcome to the league.”
Webb said that he knows Payton is “itching” to call plays again and said he’s “excited to see how our team responds” to the shift even though he’s disappointed by how things have played out to this point.
“Any time it happens in any aspect of your life job-wise it is a little bit, but, in the same breath, that’s the NFL. You get going,” Webb said. “Been a backup QB, been up and down before, that’s kind of how it goes.”
Webb noted that he still has a big hand in the weekly operations and in discussions about the game plan, but calling plays was a significant shift in his responsibilities. It’s hard to put any positive spin on it from an individual point of view, but improved play for the Broncos is Payton’s chief goal.
The Broncos ruled out both of their starting cornerbacks for Sunday’s game against the Chargers.
Pat Surtain II (ankle) and Riley Moss (ribs) were both injured in last weekend’s loss to the 49ers. Neither player took part in practice this week.
Wide receiver Pat Bryant also missed practice all week with an ankle injury and the Broncos confirmed that he’s been placed on injured reserve. He’ll have to miss at least four games before he’ll be eligible to return to action.
The Broncos filled Bryant’s roster spot by signing wide receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey off of their practice squad. Humphrey has appeared in one game this season.
Denver also announce that they have signed defensive back Ugo Amadi to their practice squad.
The Chargers won’t have either of their starting offensive tackles for Sunday’s game against the Broncos.
They confirmed that left tackle Rashawn Slater is headed to injured reserve after having ankle surgery and they ruled out right tackle Joe Alt with a neck injury. The Chargers got plenty of experience playing without both players last season, but their absence won’t help their chances of winning for the first time this season.
Safety Derwin James was around for all of last season, but he’ll also be missing this weekend. He’s been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Slater, James, and Alt will have plenty of company on the sideline. The Chargers also ruled out wide receiver Quentin Johnston (chest), wide receiver Brenen Thompson (quad), offensive lineman Kayode Awosika (fibula), cornerback Donte Jackson (hamstring), and offensive lineman Trevor Penning (concussion).
Quarterback Trey Lance (groin) is listed as doubtful. DJ Uiagalelei is the other option to back up Justin Herbert against Denver.
Tight end Charlie Kolar (forearm), fullback Scott Matlock (foot), wide receiver Ladd McConkey (foot), guard Branson Taylor (neck), and cornerback Rodney Shelley (hamstring) are all listed as questionable.
Broncos head coach Sean Payton said on Wednesday that he didn’t think wide receiver Pat Bryant would be placed on injured reserve, but it appears something has changed about Denver’s view of the wideout’s ankle injury.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports on Friday that the team will place Bryant on injured reserve. He was injured in last Sunday’s loss to the 49ers.
Bryant will miss at least the next four games. The Broncos will visit the Chargers on Sunday and then host the Seahawks on Thursday night in Week 6. A trip to Arizona and a visit from the Chiefs make up the rest of that quartet.
Bryant has nine catches for 133 yards and a touchdown so far this season.
