Chargers extend their lead on another Cameron Dicker field goal
🏈 Chargers 23, Broncos 0 — 2:35 left in the third quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 46-yard field goal, his third field goal today, to extend the Chargers’ lead.
The play capped an 11-play, 63-yard drive for a Chargers team that has dominated time of possession (30:12 compared to 12:13 for the Broncos).
Wide receiver Simi Fehoko overcame tight coverage to make a spectacular 30-yard catch on third down early in the drive and Ladd McConkey caught a 14-yard pass on third down. The Chargers are 11 for 15 on third downs.
Justin Herbert has completed 21 of 32 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown.
Denver was able to stop the Chargers on their opening possession of the second half, but back-to-back offensive penalties forced the Broncos to punt at midfield. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix managed to scramble for 21 yards after breaking out of Bud Dupree sack attempt, but that has been the only Denver highlight in what has been a very stingy performance for the Chargers’ defense.
Chargers take 20-0 halftime lead on J.K. Dobbins touchdown run
🏈 Chargers 20, Broncos 0 — HALFTIME
J.K. Dobbins scored on a four-yard touchdown carry, fighting off a tackle from cornerback Levi Wallace to help give the Chargers a commanding lead just before halftime.
The play capped an impressive, 11-play, 56-yard drive that started when Teair Tart recovered a fumble when Khalil Mack stripped the ball away from Broncos running back Javonte Williams.
Tight end Will Dissly caught a 20-yard pass to help power the drive. Justin Herbert has been a force for the Chargers — he has completed 18 of 26 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown.
Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey walked off the field and into the sideline medical tent after catching a 12-yard pass.
Dobbins has 11 yards in 45 carries and rookie running back leads the Chargers with 40 receiving yards on two catches.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix has completed three or 10 passes for 22 yards.
Chargers extend their lead after 20-play drive
🏈 Chargers 13, Broncos 0 — 6:21 left in the second quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 33-yard field goal to cap a 20-play, 76-yard drive that fizzled in the red zone and burned more than 10 minutes off the clock.
Justin Herbert was stripped sacked on third and goal by Zach Allen and Jonathon Cooper before the field-goal try. Herbert has completed 13 of 19 passes for 143 yards so far.
Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (ankle) returned to the game during the drive. It was the most plays on a single Chargers drive since the team starting tracking the figure in 2001.
Chargers extend lead on Kimani Vidal’s first NFL touchdown
🏈 Chargers 10, Broncos 0 — 4:59 left left in the first quarter
Rookie running back Kimani Vidal caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert to extend the Chargers’ lead as coach Jim Harbaugh watched from the sideline.
Vidal beat coverage and stretched to make a full-sprint pass on an impressive pass from Herbert for his first NFL touchdown.
The score capped a six-play, 83-yard drive that included a 24-yard reception by Joshua Palmer.
It wasn’t all good news for the Chargers — veteran tight end Hayden Hurst (groin) is questionable to return as are defensive back Deane Leonard (hamstring) and guard Trey Pepkins (shoulder). Offensive tackle Rashawn Slater also made a brief trip to the sideline medical tent before returning to the game.
Jim Harbaugh is back on the sideline for Chargers
🏈 Chargers 3, Broncos 0 — 8:00 left in the first quarter
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh returned to the sideline with his head set on after a brief foray to the locker room because of illness.
In addition, wide receiver Ladd McConkey cleared concussion protocol.
Chargers take 3-0 lead as Jim Harbaugh deals with illness
🏈 Chargers 3, Broncos 0 — 9:19 left in the first quarter
With Jim Harbaugh not on the sideline, Cameron Dicker kicked a 20-yard field goal to give the Chargers an early lead.
Harbaugh left the sideline for the locker room with what the Chargers have described as an illness and it’s unclear if he will return. He left the field at the start of the Chargers’ first possession — a nine-play, 29-yard drive coming off an Elijah Molden interception.
Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is the acting head coach.
Harbaugh isn’t the only one out at the moment for the Chargers. Wide receiver Quentin Johnston was shown on camera hobbling off the field with an ankle injury and he is questionable to return.
In addition, wide receiver Ladd McConkey took a hard hit at the end of the drive and is being evaluated for a head injury.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh leaves the field for unknown reason
🏈 Chargers 0, Broncos 0 — 12:25 left in the first quarter
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh left the field on the team’s first possession of the game for an unknown reason. Shortly before kickoff, cameras caught Harbaugh going into the sideline medical tent. He was then spotted walking off the field toward the locker room with Chargers staff members.
Chargers cornerback Elijah Molden picked off Broncos quarterback Bo Nix’s first pass of the game to put the ball in Justin Herbert’s hands.
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Chargers players dressed and equipment managers tidied up the locker room after the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at SoFi Stadium. J.K. Dobbins sat motionless in his locker. The running back covered his head with a towel.
“I haven’t been in a place where I lost a lot, so I’m not used to it yet,” Dobbins said later. “And I won’t get used to it.”
The Chargers offense that emerged early as one of the most punishing running attacks in the NFL has faded into a two-game losing streak. Hampered by injuries and haunted by mistakes, the Chargers have scored just two touchdowns in their last 25 offensive drives entering Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos.
Chargers return from off week hoping for better returns on special teams
Compared to the blocking booby traps that were once set at all levels of the field, one condensed layer of opponents on a kickoff return seems easy enough to navigate for Derius Davis. But the NFL’s new kickoff rules are harder to solve than they appear, the Chargers kick returner said Wednesday.
The Chargers’ special teams unit has yet to break through under the league’s new dynamic kickoff rules. The team has returned only four kicks, averaging 21.3 yards per return that ranks 29th in the league.
Davis led the league in punt return average last season, but this year the Chargers are mustering just 9.7 yards per punt return with a league-low four attempts.
Returning from an early off week, the Chargers (2-2) expect the special teams dynamics to shift as the season progresses.
Chargers vs. Denver Broncos inactives for Sunday
Here are the players that won’t be suiting up for the Chargers and Broncos on Sunday:
‘He’s just that type of freak’: Chargers have the NFL’s only two-way player
Matt Holtry had no inside knowledge or crystal ball when he made the decision. The football coach at Homedale (Idaho) High had multiple options when choosing which of Scott Matlock’s jersey numbers to retire this summer.
An offensive lineman, defensive lineman and tight end at the small high school in Western Idaho, the Chargers’ 2023 sixth-round draft pick commonly changed jerseys on the sideline between drives.
The number that would be honored as Homedale’s first retired jersey, Holtry decided, would be 44, the one Matlock wore primarily as a star tight end. Holtry placed the red and white jersey in a frame for a ceremony in July.
Less than two months later, Matlock was wearing the number again in the Chargers’ powder blue and gold.
Justin Herbert and Bo Nix have long admired one another’s gridiron feats
He was a record-breaking quarterback at Oregon. A first-round draft pick to an AFC West team mired in mediocrity. He’s playing for a coach in his first year with the franchise.
Bo Nix knows Justin Herbert’s path.
“He’s one of those guys you look up to playing at Oregon,” Nix, the Denver Broncos quarterback, told reporters Wednesday before the former Oregon Ducks stars face each other in a critical AFC West game Sunday in Denver.
Before becoming the Chargers’ No. 5 pick, Herbert capped off a decorated Oregon career with a Pac-12 championship and Rose Bowl victory in 2019. The same year, Nix was the first true freshman in Auburn history to start a season-opener. He faced Herbert’s Ducks, throwing the game-winning touchdown with nine seconds left.
Besides healing injuries on off week, keep an eye on how Chargers mend their offense
There won’t be a redo, but for the injured Chargers, an early off week is at least a restart.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh called the team’s Week 5 bye “like starting the season over” after dropping to 2-2 with a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. A team that was without four starters in its last game because of injuries was in need of the break. More difficult tasks await in the next 13 weeks.
Chargers vs. Broncos: How to watch, prediction and betting odds
During his initial overview of the Chargers’ season schedule, offensive coordinator Greg Roman stopped short of cursing the team’s Week 5 off week, but he was at least “strongly speaking against it.”
“As it turns out,” Roman said this week, “it’s a gift from the football gods.”
The Chargers (2-2) lost consecutive games entering the off week, but won the break by progressing key players back from injury.
Ahead of Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos, offensive tackles Rashawn Slater (pectoral) and Joe Alt (knee) returned to practice for the first time since they were injured in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.