Chargers Can't Complete Comeback in Denver

The Bolts had chances but did not take advantage against the Broncos

The Broncos made a whole lot of plays. The Chargers did not. The scoreboard at the end reflected that.

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was picked off three times (one of them not his fault), Josh Lambo missed a field goal and had an extra point attempt blocked and San Diego defenders dropped multiple balls that should have been intercepted to help Denver beat San Diego 27-19 on Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.

For the Chargers the game started much the same way as their previous meeting with the defending Super Bowl champs, a 21-13 Bolts win two weeks before at Qualcomm Stadium. Rivers led an 85-yard touchdown drive, finishing it off with a 7-yard touchdown pass to #85 Antonio Gates to put the Bolts on top 7-3.

After that the Chargers defense played really well, forcing four consecutive 3-and-outs where they allowed just three total yards of offense. But while the defense stood tall the San Diego offense flew off the rails.

The Chargers punted on three straight possessions before a wild series of events in the second quarter. Rivers was hit by DeMarcus Ware, causing the ball to come out funny. The play was originally ruled a fumble, which Denver recovered, but replay reversed it to an incomplete pass. On the next snap punter Drew Kaser was hit illegally, giving the Chargers the ball back.

After two straight penalties on right tackle Joe Barksdale, Rivers tried to hit wide receiver Tyrell Williams but the ball bounced right off Williams’ hands. Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby plucked it out of the air and ran 49 yards for a touchdown and a 10-7 Denver lead.

During the return, however, there was a moment that silenced the entire stadium. Broncos Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips, who held the same position with the Chargers under Marty Schottenheimer in the early-to-mid 2000’s, was inadvertently run over by San Diego running back Melvin Gordon. Phillips was down for several minutes and had to be taken to Denver hospital. At last report Phillips was alert, responsive and able to move all his extremities, hopefully a positive sign.

Before the break the Bolts had a chance to get a defensive score of their own. Defensive back Casey Hayward jumped a route but couldn’t make the interception. He would have run for a while, too, because the Broncos had nobody back to try and run him down. Hayward’s drop was one of at least three passes that should have been picked off but were not.

The Chargers had a shot to tie the game but Lambo missed a 45-yard field goal try, which is not a very long attempt in the thin air of Denver, so the Broncos led 10-7 at halftime.

Then things REALLY started going downhill for San Diego. The 3rd quarter started like this:

-    Rivers picked off by Darian Stewart.
-    Devontae Booker 3-yard touchdown run.
-    Rivers intercepted by T.J. Ward.

That is not the way to win on the road in the NFL. Luckily the Bolts forced a turnover of their own when linebacker Korey Toomer stripped Booker of the ball just short of the goal line. Fellow linebacker Jatavis Brown recovered it to get a little bit of momentum back.

Then Rivers final put together another good drive. The Bolts went 98 yards in 13 plays for a touchdown. The drive ended with Rivers finding Travis Benjamin for a dazzling 15-yard touchdown catch at the back of the end zone. But Lambo’s point-after try was blocked by Shaq Barrett so Denver still had a 17-13 lead.

The Broncos scored again to make it 24-13 when finally somebody held on to a football. Hayward grabbed a tipped pass and took it back 24 yards for a touchdown. The 2-point conversion was no good so the Bolts were down 24-19. After a Broncos field goal made it an 8-point game San Diego went back on offense with 5:19 to play.

This is where Gordon took over for a bit. He made a 30-yard catch then ripped off a 17-yard run. The drive got down to the 2-yard line where it was first and goal. Instead of trying a running play (Gordon had 108 yards on 22 carries to that point) the Chargers called four consecutive passes. All of them fell incomplete against one of the best pass defenses in the league.

The Chargers fall to 3-5 while the Broncos improve to 6-2. San Diego returns home to face the Tennessee Titans in a week.

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