Broncos Rally Past Winless Chargers 23-17
Denver scores 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to secure their first division win.
Wil Lutz kicked a go-ahead 19-yard field goal with 5:07 remaining, lifting the Denver Broncos over the winless and mistake-prone Los Angeles Chargers 23-17 on Sunday.
Lutz’s 36-yarder with 1:08 left extended the lead and finished a run of 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter for the Broncos (3-2). Denver earned its first division win and first victory at SoFi Stadium since 2023 with coach Sean Payton calling the plays, a duty he took over earlier in the week. The Broncos won without injured cornerbacks Pat Surtain II (ankle) and Riley Moss (ribs).
The Chargers, who also started 0-5 in 2023, struggled with a decimated offensive line that featured four rookies protecting quarterback Justin Herbert. Herbert completed 14 of 24 passes for 121 yards, with one touchdown and one interception, and was sacked five times.
Courtland Sutton caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix midway through the fourth quarter to tie the score at 17. The Broncos regained possession after Herbert came up short on a fourth-and-1 attempt.
The Chargers' subsequent drive stalled when Zach Allen sacked Herbert for an 8-yard loss, forcing a fumble that was recovered by Denver's Que Robinson. After Lutz's go-ahead field goal, Herbert fumbled again but recovered. He then gained 12 yards on a scramble before being intercepted by Brandon Jones on fourth down.
Los Angeles had taken a 17-10 lead late in the third quarter on Kimani Vidal’s 42-yard touchdown run, which came the play after Tuli Tuipulotu forced and recovered a fumble on a Bo Nix scramble attempt. Nix finished the game 16 of 27 for 123 yards and one touchdown.
Herbert had tied the game 10-all in the third quarter with his first career touchdown pass, a 7-yard completion to Hayden Rucci. Herbert set up the score with a 23-yard quarterback sweep.
The Broncos initially led 7-0 in the first quarter after J.K. Dobbins scored on a 2-yard run, following a face mask penalty on the Chargers. Los Angeles cut the deficit to 7-3 with Cameron Dicker’s 42-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Lutz’s 42-yard field goal restored Denver’s lead to 10-3 on the ensuing possession. During that drive, coach Jim Harbaugh unsuccessfully challenged two calls, dropping his career challenge success rate to 16 of 45.
