With first place in the AFC West on the line, the Chargers lead the Broncos, 10-7, at halftime.
The Chargers got on the board first, with a big play from Quentin Johnston leading to a 32-yard Cameron Dicker field. It’s been the Los Angeles defense, though, that has stolen the show so far. The Broncos did not have a first down in the first quarter, going three-and-out on each of their first three possessions.
Bo Nix appeared to get going with a pair of downfield completions on the team’s fourth offensive drive, but he missed a major opportunity, just barely overshooting an open Marvin Mims on a deep ball. The speedy wide receiver had broken free of an otherwise-sticky defensive secondary, but the ball just glanced off his fingertips. That was, for the most part, the story of the first half for Denver.
The Chargers extended their lead to 10-0 just before halftime courtesy of Omarion Hampton’s first NFL touchdown. Earlier in the drive, Najee Harris went down with a non-contact injury, so Hampton will likely carry the ground game from here on out, and that was a good immediate response.
Finally, the Broncos broke through on their penultimate drive of the half. Facing a fourth-and-2 near midfield, Sean Payton called a timeout and drew up a deep ball to Courtland Sutton. The Chargers blowing the coverage — it looked like a miscommunication — made it an easy pitch and catch, and Nix made no mistake this time for a 52-yard score.
Be sure to follow along for the exciting finish below!
