Chargers vs. Broncos live updates: Score, highlights from TNF

On December 20, 2024By Littum

The holiday season has arrived, which means the NFL playoff races are here too. There are three weeks left to play in the 2024 regular season, and Week 16 starts with Denver Broncos (9-5) travels to face Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) at SoFi Stadiumum.

These AFC West rivals meet for the second time this season. During week 6 Chargers defeated Broncos 23-16 in Denver.

The Broncos have been one of the most surprising teams in 2024 and are in the middle of the AFC playoff picture. Los Angeles enters Week 16 after a 40-17 loss to Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Entering tonight, these teams hold the sixth and seventh seeds in the AFC playoff chase, and a win on “Thursday Night Football” for Denver would ensure a playoff birth. A win for the Chargers would push them ahead of Denver as they would sweep the season series with their division rivals.

The Kansas City Chiefs has clinched the AFC West title for the ninth consecutive season, but the Chargers and Broncos are battling for second place and a playoff berth. Two well-respected coaches lead these teams – Jim Harbaugh for the Chargers and Sean Payton for the Broncos. A playoff atmosphere can be expected for this matchup.

USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the “Thursday Night Football” game between the Chargers and the Broncos under.

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It’s a five-point play after veteran running back Gus Edwards hit pay dirt from five yards out and the Chargers failed their two-point conversion attempt.

The Broncos still lead, 24-19, with under three minutes left in the third quarter.

Will Lutz attempted the first field goal of the night from 41 yards out and nailed it for the three points, giving Denver another two-score lead.

The Broncos hold a 24-13 lead with 8:31 left in the third quarter.

Near the start of the second half, the Chargers announced that linebacker Denzel Perryman is questionable to return to action after suffering a groin injury.

Troy Dye is listed as the linebacker behind him on the depth chart.

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh dug deep into the rule book for the final points of the first half. A 15-yard fair-catch interference penalty against the Broncos on a punt with no time left on the clock in the first half. The half cannot end on a defensive penalty, so the Chargers had an opportunity for an untimed down with 0:00 on the clock.

Harbaugh sent Cameron Dicker out to attempt a fair free kick. No Broncos players were allowed to rush and the play looked like a traditional kickoff, albeit from midfield and Dicker aimed for the uprights. Dicker’s 57-yard attempt was good, and it was the first successful free kick in the NFL since 1976. It was also the longest fair catch free kick in NFL history.

Ray Wersching was the last kicker to successfully make a free kick field goal, doing so for the Chargers against the Bills on November 21, 1976. Between Wersching’s free kick field goal and Dicker Thursday night, NFL kickers were 0-9 on such attempts.

It’s all about the rookies for Denver tonight! Filling in for the injured Riley Moss, Kris Abrams-Draine was the freshman freshman to impress against the Chargers.

The cornerback read Justin Herbert’s throw perfectly and secured the takeaway for the Broncos right in front of the goal line. That gave Denver the ball again at its own 18 with less than a minute to play.

Devaughn Vele, the seventh-round rookie out of Utah, caught a 6-yard pass from quarterback Bo Nix to give the Broncos a two-score lead. It was the final stretch of a six-play drive in which Denver attempted only the passing game.

It’s 21-10 Broncos with 6:22 left in the second quarter.

Broncos defensive end Zach Allen brought down running back Gus Edwards behind the line on a third-and-inch play. Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh elected to try the field goal on the ensuing fourth-and-3, and Cameron Dicker converted on his first field goal chance of the night.

It’s 14-10 Broncos with under nine minutes to play in the first half.

Denver running back Michael Burton ran a short route to the occasion, and quarterback Bo Nix made the easy throw for a 1-yard touchdown. It was the third score of the veteran’s 10-year career and the second in three weeks.

The Broncos lead 14-7 with just over 12 minutes left at halftime.

Both teams have a rushing touchdown through 15 minutes: Rookie Audric Estime has it for the Broncos, and veteran Gus Edwards was responsible for the Chargers’.

Denver has the ball at the Los Angeles 33-yard line on first-and-10 to begin the second quarter.

Los Angeles running back Gus Edwards drove his way through a pile and leaned forward for his third touchdown of the year. It also brought his team back, even with Denver only one drive after the Broncos took an early lead.

It’s 7-7 with three minutes left in the first quarter.

Chargers safety Marcus Maye, filling in for Elijah Molden, went to the locker room to receive X-rays on his ankle. The team listed him as questionable for the rest of the game.

Los Angeles’ safety depth will be further tested with Molden injured, Maye now questionable and Alohi Gillman on IR.

Audric Estime, the Broncos’ rookie running back from Notre Dame, trailed his blockers on a 3-yard touchdown run. His first career score was the icing on the cake on a 10-play, 72-yard drive by Denver to open the scoring.

It’s 7-0 Broncos halfway through the first quarter.

Date: Thursday 19 December 2024
Time: 8:15 PM ET

The Chargers and Broncos the game starts Week 16 of the 2024 NFL season with “Thursday Night Football” at 8:15 PM ET.

Live stream: Amazon Prime video

“Thursday Night Football” will be available to stream exclusively Amazon Prime video.

Watch “Thursday Night Football” with an Amazon Prime Video subscription

Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) will be in the broadcast booth for Prime Videowith Kaylee Hartung (sideline) and Terry McAulay (rules analyst) providing additional coverage.

Prime Video pregame, halftime and postgame features Charissa Thompson as host, and former NFL players Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tony Gonzalez, Richard Sherman and Andrew Whitworth as analysts.

Taylor Rooks is a reporter for Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” coverage. Albert Breer provides reports and analyses.

The Broncos clinch the playoff spot with:

Win or draw
Dolphins loss or tie + Bengals loss or tie + Colts loss or tie

The Chargers clinch a playoff spot with:

Win + Dolphins loss or tie + Colts loss or tie
Tie + Dolphins loss + Heels loss + Bengals loss or tie

➤ Playoff picture entering Week 16

QB Easton Stick (third emergency QB)
CB Cam Hart
CB Elijah Molden
LB Shaquille Quarterman
Olympic Brenden Jaimes
Olympic Jordan McFadden
TE Will Dissly

QB Zach Wilson (third emergency QB)
CB Riley Moss
RB Jaleel McLaughlin
CB Levi Wallace
LB Levelle Bailey
OT Frank Crum
DE Matt Henningsen

Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feels about the Week 16 “TNF” matchup between the Chargers and the Broncos will take shape:

Tyler Dragon: Chargers 23, Broncos 19
Jordan Mendoza: Broncos 20, Chargers 16

The Chargers are favorites to defeat the Broncos, according to BetMGM NFL odds. Not interested in this game? Check out expert picks and best bets for every NFL game this week.

Spread: Chargers (-2.5)
Moneyline: Chargers (-145); Broncos (+120)
Above/below: 41

Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with Thursday Night Football odds and Monday Night Football odds.

New to sports betting? USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promotions and bonus codes with the best online sportsbooks and sports betting sites.

DO YOU FEEL LUCKY? Here are the best parlay bets and odds for NFL games this week

Want to make the “TNF” game a little more interesting? Here are some of the best bets for tonight’s Chargers-Broncos tilt. All odds are via BetMGM from Thursday.

“TNF” matchup between the Chargers and the Broncos takes place in Inglewood, California at SoFi Stadium.

SoFi Stadium, which is also home to Los Angeles Ramsopened in 2020. SoFi Stadium hosted Super Bowl 56 – the first Super Bowl held in the Los Angeles area since the 1992 season – in which the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals. That season (2021), SoFi Stadium became the first NFL stadium to host a conference championship game and the Super Bowl in the same season. The Rams were also the second team to play in a Super Bowl (following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl 55) at their home stadium.

➤ Ranking NFL stadiums from 1 to 30: Where does SoFi Stadium rate?

It’s going to be a beautiful evening in Inglewood, California. According to the Weather Channelit will be close to 70 degrees at kickoff. This game will be played indoors at SoFi Stadium, so Mother Nature will not have a role in this game.

y – retained division

According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Chargers have odds of -1100 to make the playoffs for Week 16. That gives LA a 91.7% chance to qualify for the postseason.

According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the Broncos have odds of -1200 to make the playoffs for Week 16. That gives Denver a 92.3% chance to qualify for the postseason.

The Chargers’ remaining four opponents have a combined winning percentage of .333, perTankathon. That’s tied for the fifth-easiest remaining schedule among the NFL’s 32 teams.

Below is a look at the Chargers’ remaining schedule:

The Broncos’ remaining three opponents have a combined winning percentage of .643, perTankathon. It is at 7^th among the NFL’s 32 teams, meaning Denver will finish the season with a tougher-than-average schedule.

Below is a look at the Broncos’ remaining schedule:

TheNew England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers tied for most Super Bowl wins with six.

The Broncos have appeared in eight Super Bowls (tied with three other teams for the second-most all-time) and have three Lombardi Trophies, the most recent won in the 2015 season in Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers. The Chargers have appeared in only one Super Bowl and lost San Francisco 49ersin Super Bowl XXIX.

NFL franchise with most Super Bowl wins:

➤ Super Bowl Winners: All-Time Scores, NFL Title Game Results

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