Chargers use 2nd half surge to rally past Broncos, boost playoff position in AFC

Jim Harbaugh spent nine seasons away from the NFL. It takes much less time than that for the NFL to completely turn around. The staff was almost completely changed since Harbaugh went to Michigan. The schemes also evolved as coaches moved in and out. It should have taken at least a season to adjust to the pros.

But through all that change while at the college game, one thing remained constant: Harbaugh knows how to coach.

Harbaugh’s Los Angeles Chargers missed a playoff spot with a 34-27 win over the Denver Broncos on Thursday night. They would need some help on Sunday to make it to Week 16. But it’s getting close. The Chargers fell behind 21-10 to the Broncos, who are also likely to make the playoffs, but kept fighting. Harbaugh helped his team by getting a fair free kick, invoking a rarely used rule, at the end of the first half. The defense tightened up, the offense started moving the ball and the Chargers came back to win.

Harbaugh returned to the NFL after winning a national title at Michigan and took over a Chargers team that had talent but plenty of holes and seemed like a less-than-perfect fit for his style. They are 9-6 with two regular season games remaining and likely at least one more in the postseason. The main lesson is that Harbaugh is one of the best coaches in football at any level.

The Chargers struggled last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, allowing 40 points, and that continued to start Thursday night’s game.

The Broncos scored three touchdowns in the first half. Denver QB Bo Nix had two passes and Audric Estime ran for another. When Chargers QB Justin Herbert threw an interception in Broncos territory in the final minute of the first half, it looked like the Broncos would go into halftime with a 21-10 lead. But the Broncos weren’t able to run out the rest of the first half, putting up shots in the final seconds. They got a fair catch interference penalty called, and the 15 yards from there led to Harbaugh using a rarely used rule. He had kicker Cameron Dicker attempt a fair catch free kick as time expired in the half, and Dicker hit it from 57 yards out. It was the first made fair catch free kick in the NFL since 1976. The last time a team even attempted one was 2019.

That cut the Broncos’ lead to 21-13 at halftime. The Broncos shouldn’t have been near the returner for a penalty, and tipping it out of bounds would have been a better strategy. It cost Denver. It’s hard to say that momentum for the Chargers carried over right into the second half because the Broncos got a field goal on the first possession after halftime, but the extra three points certainly helped the Chargers stay in it. And then they started playing like the Chargers have done for most of Harbaugh’s first season.

The Chargers started to heat up in the second half. They scored on Gus Edwards’ second touchdown run of the night, then Herbert had a nice throw rolling to his left as he dropped and darted to Derius Davis for a 19-yard score. Josh Palmer made a great juggling catch for the two-point conversion and the Chargers led 27-24.

The defense that was shredded by the Buccaneers last week in a 40-17 loss and in the first half by Denver suddenly found some much-needed answers. The Broncos had three touchdowns before halftime and didn’t score a touchdown after that. Nix went from a comfortable quarterback to looking more like an inconsistent rookie. Denver head coach Sean Payton didn’t have a great second half either, as he fumbled twice near midfield, including once with less than five minutes left on a fourth-and-5. After the poor decision to punt, Herbert had a first-down run on third-and-10, Edwards broke off a 43-yard run and then Herbert shoveled a check-down pass to Hassan Haskins, who ran for a 34 -yard score. Therefore, pointing was the wrong move.

The Chargers can clinch a playoff spot on Sunday with a Dolphins loss or tie combined with a Colts loss or tie. It probably doesn’t matter. At some point in the next few weeks, the Chargers should have a wild-card spot. And it seems like only the beginning of good things for Harbaugh and the Chargers.

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  • Chargers score 21 unanswered points in 34-27 win over Broncos

    Broncos

    Total offense: 355 yards
    Bo Nix 29-40, 263 yards, 2 TDs
    Audric Estime 9 carries, 48 ​​yards, 1 TD
    Marvin Mims Jr. 3 catches, 62 yards

    Chargers

    Total offense: 380 yards
    Justin Herbert 23-31, 284 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT
    Gus Edwards 14 carries, 68 yards, 2 TDs
    Ladd McConkey 6 catches, 87 yards

  • FINAL: Chargers 34, Broncos 27

    The Chargers must run a play with four seconds left and 4th-and-32 after three knee joints by Justin Herbert. Herbert just throws it down the field as time runs out.

    The Chargers win, 34–27, scoring 21 unanswered points.

  • Chargers recover Denver onside kick

    Denver got a good bounce on the onside kick attempt by Wil Lutz. But Nick Niemann recovers for the Chargers.

    LA can knee it out with 57 seconds left in the game.

  • Denver field goal makes it 34–27

    On 4th and 3, Bo Nix completes a pass to Lucas Krull for four yards.

    Denver follows that up with an 11-yard pass from Bo Nix to Javonte Williams.

    From the Chargers’ 37, the Broncos opt for a field goal with 57 seconds left. Wil Lutz hits a 55-yarder to make it 34–27.

    Denver will now attempt an onside kick.

  • The Broncos go for it on 4th down

    Bo Nix hits Lucas Krull for a 10-yard pass on 3rd and 13. The Broncos go for it on 4th down at their 48-yard line with 1:26 left. Los Angeles call timed out.

  • Broncos commit 2 penalties in 1 play

    Bo Nix throws an illegal forward pass to Javonte Williams after running for a first down. But that penalty is dismissed in favor of a holding penalty on Garrett Bolles.

    That leaves the Broncos with a 2nd and 13 at their 38 with 1:54 left after the 2-minute warning.

  • Chargers with the dagger

    The Chargers may have put this game away. Hassan Haskins scores a touchdown on a 34-yard catch and run.

    After the extra point, the Chargers lead 34–24 with 2:27 left in the game.

  • Gus Edwards 43-yard run

    After Quentin Johnston drops a catch on 2nd and 10, Justin Herbert gets a big 16-yard scramble to the right for a first down.

    Gus Edwards follows it up with a 43-yard run that could put the Broncos in trouble.

  • Bud Dupree fires Bo Nix

    Bo Nix is ​​sacked by Bud Dupree on 1st and 10 at the Denver 45. The Broncos cannot recover from that 10-yard loss, despite a 7-yard rush by Austin Estime and 7-yard catch by Lucas Krull.

    Riley Dixon punts 41 yards and the Chargers take over at their 10-yard line with 4:29 left in regulation.

  • The Broncos blitz comes to Justin Herbert

    The Chargers give themselves some breathing room on an 8-yard catch by Hayden Hurst.

    But three plays later on 3rd and 9, the Broncos get to Justin Herbert on a blitz up the middle by Drew Sanders. That results in a loss of 11 yards.

    The Broncos take over at their 45-yard line after a 46-yard punt by JK Scott with 6:41 left in the fourth quarter.

  • How close was Joshua Palmer’s 2-point conversion catch?

  • The Broncos have to punt

    Denver gets a first down on a 13-yard pass from Bo Nix to Michael Burton. But Nix can’t connect with Marvin Mims Jr. on a deep throw. (Mims likely committed offensive pass interference that was not called.)

    After a two-yard run by Javonte Williams, Nix throws incomplete to Blake Watson and the Broncos punt.

    Riley Dixon kicks it 46 yards to push the Chargers back to their 4-yard line.

  • Chargers take the lead

    After an offsides penalty on Denver’s Zach Allen, Quentin Johnston makes a 6-yard catch. Then Justin Herbert Ladd hits McConkey for a 17-yard gain.

    That leads to a 19-yard pass to Derius Davis for a touchdown. Joshua Palmer makes a one-handed catch along the back line of the end zone for a 2-point conversion and the Chargers now lead 27-24 after trailing to that point.

  • Ray Wersching, the last kicker to get a free kick in the field

  • Broncos called for horse collars

    Denver’s Jonathan Cooper is called for a horse collar tackling penalty that brings Justin Herbert down on 2nd and 6 from the Chargers’ 38. The flag advances Los Angeles to the Denver 47-yard line.

  • 3rd quarter: Broncos 24, Chargers 19

    Javonte Williams’ third-down catch meant Denver had to punt instead of the Chargers getting an interception.

    Los Angeles took over at its 22-yard line following a Riley Dixon punt.

    As the third quarter ends, the Chargers have a 2nd and 6 at their 34 after a 12-yard catch by Joshua Palmer and four-yard run by Gus Edwards.

  • Javonte Williams wrestles the catch away from Derwin James

    Javonte Williams wins a scramble with Derwin James for the ball on a 1-yard pass from Bo Nix.

    It initially appeared that James had the interception, but Williams had the ball after the scrimmage ended.

  • TOUCHDOWNS: Broncos 24, Chargers 19

    After Justin Herbert is sacked for a 10-yard loss by Dondrea Tillman, the Chargers’ drive appears to have stalled.

    Yet two plays later, Justin Strnad is called for an unnecessary roughness penalty that hits Herbert after he slips. The penalty moves Los Angeles to the Denver 5-yard line.

    Gus Edwards then scores on a 5-yard TD run. The Chargers go for a 2-point conversion, but Herbert can’t get into the end zone.

  • Chargers on the go

    Justin Herbert gains 18 yards on a scramble up the middle. He follows that up with a 10-yard pass to Tucker Fisk and 19-yard throw to Stone Smartt.

    Los Angeles has 1st and 10 on the Broncos’ 15.

  • Field goals: Broncos 24, Chargers 13

    It wasn’t as exciting or historic as Cameron Dicker’s fair catch free kick field goal, but Denver’s Wil Lutz hit a 41-yard kick to end the Broncos’ first possession of the second half.

    Denver converted a fourth down earlier in the drive with a five-yard pass from Bo Nix to Courtland Sutton on 4th and 2. But the Broncos couldn’t get another first down after that and settled for a field goal.