DENVER — Maybe the Broncos should changeup their home-cooking diet.
Maybe there’s some lumps in their own beds.
Whatever the reason, the Broncos have started slow in all three home games this season. And this time they didn’t have Pat Surtain II to wake them up.
The Broncos were getting whipped for three quarters by the AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers before rookie quarterback Bo Nix got going in the fourth quarter. It was a bit too late as the Chargers hung on to defeat the Broncos, 23-16 on an otherwise perfect (68 degrees, sunny) mid-October, Sunday afternoon at Empower Field at Mile High.
The Chargers are now 3-2 while the Broncos had their three-game winning streak snapped and fell to 3-3.
It was 23-0 through three quarters until Nix got hot, as he often does after slow starts, in the fourth. On fourth and 2 from the Chargers' 39, Nix scrambled forward and as he approached the line of scrimmage, shot-putted the ball to rookie receiver Devaughn Vele, who was running a slant. Vele took off for 37 yards to set up first-and-goal at the 2.
Nix then hit another rookie receiver, Troy Franklin, crossing in the back of the end zone from left to right for a touchdown.
After getting the ball back, Nix connected with top receiver Courtland Sutton on their patented 20-yard dig route, then Vele again for 17. On fourth and 5 from the 21, Nix scrambled for 6, then hit Sutton in the back of the end zone. Sutton made one of his trademark highlight-film snags in the back of the end zone.
Suddenly, 23-0 was 23-13 -- the Broncos didn't get the 2-point conversion as an end around to Marvin Mims Jr. was stopped short.
But Nix was not done. The Chargers' punted down to the Broncos' 4 with 2:26 left and Denver had no timeouts remaining. Nix moved the Broncos to the Chargers' 22 where on first down, Payton called on Wil Lutz to make a 40-yard field goal.
It was a one-score game, 23-16 with 59 seconds left. But Lutz's onside kick traveled out of bounds before Tremon Smith could track it down and that was the game.
Otherwise, this was a foul taste of humble pie for the Broncos, who had more laughs than a Ferris Bueller movie audience after defeating the Raiders last week to post their third consecutive win.
Through the third quarter, the Broncos were outgained, 324-88. The Chargers had 20 first downs to just five for the Broncos.
There was a stark contrast in quarterback play entering the fourth quarter.
The Chargers' Justin Herbert was 21 of 33 for 184 yards with a touchdown and a 95.1 passer rating at intermission.
Nix was 4 of 14 for 27 yards with an interception and a 9.8 rating.
But then the Chargers became conservative while Payton had no choice but to open it up in the fourth quarter. Nix finished 19 of 33 for 216 yards with two touchdowns along with the pick for an 84.9 passer rating. Nix also had six unscripted rushing attempts for 61 yards. Herbert threw one pass in the fourth quarter -- an incompletion.
Nix also had a 46-yard strike down the middle to Sutton with 26 seconds left in the first half, but the big play was called back on a Quinn Meinerz holding penalty.
So far this season, the Broncos begin home games as if they thought kickoff was at 3:05 p.m.
In their first home game this season against Pittsburgh, the Broncos fell behind 13-0 and lost 13-6.
In their second home game, they fell behind the Las Vegas Raiders, 10-0 and were about to go down, 17-3 when Surtain came up with 100-yard pick six that was a 14-point play. The Broncos went on to beat the Raiders, 34-18, but against the Chargers, Surtain suffered a concussion on the first defensive play of the game.
And with the Broncos playing in four days at New Orleans on Thursday night, there does not figure to be enough time for Surtain to clear the concussion protocol for the game against the Saints.
The Broncos were especially sluggish Sunday against the Chargers. Two Javonte Williams’ runs created nothing more than third and 8. Nix overthrew Marvin Mims Jr. on a deep middle route. Mims reached up to get a fingertip on the ball, which deflected it to Chargers’ safety Elijah Molden, who returned it 25 yards to field goal range.
The Chargers moved to first and goal at the 5 but an offensive pass interference call pushed them back and they had to settle for a rare 20-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker.
While the Broncos’ offense was going interception, punt, punt on their three, first quarter possessions, Herbert finished off his second possession with a perfectly thrown wheel route to running back Kimani Vidal, who outraced Broncos linebacker Cody Barton to the end zone for a 38-yard touchdown. It was 10-0 Chargers.
A lost fumble by Broncos’ running back Javonte Williams, who was held up and had the ball yanked away, set up the Chargers’ final touchdown before the half. J.K. Dobbins finished the 11-play drive with a 4-yard touchdown run in which he broke two Denver tackle attempts to make it, 20-0.
Broncos Bits
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh left the sidelines and into the visiting locker room in the first quarter because of illness. He returned to his coaching sideline position in the second quarter. …
Vele led the Broncos with four catches for 78 yards. ...
Nik Bonitto had a sack for a fourth straight game. Justin Strnad also had a sack.
The Broncos gave uniforms – an odd mix of orange tops and blue bottoms -- to rookie running back Audric Estime, who was fresh off injured reserve with an ankle issue. They also played tight end Lucas Krull ahead of Greg Dulcich, who was inactive for a second consecutive week. And defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike dressed for his first game since 2022 as he was suspended all last season for gambling violations and was inactive through the first five games.
