The Broncos avenged their loss to the Chargers a few weeks ago and won a very strange and ugly game on Sunday in Denver. The Broncos defense came up once again with a huge goal line stand, and they stopped the Chargers on four straight tries from the 2 yard line up 27-19 to preserve the lead. The Chargers got the ball back again, but the Broncos defense stuffed them and forced a turnover on downs. After they ran out the clock, the Broncos exhaled and improved to 6-2 in a game that featured Aqib Talib and Brandon Marshall on the sidelines with injuries. It wasn't pretty but it was effective and the Broncos got the win at home-which is the most important thing. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game.....
1) This was a very strange, weird game. Both teams blew a lot of opportunities. The Broncos fumbled the ball twice inside the redzone, and Trevor Siemian threw a pick-six. The Chargers missed a field goal near the end of the half, Phillip Rivers threw three interceptions and one was returned for a touchdown by Bradley Roby, and they had a blocked extra point. It was a mess of a game at times, and although it came down to the Broncos stopping the Chargers twice late in the game, once from inside the 2, it was just a very weird game overall.
2) The Broncos defense was all over Rivers the entire game. This is what we have been used to when the Broncos and Chargers play in recent years. The Broncos got four sacks, three interceptions, a pick-six, and they pressured Rivers over 60% of his dropbacks. Bradley Roby's interception return changed the game and gave Denver a 10-7 in the 2nd quarter. Derek Wolfe continues to play well every week, and give the secondary some credit. With Talib out, T.J. Ward got a huge pick in the 3rd quarter, and Darian Stewart also got one on back-to-back possessions. Then, with the game on the lien once again, they made the two big stops on the Chargers final drive. Their run defense continues to be a problem though. Melvin Gordon rushed for 111 yards-the first RB over 100 since Week 2 of last year- and the Broncos defense gave up some big runs to Gordon late in the game. That is the one weakness at this point. It was nice to see Demarcus Ware out there and he makes such a difference in the pass rush when he is there. I also thought that CB Lorenzo Doss and LB Corey Nelson played well in place of Brandon Marshall and Aqib Talib. The Broncos defense is the story once again in the victory.
3) The offense struggled at times and there is just too much inconsistency with this group. On the first drive of the game, Trevor Siemian drives them down the field and they settle for a field goal. They did nothing after that, and the only drive that they moved the ball, Siemian got sacked and fumbled inside the Chargers 20. After that, they got the benefit of the Stewart interception and return, and Devontae Booker banged it in from 2 yards out to make it 17-7. Then, they had trouble until late in the 3rd quarter when they moved the ball once again and a Juwan Thompson 1 yard TD run made it 24-13. For some reason on a 3rd and long backed up in their own territory, Siemian threw a pick-six, although Jordan Norwood didn't help him out, and the Chargers were back it at 24-19 after the failed two-point conversion. Unfortunately, they couldn't put the game away late in the 4th after Siemian hit Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders on two deep throws, but the drive stalled inside the SD 10 and they settled for a field goal to make 27-19 instead of 31-19. At 31-19, the game is over, but the eight point lead gave the Chargers one last chance to try to tie the game. They couldn't run the ball at all in the game, and Booker finished with barely over 50 yards rushing. His fumble inside the five was also a killer with Denver up 17-7 in the 3rd quarter. This offense is too inconsistent, Siemian is a not a big-time QB and is limited in what he can do, and they simply can't run the ball. It will be a struggle to watch this offense week in and week out.
4) The game ball should go to Riley Dixon for his huge punt out of the endzone late in the game. He boomed a punt 68 yards and the Chargers had to start at their own 33 yard line with 2:08 to go. The defense only gave up one first down and then shut the door and harassed Rivers and put the game away four plays later after three incompletions. Dixon's kick was part of the difference in the win.
5) The Broncos are 6-2, and now they head to Oakland for a huge showdown with the 6-2 Raiders. This will be the biggest game between these two teams since Week 16 of the 2002 season. It will be a very fun setting in the Black Hole with first place in the AFC West on the line.
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