DENVER, CO — The Denver Broncos (4-8) swept their divisional foe, the Los Angeles Chargers (4-8), for the first time since 2015 in clutch fashion, 23-20.
With only nine seconds remaining in the fourth, the Broncos’ Courtland Sutton was challenged in a one-on-one with Los Angeles’ Casey Hayward on the coverage. The two players collided on the Chargers 35-yard line and the ball sailed over the top of both players heads.
Unfortunately for Los Angeles, a flag for defensive pass interference was tossed, giving Denver another shot to score before time expired.
With time running out on the clock, Brandon McManus kicked in a 53-yard field goal to give Denver the three-point victory.
BRONCOS FIND THEIR SPARK
Denver would get things started early as the Broncos would end the 0-0 tie in the 4:33 mark in the first quarter. Quarterback Drew Lock would find Courtland Sutton for a 26-yard touchdown. The touchdown also, just so happened to be Courtland’s first in his NFL career.
CHARGERS GET OFF TO A ROUGH START
With 3:12 left in the first quarter, Phillip Rivers scrambles to find an open man down field. Believing to have found an opening, Denver’s Dre’mont Jones intercepts the ball with a gain of 7 to bring it down to the Chargers 18-yard line.
Los Angeles would get back on track however as the team would score two more times before the halftime break in response to the Broncos second touchdown in the first quarter and field goal in the second.
Michael Badgley’s 30-yard field goal to go along with their later 30-yard touchdown to Austin Ekeler, helped the Chargers make the score 17-10 at the end of the first half in favor of Denver.
CHARGERS RALLY BACK TO TIE GAME
The Chargers found themselves back in the ballgame in the latter stages of the contest as they forced the Broncos to punt on their next two possessions. Los Angeles later tied the game up with 12:18 left in the final period thanks to Phillip Rivers finding Keenan Allen for a 36 yard touchdown.
After Denver took a 20-17 lead in the fourth quarter, Badgley saved his team yet again; by, successfully scoring a 46-yard field goal with 14 seconds left on the game clock.
But, Los Angeles had their luck of going into overtime run short. The penalty called on the Chargers led to McManus’ game-winning field goal, giving Denver the 23-20 win.
The Broncos now have swept the Chargers for the first time since 2015.
It is unknown whether or not Denver will attend any playoff games this season with the team sitting at a 4-8 record for the year. Also, now becoming third in the AFC West division.
Up Next
Denver will play against the Texans in Houston on Dec. 8 at 1 pm.
Los Angeles will head to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars on Dec. 8 at 4:05 pm.
