The Los Angles Chargers won the opening coin toss and elected to receive to start the game against the Denver Broncos. Alex Singleton nearly intercepted Trey Lance on third down to force the Chargers into a quick three-and-out to start the game.
Bo Nix and the Broncos offense took over just outside of their own 10 yard line. An inside run for a tough six yards by Jaleel McLaughlin was followed up by a short gain by RJ Harvey. On third and 3, Nix was immediately pressured but rolled out to scramble
for the first down.
The Broncos were faced with another third down on the next set, but Nix found Pat Bryant open for a nice gain to convert. Then on the next play, Nix took off for a 22 yard scramble to get Denver down to the Chargers’ 39-yard line.
A quick pitch to McLaughlin picked up seven, then Harvey moved the chains on a quick run inside for yet another first down on the Broncos’ opening drive. Harvey then took a delayed handoff up the middle for another 10 yards and a first down to move the ball into the red zone. McLaughlin got another pitch outside and picked up 10 yards too to bring up a first and goal at the Chargers’ 6 yard line.
The Chargers defense stiffened from there and put the Broncos into a third and goal from the four yard line where a swing pass to Tyler Badie lost several yards to bring out the field goal unit.
Broncos 3, Chargers 0.
The Chargers went three-and-out again, but on the third play Ja’Quan McMillian intercepted a Trey Lance tipped pass and returned it 45 yards to the house for the pick six.
Broncos 10, Chargers 0.
The Chargers finally got a first down on their third drive with a 12-yard run by the running back with Talanoa Hufanga making a good open field tackle to get the stop. They’d go nowhere after that with back-to-back deep overthrows by Lance to bring up a fourth down and a punt.
Denver went three-and-out on their next possession to bring the first quarter near to an end. Center Alex Forsyth went down with an injury on the series too, which brought in third-string center Sam Mustipher.
