The Denver Broncos (3-2) defeated the Los Angeles Chargers (0-5) in a 23-17 comeback win on Sunday afternoon. Here are five quick takeaways following that AFC West victory.
1. Broncos were gifted by Chargers’ blunders and injuries: Los Angeles started four rookies on their banged-up offensive line, they were missing all of their starting wide receivers, and they had nine accepted penalties that cost them 93 yards. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was sacked five times (including the game-sealing sack), fumbled twice, and threw an interception right to Brandon Jones. Herbert was also stuffed on 4th-and-short in L.A. territory, a turnover on downs that preceded a Broncos touchdown that tied the game in the fourth quarter. Denver did enough to pull
out a win, but they got plenty of help from their division rival.
2. J.K. Dobbins heated up down the stretch: Denver coach Sean Payton clearly wanted to establish the run against the Chargers. Dobbins was force-fed 18 carries despite woeful efficiency for most of the game. Fortunately, Dobbins finished strong with 7-yard, 13-yard and 14-yard carries that helped the Broncos pull off another comeback win. Dobbins ended the day with 68 rushing yards and a touchdown, and he trolled his old team after the win, tweeting, "Damn… guess I was CHARGED UP today 🫣⚡️." Dobbins only averaged 3.8 yards per carry, but he was clutch when Denver leaned on him late in the game.
3. Jaylen Waddle has good reason to be frustrated, however…: It's clear that the Broncos' offensive struggles have frustrated new wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. After Denver ran the ball on 3rd-and-9 early in the second quarter, Waddle looked up in the air, yanked off his chin strap and appeared to shake his head as he trotted to the sideline. Later in the game, Waddle slammed his helmet on the sideline after a three-and-out. He finished the game with just two receptions for 19 yards. Waddle has good reason to be frustrated with the Broncos' offense, but his drops have also become a troubling trend, so he is not free of criticism himself. Denver would likely be wise to get Waddle more involved, but he could also do a better job of making the most of his opportunities with reliable hands when he is targeted.
4. Sean Payton taking over play-calling didn’t change much: Sean Payton, Davis Webb, does it make a difference? After Payton took back play-calling duties this week, the Broncos' offense went 1-of-12 (8%) on third down, 2-of-5 (40%) in the red zone, and netted just 224 yards of offense, including 123 passing yards from quarterback Bo Nix, who continues to underwhelm in Year 3. Nix was only sacked once and he did not throw any interceptions, but the QB played uninspired football, completing 59.3% of his passes in another sluggish performance. Nix claims he's healthy and his ankle isn't holding him back, but he doesn't look as comfortable on the run as he did from 2024-2025. If Nix isn't holding back because of his ankle, then he's regressed, or he's in a bad slump. Any of those options are concerning, and they suggest that perhaps the offensive struggles are not directly linked to who is calling the plays.
5. Denver has a short week ahead: After surviving an injury-riddled Chargers squad, Denver has a much tougher test ahead as they're set to host the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football in Week 6. The good news is, 3-3 wouldn't have been considered a disastrous start after the team's schedule was announced with a brutal six-game stretch to begin the season. And if the Broncos upset the Seahawks and improve to 4-2, they'll be in great shape. Either way, Denver will still be in position to push for a playoff spot after six games.
After playing on TNF, the Broncos will get a 10-day break before their next game. Sunday's win certainly wasn't pretty, and Denver has a lot of flaws to correct on offense, but brighter days could be ahead as they approach mid-season.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: 5 takeaways from Broncos' comeback win over Chargers
