A Denver Broncos player was twice picked off of the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, leading to an easy 28-13 victory for the defending Super Bowl champs.
The “san diego chargers” were beaten by the Denver Broncos 28-24.
DENVER, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers 28-7 on Sunday after rookie Patrick Surtain II intercepted Justin Herbert twice and returned the second one 70 yards for a score.
DENVER, COLORADO – NOVEMBER 28: Pat Surtain II #2 of the Denver Broncos scores a touchdown in the fourth quarter of a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Empower Field At Mile High in Denver, Colorado on November 28, 2021. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images/Justin Edmonds)
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The Broncos’ strong victory sets up a fight for the AFC West lead in Kansas City next weekend, where the game between Denver (6-5) and the Chiefs (7-4) has already been pushed back to Sunday night.
Surtain’s first interception occurred in the end zone early in the fourth quarter on a throw intended for tight end Jared Cook. Teddy Bridgewater connected with tight end Eric Saubert from 9 yards for a score, putting the Broncos up 21-7.
Surtain’s second interception came off the hands of Austin Ekeler, who stood motionless as Surtain clutched his second pick and dashed down the Broncos’ joyous sideline to extend Denver’s lead to 28-7.
On a day when the injury-plagued offense was without Bridgewater, left tackle Calvin Anderson (knee), and left guard Dalton Risner, Denver’s defense came up huge (back).
Bridgewater returned at halftime, and the Broncos won by running the ball behind a makeshift line, gaining 147 yards on the ground against the league’s most porous run defense.
The Chargers’ opening two drives in the second half lasted 14 minutes and 15 seconds and included two dozen plays. Both efforts were in vain.
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After an 11-play, 7:06 drive, Dustin Hopkins missed his first field goal try with the Chargers, snagging a 52-yarder wide left.
In the third quarter, when Denver had the ball for just 75 seconds, the Broncos went three-and-out and the Chargers ate up the remainder of the time. Surtain’s first interception of Herbert came on third down from the Broncos’ 23-yard line.
In the first half, Drew Lock took over for Bridgewater and was intercepted by Derwin James Jr. as he attempted to fit a throw to a bracketed Kendall Hinton in the final minutes of the first half. With 31 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Herbert threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Ekeler, trimming the Chargers’ lead to 14-7 at halftime.
With 4:34 left in the game, Cook outjumped multiple opponents and even a teammate or two to get both feet down on a 16-yard touchdown reception, bringing the score to 28-13. But, for some reason, the Chargers went for two, and the throw was incomplete.
Bridgewater’s 11-yard scramble to the right pylon put Denver up 7-0 before he was wounded. When the Broncos started their second drive, Risner was replaced by Netane Muti. When James rushed through untouched on a blitz and stunned Bridgewater, he was wounded.
It was first called a strip-sack, with Los Angeles teammate Kyzir White collecting the loose ball, but the turnover was reversed after further review. While Bridgewater was being treated on the sideline, Lock led the Broncos’ offense back onto the field.
On Lock’s second play, Joey Bosa had a strip-sack, but receiver Tim Patrick recovered the loose ball for a first down. On rookie running back Javonte Williams’ 9-yard burst up the middle, the Broncos were up 14-0.
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(The Associated Press, Copyright 2021.) All Rights Reserved by the Author. It is forbidden to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or disseminate this content.)
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