Jim Harbaugh called. The Chargers responded.
Needing to bounce back quickly from a blowout loss last Sunday to not only save their playoff seedings but also reinforce Harbaugh’s first-year turnaround of the much-maligned franchise, the Chargers delivered a thrilling second-half comeback against the Denver Broncos, winning 34-27 at SoFi Stadium on Thursday night.
The Chargers (9-6) clawed back from a near-disastrous first half to secure their first season sweep over the Broncos (9-6) since 2010, backing up a Week 6 win in Denver that was the team’s first road win in the series since 2018.
While the Broncos missed an opportunity to clinch their playoff berth, the Chargers moved back into the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff standings. They can clinch their first playoff spot since 2021 if the Miami Dolphins win or tie and the Indianapolis Colts lose or tie on Sunday.
The Chargers’ remaining games are on the road against teams already eliminated from playoff contention, the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders.
Justin Herbert threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns while completing 23 of 30 throws and the Chargers surpassed 100 yards rushing for the first time in more than a month. Led by 68 yards rushing from Gus Edwards, the Chargers ran for 117.
Entering a short week of preparation, the Chargers recognized Thursday’s AFC West game was their most important of the season. The Broncos instead were the ones who played with urgency early.
Read more: Chargers make history with rare fair catch kick against Broncos
They sliced through the Chargers defense for touchdowns on each of their first three drives. Herbert had a pass intercepted at the one-yard line late in the second quarter.
As he had often been this season, Cameron Dicker was the Chargers’ lifeline on offense. He just did it in a very rare way.
Dicker hit a 57-yard field goal on the final play of the second quarter on a fair catch kick. He is the first NFL player to connect on a fair catch kick — an obscure play similar to a free kick allowed immediately after a fair catch — since 1976, when Ray Wersching made a 45-yard kick for the San Diego Chargers. No one had even attempted one since 2019.
The strange play, set up when punt returner Derius Davis was interfered with on a fair catch, put the Chargers into position for a long kick and breathed life back into the home team.
Trailing 21-13 at halftime, they answered in the third quarter by holding the Broncos to a field goal on their opening possession, then forcing a three-and-out.
Herbert doubled down with consecutive touchdown drives, capped off by a 19-yard touchdown throw to Davis with 12:29 remaining in the fourth quarter. Herbert escaped the pocket to his left and slung a pass while falling away as defenders beared down.
Read more: 🏈 Chargers-Broncos summary
When he got back to his feet and realized Davis had scored on the laser throw, Herbert held his arms out wide and stared at his offensive linemen with equal parts surprise and confidence as the Chargers went ahead by one.
Every bounce seemingly went toward the Broncos in the first half. In the second, they were falling to Joshua Palmer.
The receiver corralled a tipped pass on a two-point conversion by batting it to himself and tapping his feet in the back of the end zone to put the Chargers up 27-24.
After scoring touchdowns on their first three drives, the Broncos were held to just two field goals in their final seven drives.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
