DENVER — At one point in the second quarter, the Chargers’ defensive unit began to wonder when it might get back on the field. They weren’t in a hurry to get back to playing, mind you, but they began to feel refreshed, relaxed and calm while sitting on the bench at an altitude of a mile.
It was a strange feeling.
So did the Chargers driving 76 yards on 20 plays in 10:29, setting up the second of three field goals by Cameron Dicker in their 23-16 victory on Sunday against the Denver Broncos. It was the Chargers’ longest drive since the 2000 season, a generation and more ago.
“You love it, you love every second of it,” Chargers defensive lineman Morgan Fox said of practicing after snapping a five-game losing streak in Denver. “Especially when you play here and the air is a little thinner. You can take a break, recharge your batteries and get ready to go again. I remember saying several times, “We sat there for a long time. »
The drive started off harmless enough with running back JK Dobbins stopping for no gain on first down at his own 9-yard line with 1:50 left in the first quarter. The Chargers then led 10-0. Justin Herbert’s pass to running back Kimani Vidal for a 2-yard gain also gave no clue of what was to come.
But Herbert then clicked on the first of four consecutive conversions on third down, completing a pass to wide receiver Joshua Palmer for a 14-yard gain. Herbert and the Chargers mixed passes and runs for short gains and, soon enough, they were in the red zone, settling for Dicker’s field goal.
“I could feel it,” Herbert said, referring to the altitude. “It was definitely a tough ride. Being able to do that is huge in this league. I think that speaks volumes about our strength and conditioning program that we have installed here. Being able to do a workout like that, it keeps our defense off the field and helps them relax and recover.
ADDITIONAL POINTS
Herbert won the battle between the former University of Oregon quarterbacks – until the fourth quarter, of course. Herbert set season highs with 237 yards on 21 completions in 34 attempts. His Broncos counterpart, Bo Nix, threw for all but 55 of his 216 yards in the fourth quarter, throwing two touchdowns. …
The Chargers also won the turnover battle. Nix was forced to go 3-of-10 passing for 22 yards and an interception in the first half. Javonte Williams’ second-quarter fumble was forced by the Chargers’ Khalil Mack and recovered by Teair Tart. The Chargers had no turnovers. …
Dobbins rushed for a team-leading 96 yards and a 4-yard touchdown run on 25 carries. Dobbins shouldered most of the workload with Gus Edwards sidelined with an ankle injury. Dobbins topped 130 yards rushing in each of the Chargers’ first two games, but had 44 and 32 yards in the next two.
