Chargers defeat Broncos on Cameron Dicker field goal
🏈 Chargers 23, Broncos 20 — FINAL
Cameron Dicker kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired as the Chargers defeated the Broncos to improve to 3-0 on the season and against the AFC West.
Ladd McConkey caught a 12-yard pass before Justin Herbert picked up a first down on a two-yard run up the middle to set up the field goal.
Chargers tie game on Justin Herbert TD pass to Keenan Allen
🏈 Broncos 20, Chargers 20 — 2:37 left in the fourth quarter
Justin Herbert made a spectacular 20-yard touchdown pass to Keenan Allen, who made an amazing catch in tight coverage to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.
Herbert escaped being sacked to complete a critical seven-play, 76-yard drive for the Chargers.
Each team has three timeouts left.
Broncos sack Justin Herbert for the fifth time, halting drive
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert passes under pressure in the first half.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
🏈 Broncos 20, Chargers 13 — 7:45 left in the fourth quarter
A productive Chargers drive was halted in devastating fashion when Broncos defensive end John Franklin-Myers sacked Justin Herbert on third down.
Denver’s fifth sack of the game forced the Chargers to punt.
Broncos extend their lead on another Wil Lutz field goal
🏈 Broncos 20, Chargers 13 — 12:21 left in the fourth quarter
Wil Lutz kicked a 26-yard field goal to extend the Broncos’ lead in the fourth quarter.
A 22-yard pass from Bo Nix to Courtland Sutton and an 11-yard run by J.K. Dobbins helped fuel the 10-play, 51-yard drive for the Broncos.
Chargers can’t find the end zone, settle for field goal
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is sacked by the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
🏈 Broncos 17, Chargers 13 — 5:35 left in the third quarter
Denver’s red-zone defense continues to frustrate the Chargers.
Cameron Dicker kicked a 24-yard field goal after the Chargers’ 14-play, 69-yard drive fizzled at the Denver 6-yard line.
Cornerback Patrick Surtain got a hand on Justin Herbert’s third-down passing attempt to Keenan Allen, forcing the Chargers to settle for a field goal.
Herbert has completed 15 of 30 passes for 164 yards.
Broncos extend their lead after disastrous second-half start for Chargers
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh watches from the sideline against the Broncos.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
🏈 Broncos 17, Chargers 10 — 12:02 left in the third quarter
Wil Lutz kicked a 42-yard field goal after the Broncos capitalized on a botched kickoff return by the Chargers.
Jonah Elliss punched the ball out of Darius Davis’ arms as he returned the ball. JL Skinner recovered the ball for the Broncos at the Chargers’ 30-yard line.
Najee Harris (ankle) will not return to the game, the team announced. Right guard Mekhi Becton is also out because of a head injury.
Former Charger J.K. Dobbins scores to give Broncos the lead
🏈 Broncos 14, Chargers 10 — 13:40 left in the third quarter
Denver wasted no time taking it to the Chargers’ defense coming out of the locker room at halftime.
J.K. Dobbins scored on a 19-yard touchdown run to give Denver its first lead of the game, capping a three-play 66-yard drive.
A 41-yard run by Dobbins on the first play from scrimmage in the second half set up the touchdown.
Dobbins, of course, was the lead running back for the Chargers last season.
It’s the first time the Chargers have trailed in a game this season.
Chargers lead Broncos 10-7 at halftime
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert throws just before he is taken down by Denver Broncos defensive tackle DJ. Jones during the first quarter.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
🏈 Chargers 10, Broncos 7 — HALFTIME
Justin Herbert and the Chargers will be looking to find some solutions on offense after a tough first half against the Broncos.
Herbert has completed 10 of 20 passes for 128 yards, with an interception. Quentin Johnston caught five passes for 77 yards and running back Omarion Hampton had 33 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries.
Denver quarterback Bo Nix was seven for 15 for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Bo Nix and the Broncos strike back with 52-yard TD pass
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix passes against the Chargers in the first half.
(Gregory Bull / Associated Press)
🏈 Chargers 10, Broncos 7 — 38 seconds left in the second quarter
Denver wide receiver Courtland Sutton capitalized on broken Chargers coverage to catch a 52-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix.
The touchdown capped a seven-play, 72-yard drive for the Broncos, who until then, had been forced into four consecutive punts by the Chargers defense.
Chargers extend their lead on Omarion Hampton’s first career TD
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert passes against the Broncos in the first half.
(Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
🏈 Chargers 10, Broncos 0 — 1:53 left in the second quarter
Omarion Hampton scored his first career touchdown on a three-yard run to extend the Chargers’ lead. It was the first rushing touchdown of the season for the Chargers.
The touchdown capped a nine-play, 54-yard drive.
Quentin Johnston made a spectacular, 23-yard catch over Broncos cornerback Riley Moss (who was called for defensive pass interference on the play) to set up the touchdown.
Justin Herbert picked off by Brandon Jones
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert warms up before the game.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
🏈 Chargers 3, Broncos 0 — 9:45 left in the second quarter
Justin Herbert and the Chargers aren’t finding life easy against the Denver Broncos defense.
Broncos safety Brandon Jones intercepted a pass intended for Quentin Johnston outside the end zone. The ball was actually deflected by cornerback Riley Moss.
It was the first interception thrown by Herbert this season. Strong pressure by the Denver pass rush was a factor in the play.
Cameron Dicker field goal gives Chargers early lead
🏈 Chargers 3, Broncos 0 — 11:54 left in the first quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 32-yard field goal to give the Chargers an early lead after a eight-play, 55-yard opening drive.
A 37-yard catch by Quentin Johnston helped fuel the drive.
Who’s got it better than the AFC West? Division might have greatest coaching roster ever
(Photo illustration by Tim Hubbard / Los Angeles Times)
There are great coaches all over the NFL. Super Bowl champions. Coach of the Year winners. Future Hall of Famers.
But when it comes to head coaches, across the board, no division can match the AFC West.
Andy Reid, Sean Payton, Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh.
It’s Mount Rushmore — or maybe Mount Passmore.
Chargers avoid worst-case scenario as Khalil Mack recovers from dislocated elbow
Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack is helped off the field after sustaining a dislocated elbow against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday.
(David Becker / Associated Press)
When Khalil Mack suffered a left elbow injury after colliding with a teammate while tackling the Raiders’ Geno Smith, the concern wasn’t whether he’d miss time, but how much.
Fortunately for the Chargers, the diagnosis was a dislocated elbow, sidelining him four weeks on injured reserve — far better than the season-ending outcome many had feared.
“He’s like Wolverine,” coach Jim Harbaugh said, invoking the regenerating “X-Men” character. “One of the toughest things I’ve ever seen. He wasn’t going to sit or lay down on the field. … A new level of respect.”
Inactives for Chargers vs. Broncos on Sunday
Here are the players who will not be playing in Sunday’s game between the Chargers and Denver Broncos.
our inactives for #DENvsLAC
2 Elijah Molden
20 Cam Hart
38 Emany Johnson
84 KeAndre Lambert-Smith
89 Will Dissly
93 Otito Ogbonnia— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) September 21, 2025
Chargers have a chance to make history against Broncos and be the buzz of the NFL
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) huddles with his teammates before a win over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 15.
(Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)
How did we land in this powder-blue paradise?
There’s no guarantee the Chargers will pass through the gate of golden opportunity, but this 2-0 team has sawed the lock off the latch.
With Sunday’s home opener against Denver, the Chargers have the chance to go 3-0 in the AFC West with a week to go in September. That’s unheard of. The last time this franchise opened the season with three consecutive division games was 1988, and those Chargers stumbled to a 1-2 start.
These Chargers could be 3-0 for the first time since 2002 and are heading into a softer part of their schedule.
Recap: Chargers’ masterful defensive performance carried them in Week 2 win over Raiders
Chargers cornerback Donte Jackson intercepts a pass that was deflected by safety Derwin James Jr. in the end zone during a 20-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Monday night.
(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)
LAS VEGAS — Welcome to Allegiant Stadium.
Remember to tip your Raiders.
The Chargers didn’t forget. They were the most generous tippers in town Monday night, with eight different players swatting away a total of 15 passes and intercepting three more in a 20-9 victory over their AFC West rivals.
Chargers vs. Broncos how to watch, prediction and betting odds
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix passes against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 14.
(Zach Bolinger / Associated Press)
A couple of former University of Oregon quarterbacks square off Sunday in a pivotal AFC West matchup. It’s Justin Herbert of the Chargers and Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos, both backed by talented defenses.
The Chargers are making their season debut at SoFi Stadium, and they already have two big pelts to hang on the wall. They’ve beaten Kansas City and Las Vegas, and against Denver are looking to sweep their first half of AFC West games. Last season, in the debut of Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton with their respective teams, the Chargers swept the Broncos.
“Obviously, his success speaks for itself both at the NFL level and college level,” Payton told reporters this week of Harbaugh. “I was excited that he got a job in our league, but not so much in our division.”