The Los Angeles Chargers lost to the Denver Broncos 23–17 at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 11, falling to 0–5. Los Angeles led 17–10 entering the fourth quarter but allowed 13 unanswered points. A failed fourth-down attempt and two late giveaways changed the finish of the AFC West matchup.
Third-quarter rally creates the lead
The Chargers trailed 10–3 at halftime before their offense responded in the third quarter. Justin Herbert found Hayden Rucci for a seven-yard touchdown to tie the score. The catch produced Rucci's first NFL touchdown and gave Los Angeles a needed lift.
Tuli Tuipulotu then forced and recovered a Bo Nix fumble, setting up another scoring chance. Kimani Vidal ran 42 yards for a touchdown on the next play. Those two possessions put the Chargers ahead and positioned them to pursue their first win of the season.
The fourth quarter changes the result
Denver's answer began when it stopped Herbert on fourth-and-one at the Chargers' 41-yard line. Nix then found Courtland Sutton for a five-yard touchdown to tie the game. A Herbert fumble and interception on later possessions helped set up Wil Lutz's two fourth-quarter field goals.
The Chargers' final chance ended with a sack before Herbert could attempt a last-second throw. Denver finished with three takeaways and five sacks, while Los Angeles lost a game it had controlled late in the third quarter. The Chargers next travel to face the Kansas City Chiefs before their Week 7 bye.
CSB Take
The Chargers showed enough in the third quarter to make the loss especially costly. Their defense created a short field, and Vidal turned it into the lead. Los Angeles now needs better fourth-quarter decisions and ball security to turn those stretches of strong play into a complete game.
