Angela Rae Harris's Blog, page 28

After ugly first half, Broncos’ J.K. Dobbins comes close to reaching 100-yard goal | Broncos notebook

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — When Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins showed up at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, his former teammates had a message for him.

Dobbins played for the Los Angeles Chargers last season, leading them with 905 yards rushing. He then signed as a free agent with Denver last June.

“That’s my old team,’’ Dobbins said after a 23-20 loss to the Chargers. “Those guys know me. They came up to tell me, they were like, ‘We wanted to stop you.’ That’s what happened in the first half.”

Indeed it did. Dobbins, who had talked before the game about wanting to rush for 100 yards against his former team, had four carries for minus-4 yards. But in the second half he said “we figured it out.”

Yes, Dobbins and the Broncos did. He carried seven times for 87 yards and finished with 83 for the game.

Dobbins had all the yards on Denver’s three-play, 66-yard drive to open the second half. He had runs of 41, 6 and then 19 yards for a touchdown to give the Broncos a 14-10 lead.

“Just make a play,” Dobbins said about the drive. “That’s what the key is. I got to make a play, and I’m going to make a play for my guys.”

Dobbins didn’t start Sunday’s game, with the Broncos going with rookie RJ Harvey, who had a reception for 3 yards and a run for 4 yards on their first two offensive plays. However, Harvey got few chances the rest of the game and finished with three catches for 14 yards and two carries for 2 yards.

Nevertheless, it was encouraging for the Broncos that Dobbins, despite his shaky first half Sunday, has increased his rushing output in each of the first three games. He had 63 yards in a 20-12 win over Tennessee in the opener and 76 in a 29-28 loss at Indianapolis in Week 2.

“It was good,’’ quarterback Bo Nix said of the run game Sunday. “It was really important. I think when we ran the ball on drives, we scored. That seems to be a common theme.”

Nix helped in the run game, carrying eight times for 33 yards as Denver had 118 yards on the ground. However, Nix completed a pedestrian 14 of 25 passes for 153 yards with a touchdown and the Broncos often were bogged down by penalties.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Carrie Giordano)

Broncos take “pressure off” Greenlaw

It’s no longer a week-to-week waiting game on Dre Greenlaw.

The Broncos on Saturday placed the linebacker on injured reserve with a quad injury. That requires him to sit out four games, meaning the soonest he can return is Oct. 19 at the New York Giants.

Greenlaw sat out spring drills with a quad injury and suffered what coach Sean Payton said was a different quad injury in a July 31 practice. The Broncos didn’t put him on injured reserve before the start of the season, believing he would play at some point in the first four games.

“We got to a point and he’s been busting his tail,’’ Payton said after Sunday’s game. “(Putting him on injured reserve) will take a little pressure off. We could have done it earlier. There was a goal date and it was either (Greenlaw playing Sunday) or (on Sept. 29 at home vs. Cincinnati). The last thing we want to do is have him come out too early and re-injure it.’’

Payton said he and general manager George Paton met with Greenlaw.

“(We) sat down with him, spent some time discussing it and now there is plenty of season left,’’ Payton said. “In hindsight, we could have (put Greenlaw on injured reserve sooner.) But, at that time, the information was ‘Hey, this is four weeks (during which he might play).’ But it’s a bit longer.”

Greenlaw had looked close to returning when he practiced on a limited basis Sept. 12, the only practice he has taken part in since the start of the regular season. However, he then had a setback and didn’t practice all of last week.

Another slow start

For the third time in Payton’s three seasons with the Broncos, they are off to a slow start.

In 2023, it was 1-5. In 2024, it was 0-2. Now they’re 1-2.

Sunday’s loss dropped the Broncos into a three-way tie in the AFC West with Kansas City and Las Vegas. Those teams are two games in the division behind the Chargers (3-0), who already have beaten all the other teams in the AFC West.

“We got to get better fast and if we do, I think this will be all right,’’ said Payton, adding it’s only “the third week of the season.”

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton answers questions after an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

The Broncos have lost two straight games on field goals on the final play, the previous one being the one at Indianapolis. But several Broncos players talked about how it is far too early in the season for any sort of panic to set in.

“It’s Week 3,’’ said tackle Mike McGlinchey. “There’s so much football left to be played, and we got a great opportunity to do it in front of our home crowd on Monday Night Football (in Week 4 against the Bengals) and that’s all that the focus is.”

Briefly

The Broncos lost despite no turnovers to the Chargers’ two. Safety Brandon Jones intercepted a Justin Herbert pass in the second quarter and outside linebacker Jonah Elliss in the third quarter forced a Chargers fumble on a kickoff return by Derius Davis that was recovered by safety JL Skinner. That led to a 42-yard field goal by Wil Lutz for a 17-10 Denver lead with 12:02left in the quarter. … Denver’s Marvin Mims Jr. had punt returns of 32 and 24 yards and averaged 28.5 yards on four kickoff returns. … After missing the first two games of the season following ankle surgery in August, Broncos tight end Nate Adkins returned to action. … For the third straight game, Tyler Badie was active as Denver’s third running back while Jaleel McLaughlin was inactive. Also inactive were tight end Evan Engram, ruled out Friday with a back injury, outside linebacker Que Robinson, defensive end Sai’von Jones, tackle Frank Crum and quarterback Sam Ehlinger.

Mark Kiszla: Bo Nix and Denver defense have nasty habit of choking in the clutch

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – In the NFL, where championship rings are won by stone-cold closers, these squeezably soft Broncos always be folding.

Need I remind you?

You already know this sad two-minute drill.

With the game on the line, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix doesn’t yet know how to win.

And this overhyped Denver defense can’t get a big stop.

When victory should’ve been no less than a 90 percent certainty, the Broncos blew a touchdown lead Sunday against the Chargers with under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and lost 23-20 on Sunday.

“We’ve got to find a way to finish,”  Denver cornerback Pat Surtain II said while standing in a visiting locker room that was filled wall-to-wall with sad Charlie Brown frowns.

For the second straight week, the Broncos hopped on a painfully long plane ride back to Colorado after being walked off by a field goal as the final seconds of the game expired.

Well, ain’t that a kick in the teeth?

Again.

Only seven days earlier, the Broncos stumbled over their own feet on the way to slamming the barn door shut on the Colts in Indianapolis.

Oops, they did it again.

“When it counts the most,” Denver outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper said, “that’s when we have to be at our best.”

Instead, these Broncos fold.

More than an accident, it’s becoming an annoying trend.

For all his poise and promise as a young NFL quarterback, Nix can’t win the big ones.

With this woulda-shoulda-coulda loss to the Chargers, who have taken early command of the AFC West by opening the season with three victories against their division rivals, Nix’s record as Denver’s starting quarterback in games decided by seven points or less fell to 2-8.

Forget that dumb penalty on a 60-yard field goal by Indy and the fact that when the going gets tough, smart NFL offensive coordinators take dead aim at Denver cornerback Riley Moss.

The biggest problem for the Broncos so far this season?

Same as it has been since Peyton Manning retired.

It’s the quarterback.

Nix badly misfired on one, two, or three TD throws against the Chargers, depending on how generously you scored it at home.

“Looks like the common thread,” said Nix, reviewing the missed downfield shots that could’ve been daggers, “is just being a step too far and not hitting them.”

In a league ruled by QBs, if the Broncos were getting better play in the clutch from Nix, they would be undefeated.

“He missed no throws,” insisted Denver running back J.K. Dobbins, calling Nix “a great quarterback.”

While we all can appreciate having a teammate’s back, the Broncos won’t escape the 1-2 hole they’ve dug for themselves to start this season by being delusional

Nix isn’t bad. He’s mediocre.

We all know what a truly elite NFL quarterback looks like.

Joe Burrow. Lamar Jackson. Josh Allen.

They are top-five QBs in this league that have made the Denver defense look ordinary in the not-too-distant past.

Should we add Justin Herbert to the list?

He threw for 300 yards and a touchdown to Keenan Allen that tied the game at 20 points apiece with 2 minutes, 37 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. That’s the kind of clutch play that might actually make laid-back L.A. finally wrap its arms around the Chargers.

But let us not forget. After blowing the lead, Denver got the football back with an opportunity for redemption. How many times did Broncos Country watch John Elway put his signature on winning time?

With everything on the line, Nix had a chance to walk like a hero.

Instead, he choked on the moment. Nix badly overthrew a wide-open Courtland Sutton on a deep pass down the left sideline, forcing Denver to go three and out on the Broncos’ final offensive possession.

Herbert responded by hitting all four of his passes to lead the Chargers down the field to set up a game-winning, 43-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker as time expired. 

“We play in a very competitive league,” Sutton said. “I had somebody outside the realm (of football) ask: ‘Are there any easy games in the NFL?’ And I told him: ‘There aren’t any.’” 

So I asked Sutton if consecutive losses to the Colts and Chargers by a total of four points were a stark reminder of the fine line between success and failure in the NFL.

“Is that a question?” Sutton replied.

“Or are you answering your own question?”

We all know the answer.

In a league where there’s little or no margin for error on the road to the Super Bowl, these Broncos have repeatedly shown they aren’t yet good enough to win the close ones.

Broncos lose for second straight week on last-play field goal, falling 23-20 to Chargers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – It appears the lectures by Professor Payton will need to continue.

Broncos coach Sean Payton talked last week about how he and his coaches needed to be “teachers” to overcome a devastating 29-28 loss at Indianapolis on a field goal on the final play of the game.

Well, it’s back to the classroom for the Broncos. For the second straight week, they lost on the last play on a field goal, this one 23-20 to the Los Angeles Chargers on Cameron Dicker’s 43-yard boot Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

“We got to learn how to win the game,’’ said Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins. “That’s it. That’s the simple aim. Nothing too crazy. … We lost two games that we should have probably won. … It’s not necessarily that the other team is beating us. It’s the fact that we’re losing the game.”

For the second straight week, the Broncos had plenty of chances to close out a game, and again they didn’t. That has left them at 1-2, two games behind the 3-0 Chargers in the AFC West.

The Broncos had leads of 17-10 in the third quarter and 20-13 in the fourth quarter. They had four possessions in the second half in which they could have gone up by two possessions with a touchdown, but each time came up short. The best chance came when they had first-and-goal at the 5 when up 17-13, but had to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Wil Lutz with 12:21 left in the game that gave them a 20-13 lead.

“It comes down to efficiency on offense,’’ said tackle Mike McGlinchey. “I think we were not good for most of the day, myself included. I didn’t play good enough, and offensively we were awful on third down (2 of 13) but we were also leaving ourselves third-and-forevers as well.”

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey (15) is tackled by Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Carrie Giordano)

The defense also faltered down the stretch in a game in which the Broncos allowed a staggering 29 first downs while having just nine. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert scrambled away from a big pass rush from Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto and threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Keenan Allen to tie the score 20-20 with 2:37 left in the game.

After the Broncos went three and out, which included quarterback Bo Nix overthrowing an open Courtland Sutton on a long pass, the Chargers took over on their 32. Herbert, who completed 28 of 47 passes for 300 yards with one touchdown and one interception, then led them on an eight-play, 43-yard drive that culminated in Dicker’s winning field goal.

“We got to find a way to finish,’’ said Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II. “Obviously, last week we could have finished better, and this week the same. We just got to find a way to pull out those close games, especially against good opponents, because that’s what it takes in this league.”

Speaking of that, Nix is now 1-8 in games decided by seven points or less in his two-year career. While last year he was a rookie and some of the close losses were understandable, that isn’t necessarily the case this season.

Nix completed 14 of 25 passes for 153 yards with one touchdown, a 52-yard strike to Sutton with 38 seconds left in the first half on fourth-and-2 when the Broncos trailed 10-0. Sutton had six receptions for 118 yards.

The Broncos also got a touchdown on their next possession, a 19-yard run by Dobbins for a 14-10 lead to open the second half. Other than that, the offense was inconsistent.

“It felt very similar (to the loss at Indianapolis),’’ Nix said. “It felt like we kept going backwards and had no explosives when we needed them. We had the ball with a chance (after the Chargers tied the score 20-20). That drive just felt like we didn’t do anything. It felt like we just kept going backwards and had long field position, long third downs, and in this league, that’s not going to cut it.”

Penalties hurt the Broncos throughout the game. They had 10 for 90 yards, which raised the ire of Payton.

“Obviously, a disappointing finish to a hard-fought game,’’ Payton said. “We had too many penalties. … It’s a tough loss. … (The penalties) need to be cleaned up fast.”

Payton’s career record against Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh dropped to 1-5, but he stressed that “we’ll see them again” in Denver in the season finale and that it’s only the “third week” of the season.

On the drive that led to Allen’s touchdown, the Broncos had perhaps their most critical penalty of the game. On third-and-10 at the Chargers 24, Herbert threw an 11-yard pass to Allen, and a personal foul on safety Talanoa Hufanga for unnecessary roughness moved the ball to the 50.

“I’ve got to be smart, understanding it’s on me,’’ Hufanga said.

Four plays later, Herbert scrambled away from a pass rush and found Allen for the touchdown in the left corner of the end zone despite good coverage by Riley Moss.

“We understand that we just have to play better and defensively end it in kind of a two-minute situation,’’ said Broncos defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers. “It’s our job to close it. We didn’t get to the quarterback then.”

The Broncos had five sacks, including two by Bonitto and one apiece by Franklin-Myers, Jonathon Cooper, and D.J. Jones. But just two came after the first quarter.

Until Nix’s touchdown strike to Sutton, the Broncos offense did little. In the first half, Dobbins, who had talked about wanting to rush for 100 yards against his former team, carried four times for minus-4 yards.

Dobbins did get going in the second half, carrying seven times for 87 yards to finish with 83 yards. With runs of 41, 6 and the 19-yard touchdown run, he had all 66 yards on Denver’s scoring drive to open the second half.

“I got to make a play and I’m going to make a play for my guys,’’ he said.

Dobbins, after the game, also made it a point to defend Nix when asked about some of his overthrown passes. Nix also missed a wide-open Marvin Mims Jr. in the second quarter on what could have been a 63-yard touchdown pass.

“He ain’t miss no throws,’’ Dobbins said. “He played a great game. We got his back. I got his back. He’s a great quarterback. …  We lost as a team. It’s not on him. I got to make more plays for him and that’s it. … We got to make a play for him even if it’s not a good-placed ball.”

But most of all Dobbins stressed the Broncos still must learn how to win. Let the lessons continue from Professor Payton.

Quarterback Bo Nix overthrows loom large in Broncos’ road loss at Chargers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Bo Nix was inches away from changing the narrative.

The Broncos quarterback stood at a podium on Sunday afternoon in the depths of SoFi Stadium after a devastating 23-20 loss to the Chargers — just like a week ago — with the Broncos falling on a walk-off field goal by their opponent.

A hard truth: Nix missed deep on three passes Sunday with the potential to help reverse that trend.

“It looks like the common thread is just being a step too far,” Nix said. “And not hitting them.”

— In the second quarter, facing third-and-19, on a flea flicker call that would have scored a touchdown. Nix received the pitch back from running back J.K. Dobbins. He targeted a wide-open Marvin Mims deep downfield for a sure touchdown. But Nix overthrew his wide receiver. The Broncos punted.

— In the third quarter, nearing the red zone, on another deep ball to Mims in the end zone. Nix overshot his target, again. The Broncos settled for a 42-yard Wil Lutz field goal.

— In the fourth quarter, facing third-and-10, on Denver’s final offensive play. Nix targeted wide receiver Courtland Sutton on a vertical route into Chargers territory. Sutton dove for the catch but was unable to make it. The Broncos punted and the Chargers responded with the game-winning drive.

What happened on the last miss to Sutton?

“Coach called a play. Then Bo called it to us in the huddle,” Sutton said. “We ran out, lined up and ran it. Then we missed. Simple.”

Nix walked reporters through his version of the incompletion.

“We knew it in all of their coverages and all of their shells, we would have a chance to go step on the DBs toes and maybe outrun them. We would have a chance at least at a vertical pass,” Nix said. “That’s what we got. I thought that the opportunity was there. Courtland got outside on him and got going. Unfortunately, I just missed in front by a couple of inches. If I had to do it again, I would have taken a little bit more time. Held on to it maybe a count longer and gave him something to where he could go up for it and maybe get a pass interference.”

Nix finished the game 14 of 25 passing for 153 yards and one touchdown. Before halftime, off play action, he connected with Sutton on a 52-yard scoring play. It was the clear positive during a mixed-bag performance.

Coach Sean Payton said his message to Nix after his overthrows was to “keep slinging it” and “those are almost spot on.” But several factors can lead to a pass thrown too deep.

“It varies,” Payton said. “The route at the end is kind of like a seam. Almost a double move. … The third-and-long flea flicker was close. Sometimes, if it’s a double move (by the wide receiver), your eyes can betray you a little bit. But I thought he’s thought he’s throwing it real accurately. Putting the ball in good places. Protecting it.”

The Broncos (1-2) remain plenty confident in their starting quarterback despite consecutive brutal losses.

“He ain’t miss no throws. He played a great game,” running back J.K. Dobbins said. “We got his back. I got his back. He’s a great quarterback. It’s a team game. We lost as a team. It’s not on him. I got to make more plays for him and that’s it. … We got to make a play for him. Even if it’s not a (well) placed ball, we got to make a play. That’s what it is.”

Sutton added: “I don’t want (Nix) to ever feel the pressure of needing to be perfect for us to go out there and be successful. We all have our hand in the pot. It takes all of us to win. It takes all of us to lose.”

Nix will soon turn his attention to the Bengals (2-1) for Monday Night Football at Empower Field. But it won’t be easy to shake all the could-have-been moments from Sunday in Los Angeles. Like three deep incompletions he’ll never get back.

“It stinks. It definitely is not fun. It’s not enjoyable,” Nix said. “But all you can do is go to the next game.”

Broncos better be careful, not let Harbaugh-Herbert become new Reid-Mahomes | Boos and cheers

What we’re cheering and booing after the Broncos’ 23-20 loss to the Chargers on Sunday: 

Boo!

Sean Payton sees what we all see: the Broncos are an undisciplined team. “We’ve got to be aligned correctly. That needs to be cleaned up fast,” Payton said after another heartbreaking defeat at the final horn. Denver’s boo-boos weren’t limited to the fourth quarter, when Talanoa Hufanga, who has been a revelation for the Broncos defense, earned a 15-yard penalty for body-slamming Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen after the whistle. Star pass-rusher Nik Bonitto earned a critical penalty when he lined up in the neutral zone on a Chargers punt. The result? An automatic first down when the Los Angeles offense was struggling to move the ball.

Cheers…

… to the Chargers for drafting and developing an elite quarterback in Justin Herbert. He runs like Josh Allen with the passing accuracy of Joe Burrow. Now he’s as dangerous in the fourth quarter as Patrick Mahomes. Under serious pressure, Herbert delivered a sidearm dart to Allen for the tying touchdown with 2:37 left in regulation. It looked like a quarterback who knows he’s The Man. What separated the Broncos from the Chargers on Sunday? The Chargers leaned into the quarterback, who saved the day. The Broncos leaned into theirs, and Bo Nix again failed to deliver in crunch time. His 2-8 mark in one-score games is officially a thing.

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Carrie Giordano )

Boo!

… the thoughtful folks who choose prime-time matchups. They usually nail ’em. But this Broncos-Chargers era has the feel of a renewed rivalry deserving of a Monday night spot. Two 20-something quarterbacks. Two coaches who could use a Super Bowl title to affirm their Hall of Fame status. Two teams beaten down by the Chiefs’ reign in the AFC West and armed to bump K.C. from the top spot. The AFC West race is a slobberknocker. Credit the Bolts for starting 3-0 in the division, no small feat when only one game was played at SoFi Stadium. But the Broncos best be careful here. Don’t want Harbaugh-Herbert becoming Andy Reid-Mahomes.

Cheers…

… to Sean Payton propping up Bo Nix. Like a PGA Tour contender who can’t close a tournament, the mental strain of pulling defeat from the jaws of victory can lead to fourth-quarter yips. But Payton had three words for Nix after another last-minute gut punch: “Keep slinging it.” From my amateur vantage point, it looks like Nix’s three-turnover disaster against the Titans is still hanging over his head. Notice how his missed deep balls are overthrows? That’s the sign of a quarterback who’s trying harder to avoid the interception than to complete the pass. “He’s throwing it real accurately, putting the ball in good places, protecting it,” Payton said.

—Paul Klee, The Denver Gazette

Makar injury watch and captain Landeskog: 5 takeaways from the Avalanche preseason doubleheader

Utah’s disastrous travel day only slightly delayed a fun doubleheader of hockey in Denver on Sunday.

The Avalanche took the early game handily, beating the Mammoth by a score of 5-1 at Magness Arena. It was a little closer up the road at Ball Arena, but the Avalanche also took that game by a score of 3-2. Probably a day everyone on the Mammoth would like to forget.

Here are five takeaways from the Denver doubleheader.

If there’s one thing you want to avoid in preseason, it’s injuries. Specifically, injuries to key players. Early in the third period of the early game, Cale Makar took an inadvertent elbow to the face from Samuel Lipkin. From that point on, he took just one shift, and that shift was a short one. He sat on the bench for most of the period before he was finally sent to the locker room late. After the game, head coach Jared Bednar said “I think he’s doing fine. We’ll see tomorrow.” The Avalanche are off on Monday so we won’t get a real update until Tuesday. That means fans will be holding their breath for about 36 hours.How big of a difference is it going to be to have Gabriel Landeskog back this season? A large one, and it’s not all about points with the captain. He did not take kindly to Lipkin elbowing Makar and decided to take matters into his own hands. Or better yet, fists. As soon as Lipkin got out of the box, Landeskog challenged him to a fight and very much got the best of him. The fans loved it and his teammates certainly did. Landeskog said after the game that he didn’t believe it was intentional, but that didn’t matter. “In that moment, I wasn’t thinking about whether it’s preseason or not,” he said. “You see one of your players go down, honestly, it doesn’t matter if it’s our best player or not, someone’s got to do something.” Is it any wonder why teammates love this guy and are elated to have him back? On top of that, he had a pretty nifty assist in the second period.There’s not really a spot on the roster right now for a skilled winger, but Gavin Brindley showed well playing on a line with the captain. He scored two goals in the second period, a nice way to keep the momentum going after a strong rookie tournament. Brindley had a tough first year as a professional in the AHL but there’s clearly talent there. As long as he bounces back this season, he’ll be a call-up option if injuries do arise.Veterans don’t always go all-out in these early preseason games, or any preseason games in general. Martin Necas may not have been going all-out, but he was doing whatever he wanted in the nightcap. He danced through the Mammoth defense to create an Artturi Lehkonen goal in the first, scored one of his own in the second, and assisted on a Brock Nelson goal in the third. He’s an automatic zone entry anytime he gets the puck in the neutral zone. If the Avalanche can’t get a contract extension done before the season starts, his price tag might just keep going up.There’s still a bit of mystery around Mackenzie Blackwood’s injury at the moment. He’s been skating with Colorado’s goalie coach Jussi Parkkila, but he’s not taking any shots yet. If he’s not ready to go by the time the regular season starts, Trent Miner will be backing up Scott Wedgewood. The 24-year-old has been in the Avalanche system for six years and is coming off his best season as a professional with the Eagles. Miner started the nightcap and exited after two periods, stopping 19 of 20 shots. He seems to be trending up as a player and he’ll need to continue doing that if he’s needed in some games early in the season.

Broncos again melt down, lose at buzzer in 23-20 loss to Los Angeles Chargers | 3 Takeaways

Three takeaways from the Broncos’ 23-20 loss to the Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday:

1. That’s gut punch No. 2. One week after the Broncos melted down in a one-point loss to the Colts, they blew a 17-10 second-half lead against the Chargers. Los Angeles kicker Cameron Dicker booted a 43-yard game-winner with no time remaining on the clock. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert made winning plays in the fourth quarter, while Broncos quarterback Bo Nix again faltered in crunch time. Nix is now 2-8 in one-score games as the starter.

2. The Broncos still can’t beat an elite quarterback, a bugaboo that plagued them last season as well. Those Broncos went 0-6 against Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert. These Broncos had control of a key road game but saw it vanish under the magic of Herbert, whose sidearmed touchdown to Keenan Allen tied the game with 2:37 left in regulation. The Broncos are an undisciplined team. It cost them against the Colts and the Chargers. Talanoa Hufanga earned a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct on the Chargers’ tying drive.

Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) celebrates after sacking Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert during the second half an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

3. Courtland Sutton added a bullet point to his resume as a future Ring of Fame inductee. With a 52-yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half, Sutton passed Broncos all-timer Haven Moses on the franchise’s receiving yards list. Sutton’s breakthrough score also woke up the Broncos’ offense from a 29-minute nap. The Broncos “O” had 32 yards before Sean Payton rolled the dice on fourth-and-2 with a deep shot from Nix to Sutton. Good call, good catch.

Broncos at Chargers grades: An average day for Denver in 23-20 loss

The Broncos dropped to 1-2 after another last-second loss on Sunday, this time to the Chargers. Here are the grades from the 23-20 loss:

Offense

There were still way too many three-and-outs for this group. Quarterback Bo Nix and the offense had nothing going until hitting Courtland Sutton on a 52-yard touchdown pass right before halftime to cut the lead to 10-7. They seemed to find a groove with J.K. Dobbins, who needs the ball more, on the first drive of the second half and took the lead, but just two field goals after that were not enough. Nix also missed three deep balls that could have changed the game for the Broncos.

Grade: C

Defense

It’s hard to give a unit that only gave up 23 points in an NFL game an average grade, but the expectations of the Denver defense are higher. And they don’t come up clutch. The pass rush was great on Justin Herbert, and Brandon Jones got the team’s first pick of the season. But with the game on the line, Herbert and the Chargers went right down the field to tie then eventually win the game.

Grade: C

Special teams

There was a bad Nik Bonitto penalty on a punt that gave the Chargers a first down early in the game, but that was the only blunder. Marvin Mims is electric in the return game and seems poised to break one and go the distance soon.

Grade: B

Coaching

Ten penalties for 90 yards are too many for a team with dreams of making the playoffs. The flags were ranging from costly personal fouls, erroneous alignment and numerous pass interference calls. Sean Payton must get his team more disciplined. On the play-calling front, it seemed like Payton wanted to get RJ Harvey involved early, but it set the offense back in the early going.

Grade: C-minus

Despite QB change, Colorado State stumbles through 17-16 loss to UTSA at Canvas Stadium

FORT COLLINS — An off week did little to solve Colorado State’s offensive issues with Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi under center.

However, the Rams may have found an answer on offense with Jackson Brousseau.

Brousseau, a redshirt sophomore quarterback, entered the game with 11:43 remaining and guided the Rams to their two touchdown drives of the night. However, Colorado State’s two-point attempt to win the game was incomplete, finishing off a 17-16 loss that had little drama until Brousseau entered the game.

He finished 10-of-12 for 78 yards and threw a 5-yard touchdown to Rocky Beers with 29 seconds remaining to pull the Rams within 17-16.

While Brousseau dazzled for CSU, it was UTSA’s Robert Henry Jr. who was the difference-maker.

Henry was as good as advertised, running for one touchdown and catching another, and that was enough for UTSA to squeak out the victory. Henry, UTSA’s stellar running back, burst up the middle for a 76-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to break a scoreless tie and start what would be the downfall for the Rams on the way to a 1-2 record.

Henry, who entered the game leading all FBS rushers in total rushing yards (480) and touchdowns (seven), finished the first half with 121 yards on 11 carries, quickly making him the second running back to top the century mark against the Rams this season.

The senior running back finished with 144 yards on the ground, but it was his 74-yard catch and run down the sideline on a third-and-nine swing pass that would prove to be the dagger for the Rams.

Henry’s rushing touchdown, however, would be the high mark of a first half that was riddled with penalties and ineffectiveness from both teams. UTSA and Colorado State each had a touchdown wiped off the board in the first half, part of a combined 13 penalties before intermission that kept either team from finding its rhythm.

While Henry, who posted his sixth consecutive 100-yard game dating back to last season, was the focal point for the Roadrunners’ offense, Colorado State once again couldn’t find its offensive focus.

Coming into Saturday ranked 113th among the 136 FBS teams in total offense at 318.0 yards per game, Fowler-Nicolosi and the Rams offense heard plenty of boos from the crowd of 32,061. Fowler-Nicolosi finished 14-of-25 for 176 yards before being replaced by Brousseau in the fourth quarter.

The move sparked the Rams, who pieced together a nine-play, 67-yard drive capped by Tahj Bullock’s 10-yard run to tie the game at 10-10 with 6:19 left. Brousseau went 4-for-4 on the drive for 27 yards to shake CSU out of its doldrums.

UTSA entered as a 4.5-point favorite in a game Rams head coach Norvell called “important” earlier in the week, not only because of Colorado State’s early-season stumbles but also preserving home-field advantage after the Rams needed a last-minute touchdown to squeeze past Northern Colorado two weeks again.

Colorado State’s defense certainly lived up to the challenge against UTSA, a team that had scored 20-plus points in 13 straight contests and 40-plus points in six of its last nine games. However, on Saturday, outside of two big plays from Henry, the UTSA offense was bottled up. Thanks to Colorado State’s fourth-quarter burst, the Rams outgained the Roadrunners 407-345.

***

Texas-San Antonio 17, Colorado State 16

What happened: In a defensive struggle until the fourth quarter when the two teams combined for 20 of the game’s 33 points, UTSA and Colorado State totaled 14 punts and 20 penalties. Neither team could find consistency until CSU switched quarterbacks in the fourth quarter, benching Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and inserting Jackson Brousseau.

What it means: The Rams will have plenty of questions to answer about their offensive direction heading into next Saturday’s game against Washington State. Under Brousseau, the Rams seemed to have life on offense. What could CSU look like for four quarters with him under center and a defense that was more than effective on Saturday against UTSA?

Quotable: “Brayden played the first three quarters and struggled a little bit. We weren’t able to move the ball. I thought Jackson deserved an opportunity to come in. He came in in the fourth quarter and did a really nice job.” — CSU coach Jay Norvell

What’s next: The Rams return to Canvas Stadium next Saturday to take on Washington State (2-2) at 5:30 p.m. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network. Both the Rams (38-21) and Cougars (59-24) have already lost to Washington this year.

CU Buffs vs. Wyoming | 3 takeaways as Coach Prime, Colorado get back in win column

BOULDER — Good to have you back, Ralphie.

Deion Sanders and Colorado got a boost from the program’s iconic live mascot as Ralphie VII made her debut prior to the start of Saturday’s game against Wyoming and then ran again before the start of the second half. 

On the way to a 37-20 win over the Cowboys, the Buffaloes scored touchdowns on three of their first four offensive possessions and then got another less than two minutes into the third quarter after watching the one-year-old American Bison prove she certainly does not have an indifference to running, crossing the 50-yard line each time she ran and with impressive speed, too.

Here are three takeaways from the game that has Coach Prime’s team at 2-2 (0-1 Big 12) after the final nonconference game of the season:

Salter stars

The quarterback controversy is over, it appears.

After being benched in favor of Ryan Staub a week ago, Kaidon Salter made his third start of the season and made sure there was no thought of putting him back on the pine.

The veteran Liberty transfer did exactly what Sanders wanted to see: make plays. He finished 18-for-28 passing for 304 yards and three touchdowns, spreading the love around to a handful of his talented wide receivers. All three of his touchdown passes were 29 yards or longer, with the longest coming in at 68 yards.

He sealed the win with a 35-yard touchdown run.

Defense’s solid first half

The CU defense answered the bell.

After a disappointing performance a week ago in Houston, the Buffs did what they were supposed to do against an offense that has struggled as much as Wyoming’s has through three games.

In the first half in particular, the Cowboys managed just three points and 114 yards of offense, 50 of which came on one run by freshman Samuel Harris.

Injury concerns

Jordan Seaton’s absence was notable.

CU’s star left tackle is hard to miss, and he wasn’t out there for the opening drive of the second half. Despite the offensive success in the game, the Buffs are going to need the player Coach Prime has been calling ‘the franchise’ since the preseason.

He was seen on the sidelines in street clothes in the third quarter after Kareem Harden took his place at left tackle.

Starting right guard Zy Crisler also suffered an injury in the second half and did not return. He was replaced by Yahya Attia.