Game Recap

1st Quarter:
7 - 0 Chargers lead
The Broncos got the ball first to start the game and took it 35 yds before punting. San Diego marched down the field with their first possession and QB Phillip Rivers ran in the TD from 2 yds out. Key Plays: RB LaDainian Tomlinson 36 yd reception, TE Antonio Gates 23 yd reception.
14 - 0 Chargers lead
On the ensuing kickoff, Broncos WR Brian Clark returned the ball 23 yds where he was hit by LB Carlos Polk and fumbled the ball. It was recovered by LB Brandon Siler who ran it 23 yds to the end zone for the 2nd Chargers TD in 11 seconds.
The Chargers kicked off again, this time a touchback to start the Broncos drive at the 20. A 19 yd completion to TE Tony Scheffler and a defensive pass interference penalty set Denver up with 1st and 10 at the San Diego 35. QB Jay Cutler threw complete to WR Brandon Marshall for 29 yds where he was hit by S Marlon McCree and fumbled the ball. Chargers CB Quentin Jammer recovered the ball at the 9 for the 2nd Broncos turnover of the game.

2nd Quarter:
17 - 0 Chargers lead
The Chargers took almost 7 minutes off the clock on their drive to the Denver 8 where they were forced to kick a 26 yd FG by K Nate Kaeding. Key Plays: Tomlinson 38 yds on 7 rushes and a 29 yd reception, Gates 13 yd reception.
17 - 3 Chargers lead
The Broncos managed 18 yds on their ensuing possession before punting, then San Diego went 3 and out, even after a 5 yd offside penalty on Denver that gave them 3rd and 5. The Broncos started their next drive at their own 43. They moved the chains to the 12 yd line where K Jason Elam scored their only points of the game with a 30 yd FG. Key Plays: RB Travis Henry 32 yds on 4 rushes, WR Glenn Martinez 6 yd reception on 3rd and 5.
20 - 3 Chargers lead
San Diego managed to put up 3 more points with a 45 yd Kaeding FG after a 49 yd run by RB Michael Turner changed the pace of the last drive of the half.

3rd Quarter:
27 - 3 Chargers lead
San Diego opened the second half with the first possession and took the ball 73 yds to the endzone with a 9 yd pass to Gates for the score. After three offensive penalties in a row, the Chargers were looking at 2nd and 33 at their own 39 yd line. QB Phillip Rivers fired the ball down the field to WR Vincent Jackson for 45 yds and the 1st down. Jackson also contributed a 24 yd reception.
Denver got the ball back 5:40 into the half. On 3rd and 6 at their own 24, Cutler threw to Martinez for 10 yds where he was hit by Jammer and fumbled. The ball was recovered by S Clinton Hart and returned 26 yds to the Denver 6. Denver challenged the ruling and it was reversed. The Broncos ran the exact same play and Martinez held on for 10 yds and a 1st down. Three plays later, after an 18 yd Scheffler reception and a 14 yd reception by WR Brandon Stokley, Cutler's pass intended for Marshall was intercepted by McCree at the 2 yd line and returned 19 yds to negate the previous turnover reversal.
34 - 3 Chargers lead
The Chargers then marched down the field again with the help of three Gates receptions - 13, 34, and 12 yds. Jackson scored the TD with a 15 yd reception.

4th Quarter:
The Broncos started off their ensuing possession with a Cutler fumble but he recovered for a loss of 2. The Broncos went 3 and out and San Diego got the ball back at their own 22. They too went 3 and out and punted from their own 27. The punt was blocked by Scheffler and the ball rolled out of bounds at the 22, setting the Broncos up with a 1st down. They got 9 yds with a Marshall reception but stalled at the 13 and then lost 3 yds to set up 4th and 4 at the 16. They went for it but gained only 2 yds and turned the ball over on downs with 10:26 left to play.
41 - 3 Chargers win
The Chargers then scored again in 2 plays with a 12 yd and a 74 yd TD run, both by Turner. The Broncos drove 42 yds with the help of 23 and 14 yd receptions by Martinez but went incomplete on 4th and 12 at the San Diego 33. The Chargers went 3 and out and Denver got the ball back one more time. They drove to the San Diego 41 where they were faced with 4th and 1 with 1:23 left on the clock. Cutler threw deep but incomplete to Marshall and the Chargers knelt out the clock.

back to schedule