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GAMEDAY Open Thread/Live Blog: Broncos at Chargers | Week 5

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Here we go again. The winless Denver Broncos are rolling into ROKiT Field to take on the 2-2 Los Angeles Chargers this week. 

If the Broncos are going to keep even a modicum of hope alive for this season, Week 5 will have to be a win because no team in NFL history has made the playoffs after starting 0-5. 

The Broncos won in L.A. last year, but that was with a healthy Bradley Chubb rushing Philip Rivers opposite of Von Miller. This time around, Chubb won't be a factor as he's done for the season with a torn ACL. 

It'll take a village for the Broncos to beat the Chargers but it can be done. These are two teams pretty equally matched. 

Join us as we live-blog and discuss DENvsLAC here in our weekly GAMEDAY Open Thread. Dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply going to the top of the site and in the bottom righthand corner of the Mile High Huddle logo, click the follow button.

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Inactives

Analysis: Hard to believe the Broncos are choosing to sit a completely healthy Adam Gotsis. Mike Purcell's availability should help the Broncos hold up against the run but after giving up nearly 300 rushing yards last week, it would have been smart to dress one of your best run-stuffing D-linemen in Gotsis, over either DeMarcus Walker or Dre'Mont Jones. Hopefully this doesn't come back to haunt Denver. Josey Jewell is out but Joe Jones is in and Kareem Jackson returns to the field. Reinforcements. 

Team Captains

Week 5: Davantae Harris, Justin Simmons and Connor McGovern.

First Quarter

De'Vante Bausby is getting the start at CB opposite of Chris Harris, Jr. Mike Purcell indeed is starting over Adam Gotsis at DE. 

Broncos lose coin toss on tails. Chargers defer. Broncos will receive to open this game. 

A beautiful 26-yard strike to Jeff Heuerman to open this game, followed by an explosive 21-yard run by Philip Lindsay. 

Phillip Lindsay is on fire today. Broncos in business on the Chargers' 16-yard line. 

Lindsay caps off a 7-play, 75 yard drive with a four-yard touchdown plunge. Broncos lead 7-0. 

First opening drive TD by the Broncos offense in many moons. Great start. 

First Chargers touch of the game goes to...Melvin Gordon. A swing pass for five yards. 

Kareem Jackson makes a big difference in the Broncos' physicality in the box. The team's modern T.J. Ward. 

Chargers convert 3rd-&-4 to Keenan Allen. In Chris Harris, Jr.'s coverage. 

On 3rd-&-7, the Broncos get off the field. 1-for-2 through one series on the money down. Chargers punt. 

Diontae Spencer returns the punt to the 17-yard line. 1st-&-10 Broncos. 

Broncos convert on 3rd-&-9 to Courtland Sutton. 

Two plays later, Sutton takes a deep crosser 70 yards to the house, after breaking a tackle. 

Broncos rolling with a 14-0 lead. 

Broncos get their first takeaway of the season, when a tipped Phillip Rivers' pass is picked off by Justin Simmons. 

Broncos in business on the Chargers' 40-yard line. 

Diontae Spencer getting worked into the offense with a nine-yard jet sweep. 

Elijah Wilkinson flagged for holding on a Phillip Lindsay run. 

Second Quarter

On the ensuing play, Flacco takes all day to throw the ball, gets stripped as he throws. Chargers recover. A turnover with Broncos threatening in field goal range. 

De'Vante Bausby shaken up on Chargers' first play. Hit in the head/neck by teammate Alexander Johnson. Being carted off. 

Chargers' WR Mike Williams shaken up on ensuing play. An incompletion out of bounds. 

On 3rd-&-5, the Broncos finally stop the Chargers' drive. Von Miller and Dre'Mont Jones get the pressure. 

Rivers flagged for intentional grounding. Minus 10 yards. 

Chargers' kicker misses the 40-yard field goal attempt, the first try of Chase McLaughlin's career. 

Broncos poised to go three-and-out but Chargers get flagged for pass interference on third down, giving Denver a fresh set of downs. 

On 3rd-&-5, Royce Freeman's swing pass is bottled up. Brandon McManus will try from 40 yards. It's good. 

Broncos extend lead to three scores 17-0. 

Mike Purcell has been making plays for Denver's D. Gets the pressure on Philip Rivers, forcing incompletion on first down. 

Yiadom flagged for defensive holding again. On 3rd-&-7, Broncos get the incompletion but due to Yiadom's foul, the Chargers stay on the field. 

LB Justin Hollins getting carted off the field with a knee injury. 

Great play by Alexander Johnson to make the tackle on the goal line. Fourth down. Seven seconds left. 

Chargers appear to be going for it. Ball on the 1-yard line. 

Austin Ekeler tries to extend but Kareem Jackson gets there before he can break the plane, forces the fumble out of bounds. Touchback. End of second quarter. 

Broncos go into halftime 17-0. 

Third Quarter

Broncos force the three-and-out to open the second half. Great start. 

Fred Brown penalized for a block in the back on the Spencer return. Broncos ball on their own 16-yard line. 

Broncos WR Courtland Sutton’s 70-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter represented Denver’s longest scoring play from scrimmage since WR Bennie Fowler’s 76-yard touchdown catch vs. Kansas City on Nov. 27, 2016. 

The play was also just the seventh scoring pass of 70+ yards in the NFL this season.

Broncos going for it on fourth down. Risner jumps. Punt coming. 

Wadman's punt comes down right on the 1-yard line but Fred Brown lost the ball in the sun and it bounced into the end zone. Touchback. 

Broncos rookie DE Dre’Mont Jones was credited with a blocked field goal in the second quarter—the first blocked field goal by Denver since S Justin Simmons vs. Pittsburgh on Nov. 25, 2018.

Davantae Harris is on the field, relinquishes the completion to Mike Williams. 

Von Miller's pressure on Rivers forces the incompletion on 3rd-&-7. Chargers punt. 

After Flacco is sacked on second down, the draw to Freeman on third down picks up 11 yards, giving Colby Wadman some breathing room to punt. Wadman's punt goes 40 yards. 

Miller and Reed plugging the run on third down. Chargers punt. 

Spencer continues his questionable decisions to field punts inside the 10-yard line. Tackled right away. Broncos buried in their own territory again. 

Flacco's pass tipped and picked off by Kazir White. Chargers in business on the Broncos' 7-yard line. 

Alexander Johnson picks off Rivers in the end zone! Broncos' defense holds! 

Fred Brown shows great second effort on third down but Ronald Leary's sixth holding penalty of the season nixes it. 

Punt.

Desmond King returns the ensuing punt 68 yards for a touchdown. A flag is down. Refs pick up the flag. 

Lindsay's outside run to the right loses yards. End of quarter. 

Fourth Quarter

Broncos still haven't gotten a first down in the second half. 

Risner called for another penalty. Ineligible downfield. 

Drive stalls when Flacco takes a sack on third down, forcing a 54-yard field goal attempt, which, of course, McManus misses. 

Chargers in business. 

Davantae Harris called for pass interference on a deep shot. 31-yard penalty. Chargers in Broncos' territory.

Broncos managed to stop the Chargers on third down. McLaughlin comes out to try to narrow Denver's lead to seven points. 

Kick is good from 48. Broncos lead withers to 17-10 with 6:47 to go. 

Unsurprisingly, the Broncos go three-and-out. Flacco's inconsistencies continue. 

Broncos' defense holds, forcing the punt with 3:31 to go. 

Can Flacco close this game once and for all?

Lindsay goes over 100 yards on the day with his 32-yard scamper. 

Lindsay picks up 13 yards on the draw, just shy of the first down. Puts McManus in field goal range. 

McManus trots out to attempt one from 46 yards to close this game out. And put it away.

It's good! Broncos extend lead 20-10!

Chargers drive down quickly, get a field goal. Narrow margin 20-13. 

Onside kick. Broncos recover. 

Fangio gets his first career win! And the 500th in franchise history.