10 Winners, 4 Losers in Broncos' 31-30 Comeback Win Over Chargers
The Denver Broncos achieved something on Sunday that had only ever happened four times prior in the history of the team. By overcoming a 21-point deficit in the second half, the Drew Lock-led Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers 31-30 and once again made it into the team annals.
In a game that was indeed a tale of two halves, who were the biggest winners and losers? Let's get to it.
Winner: Drew Lock | QB
Lock stunk it up in the first half, presiding over an offense that mustered just three points, two first downs, and 60 total yards. He turned it around the second half, though, throwing three touchdown passes and finishing with 248 yards passing.
It was gut-check time and Lock answered the bell. He needed that confidence boost and a little momentum. In just his 10th NFL start, Lock posted his second three-TD passing performance.
Winner: Phillip Lindsay | RB
I don't know why Lindsay only carried the ball six times but he sure gave the Broncos some bang for their buck, producing 83 yards, which included a 55-yard touchdown that sparked the team's comeback. Cleared from concussion protocol the day prior, Lindsay's return to the lineup couldn't have been more timely.
Winner: Bryce Callahan | CB
Callahan had to really step up in this game, especially after A.J. Bouye exited following a friendly-fire hit. Callahan's end-zone interception of Justin Herbert prevented the Chargers from truly routing the Broncos in the second half and was also a spark that lit the team's comeback.
Winner: Jerry Jeudy | WR
Jeudy didn't find the end zone but he produced a career-high 73 yards on four receptions, leading the team in targets with 10. With Tim Patrick out, the Broncos needed the first-rounder to step up and he did.
Winner: Kareem Jackson | S
Without Jackson's fearsome hitting in the second half, which set the tone for the Broncos' defense and struck fear in the hearts of the Chargers, I'm not sure Denver survives this one. He might hear from the league office on at least one of those hits later this week but the Broncos needed that physical enforcer on the back-end and Jackson fulfilled it with gusto, leading the team with 12 tackles (eight solo).
Winner: Albert Okwuegbunam | TE
Okwuegbunam was targeted three times in this game and two of them drew a pass interference penalty while the other was hauled in for a 9-yard touchdown, the first of his career. Lock and Albert O. have a mind-meld going and it's only going to build.
Winner: KJ Hamler | WR
The rookie wideout hauled in the game-winning touchdown as time expired, his first score as a pro. It was just the second game-winning or game-tying touchdown as time expired in the fourth quarter or overtime in franchise history. Hamler caught all three of his targets for 13 yards and that score.
Winner: DaeSean Hamilton | WR
Hamilton had one bad play he'd like back (a blocking penalty) but he stepped up big-time as a receiver. He led the team in receiving yards with 83, hauling in four receptions, one of which was a 40-yarder for a touchdown. Nice work.
Winner(s): Bradley Chubb & Malik Reed | OLBs
Chubb and Reed each posted a sack for the third straight game. The Broncos' defense developed an edge rush in Week 4 and Chubb and Reed have been the tip of the spear.
Loser: Garett Bolles | LT
Entering the game as the top-graded offensive tackle in all of football per Pro Football Focus, Bolles posted a performance much closer to that of his old self. In recidivist form, he was penalized three different times, with each one costing the Broncos and putting them behind the sticks. The absence of O-line Coach Mike Munchak was resounding in Week 8.
Loser(s): Alexander Johnson & Josey Jewell | ILBs
The Broncos keenly felt the absence of nose tackle Mike Purcell as the Chargers eclipsed 200 yards rushing on the day. The big boy on the D-line deserve their fair share of complicity but the Broncos' off-ball linebackers were terrible.
Both Johnson and Jewell posted double-digit tackles but it was often as the clean-up guy, well after the ball-carrier had gashed the second level of the defense. Both linebackers really struggled to get off the block on Sunday.
Loser: Melvin Gordon | RB
It wasn't all bad from Gordon as he did make a couple of nice plays on the Broncos' final scoring drive, extending to move the chains on a pivotal third down. But in what was his 'revenge' game against his former team, he was mostly ineffectual as a runner, carrying the ball eight times for 26 yards (3.25 avg.).
Juxtaposed with Lindsay's massive 13.8 yards-per-carry average, it's clear who the star of the Broncos' backfield is and it ain't the guy making $8 million per year. It's the guy making $750K.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
