Comment on Broncos report card: Way too little, far too late for Sean Payton’s team across the board in ugly home loss to Chargers

Ferris Bueller can take a day off. But Pat Surtain II cannot be absent. One week after the coach and the quarterback squawked, talked and laughed about a sideline inferno that drew a comparison to a 1980s movie character, the Broncos learned how vulnerable they are without their best player. On the Chargers’ first series, Surtain whipped his body on a tackle and slammed his head to the ground.

The Denver Broncos lost to the Los Angeles Chargers 23-16 at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Sunday, October 13, 2024. Related Articles Denver Broncos | Renck: Ferris Bueller can take day off, but Chargers loss proves Broncos superstar Pat Surtain II cannot be absent Denver Broncos | Broncos report card: Way too little, far too late for Sean Payton’s team across the board in ugly home loss to Chargers Denver Broncos | Bo Nix Watch: Rookie QB rebounds after rough first half in loss to Chargers Denver Broncos | Broncos four downs: Ferris Bueller took the first half off (again), and Denver lost to Chargers because of it Denver Broncos | WATCH: Broncos’ Courtland Sutton makes wild touchdown catch against Chargers

OFFENSE — D Where to start? The Broncos again started slow — their first possession ended in a Bo Nix interception and they didn’t log a first down for 12 minutes of game time. They again struggled on third down. Their only snap in Chargers territory in the first half was a Javonte Williams fumble.

Stat line: 19 of 33, 216 passing yards, two touchdowns, an interception; six carries for 61 yards. Highlight: The highlight from Nix’s performance wasn’t even a passing play. In the third quarter, Nix escaped a sack from edge rusher Bud Dupree before scrambling for an impressive 21-yard gain while pointing at linebacker Daiyan Henley as he ran out of bounds.

Initial thoughts from the Broncos’ 23-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6 at Empower Field at Mile High: Bueller’s day off: It was there on Bo Nix’s very first throw of the day — a third-and-8 shot downfield to Marvin Mims Jr. that sailed on the rookie quarterback and into the hands of safety Elijah Molden.

Courtland Sutton comes down with a WILD touchdown catch