Q3 14:56: The Broncos receive the kickoff to start the second half, and the offense takes over at the 26-yard line after Eddie Royal’s kickoff return. On first down, Knowshon Moreno is wrapped up near the line of scrimmage for no gain. Second down brings a deep pass from Kyle Orton intended for Tony Scheffler, but it is broken up. Flag on the play — pass interference on the defense. That sets up a first down on the Denver 45-yard line.
Q3 13:50: After a six-yard gain on a pass from Orton to Scheffler, Moreno finds a hole for a gain close to the first-down marker — it sets up 3rd-and-1. The handoff goes to Moreno, and there’s no indication whether it’s a first down or not — there are flags all over the field. Two fouls. Illegal shift on the offense, which is declined, and delay of game on the offense for spiking the ball after the play. It’s fourth down, and Brett Kern is in to punt. Darren Sproles is back at his own 10-yard line ready to return. The punt sails into the end zone for a touchback.
Q3 12:34: Brian Dawkins is back in the secondary and Mario Haggan is back in at linebacker as the defense trots onto the field. Andra Davis makes the tackle on first down as LaDainian Tomlinson picks up three yards. On second down, Rivers is nearly sacked by Dumervil before throwing a ball intended for Chris Chambers that falls incomplete. Two flags on the play, both on the Broncos. A holding call on Haggan makes it 1st-and-10 for the Chargers at their own 28-yard line.
Q3 11:40: Philip Rivers is hit in the backfield as he lets go of an incomplete pass. On second down, he finds his fullback Mike Tolbert on a screen pass that picks up 18 yards and a first down.
Q3 10:05: Dawkins and Elvis Dumervil snuff a LaDainian Tomlinson run after just a yard on first down, but Rivers comes back and completes a pass to Chambers for another first down at the Denver 37-yard line.
Q3 8:45: Another one-yard Tomlinson run comes on first down. That’s followed up by an incompletion by Rivers intended for Chambers with Andre’ Goodman in coverage. That makes it 3rd-and-9, and Rivers swings a pass out to Sproles, who is taken down by Wesley Woodyard after a gain of four. On 4th-and-5, Nate Kaeding is in to line up for a 50-yard field goal attempt. He drives it through the uprights, and the Chargers extend their lead by another three points.
CHARGERS 23, BRONCOS 17
Q3 7:57: Eddie Royal is back deep to receive. An update on his performance so far — he’s in fact the second Bronco to return both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in the same game. It also happened in the Broncos’ inaugural season, 1960. Back to today’s game — Royal takes it out to the 23-yard line, where the offense will take over on the other side of the TV timeout.
Q3 7:51: Orton finds Brandon Marshall for a 15-yard gain on first down, moving the ball to the 38-yard line. On the next play, Orton backs up into the shotgun and fires toward Tony Scheffler — good for a five-yard gain. 2nd-and-5 brings a pitch to Correll Buckhalter and a first down after the 11-yard gain.
Q3 6:04: A long pass intended for Marshall falls incomplete, but a completion to Scheffler on the following play sets up another first down for the Broncos at the San Diego 34-yard line. Buckhalter runs for five more yards on first down, followed by a one-yard gain by Moreno. On 3rd-and-4, Orton backs up into the shotgun with three receivers out wide. He fires to Marshall, who drags his defender for a first down.
Q3 3:45: On 1st-and-10, Orton pump fakes then fires to Scheffler in the end zone for a touchdown. It’s quite a catch by Scheffler — the replay shows the tight end got both feet in bounds as he dove to make the catch. Prater’s extra point is good, and the long drive puts the Broncos back on top.
BRONCOS 24, CHARGERS 23
Q3 3:43 The touchdown drive spanned nine plays for 77 yards, taking 4:14 off the game clock. Now Prater is on the field to kick off, and it’s fielded by Sproles. Darcel McBath took down the returner with a big hit at the 26-yard line.
Q3 3:39: A 17-yard Tomlinson run gave the Chargers another first down, and he followed it up with a seven-yard run and a run for no gain. On 3rd-and-3, Rivers drops back and is sacked almost immediately by Dumervil. The sack also forces a fumble, which is recovered by Vonnie Holliday, giving the Broncos offense the ball at the San Diego 47-yard line.
Q3 1:05: A pitch to Moreno goes for no gain on first down, followed by a pass aimed at Jabar Gaffney that was broken up at the last moment. It’s now 3rd-and-10 for the Broncos at the San Diego 47-yard line. Orton buys time, but coverage forces him to scramble forward for a quick chunk of yards. There’s a flag on the play, however — holding on the defense. It’s five yards and an automatic first down.
Q3 0:10: A quick pass out to Brandon Marshall nets nine yards on the run after the catch, and a handoff to Moreno on second down goes for a loss of a yard as the quarter comes to a close. The Broncos will have a 3rd-and-2 at the 26-yard line on the other side of the break.
START OF FOURTH QUARTER: Orton drops back and finds a wide-open Marshall for the first down. Now 1st-and-10 at the 17-yard line, Orton hands off to Buckhalter, and he’s stopped after a gain of one yard.
Q4 13:50: With Orton in the shotgun, Buckhalter catches a pass out of the backfield for a five-yard gain on second down. That sets up a 3rd-and-4 at the 11-yard line. Orton is in teh shtogun with Buckhalter to his right. Three receivers are out wide. Orton takes the snap, drops back and fires for a diving Royal — but the pass falls incomplete. Prater is on the field for a 29-yard field goal attempt — and it’s good, extending the Broncos’ lead.
BRONCOS 27, CHARGERS 23
Q4 13:05: That was a 10-play scoring drive by the Broncos. That’s two consecutive long drives strung together by the offense. Now the Chargers offense is on the field, and Rivers tries to set up a screen pass to Tomlinson. The defense sniffs it out, most notably Haggan, who drills the running back for a loss of four.
Q4 12:17: An incomplete pass by Rivers intended for Vincent Jackson sets up 3rd-and-14 for the Chargers at their own 23-yard line. Rivers is in the shotgun and he’s sacked by Dumervil for the second time today. That brings in Mike Scifres for the punt, with Royal back deep to receive. He tries to find the sideline but is brought down after a short gain at the 29-yard line, where the offense will take over on the other side of a TV timeout.
Q4 11:36: Orton takes the snap from under center on first down, handing off to Buckhalter. The running back finds a big hole and picks up 15 yards for a first down.
Q4 11:26: After an injury timeout for the Chargers, Buckhalter finds room for a six-yard gain on first down. With the ball at midfield, the Broncos have a 2nd-and-4, and it’s a handoff to Buckhalter. The ball comes loose, and there’s a pile to recover the fumble — Ben Hamilton comes away with it after quickly diving on the ball. After the scramble for the ball, it’s 3rd-and-1 for the Broncos — actually a three-yard gain in the end.
BRONCOS TIMEOUT
Q4 9:51: On 3rd-and-1, Peyton Hillis is in at fullback blocking for Moreno. Moreno leaps in the air and dives forward toward the first-down marker — and the refs are calling for a measurement. It’s a first down, and the cheers from the crowd are louder than the boos. Not sure if that’s because Chargers fans were confused, or Broncos fans are taking over. Either one is possible.
Q4 9:29: Big tackle by the Chargers on first down — a pitch to Moreno that looked like could go for a big gain is just a gain of two. On second down, Moreno takes a handoff just as the play clock was nearing zero and picks up five yards. It’s 3rd-and-3, and Orton takes the snap from under center. He tries to find a diving Royal again, but the pass is a little low and hits the ground. That sets up 4th-and-3 for the Broncos at the 39-yard line — and Kern is in to punt.
CHARGERS TIMEOUT
Q4 8:00: Kern’s punt bounces at about the 3-yard line before heading into the end zone for a touchback. The Chargers take over on their own 20-yard line. On first down, D.J. Williams blitzes into the backfield late and gets to Rivers for a sack and a forced fumble — but Rivers recovers his own fumble on the way down to the ground. That makes it 2nd-and-21 at the 9-yard line — and Rivers completes it to Vincent Jackson for a 17-yard gain. Now it’s 3rd-and-4 for San Diego.
Q4 6:27: A pass interference call on Andre’ Goodman on a deep pass intended for Jackson gives the Chargers a first down at the Denver 40-yard line. Haggan and Dawkins take down Sproles after a two-yard gain on the following play. On second down, Rivers drops back and is hit by Andra Davis as he lets go of the ball — so the pass falls harmlessly to the ground, incomplete. That sets up 3rd-and-8, and Rivers is in the shotgun. He tries to get it to Malcom Floyd, but Champ Bailey was in tight coverage and the pass sails high.
Q4 5:45: At the Denver 38-yard line, the Chargers elect to go for it on 4th-and-8. Rivers is in the shotgun and fires toward Floyd — but it’s broken up by Bailey and D.J. Williams. Turnover on downs.
Q4 4:54: The cornerback tried to jump an Orton pass to Scheffler, and paid the price. Scheffler turned back in field after the catch and sprinted all the way up field to the 8-yard line. It’s a 52-yard gain, and the Broncos have a first-and-goal.
Q4 3:00: Two consecutive Moreno runs sets up a third-and-goal at the 5-yard line. Orton drops back into the shotgun with three receivers to the left. He fires the ball to Brandon Stokley, who snags the catch and rolls into the end zone for the touchdown. San Diego head coach Norv Turner throws in the red challenge flag because the defense believes they touched Stokley down at the 1-yard line.
Q4 2:55 The ruling is upheld, and Stokley’s touchdown stands. Prater’s extra point is up and through the uprights — and the Broncos now hold an 11-point lead.
BRONCOS 34, CHARGERS 23
Q4 2:48 Darrell Reid makes the stop on Sproles at the 23-yard line, where the Chargers offense takes over. Rivers passes to Antonio Gates in the middle of the field — a quick six-yard gain. It looks like the Chargers are electing for a hurry-up offense, and Rivers steps up in the pocket to find Chris Chambers for a 17-yard gain and a first down. They hurry up to the line againand Rivers finds Jackson for another first down at the Denver 36-yard line as the clock winds down to the two-minute warning.
Q4 1:59 Gates catches a pass for another first down at the 25-yard line, and the Chargers hurry back up to the line as the clock continues to tick. Rivers avoids pressure and moves out of the pocket, eyeing a receiver running toward the end zone — actually it was Tomlinson — but Wesley Woodyard’s coverage is right there, and the linebacker almost comes away with the interception in addition to the pass breakup.
Q4 1:15: The Broncos defense continues to swarm — Reid sacks Rivers and forces a fumble — but the Chargers recover it. It’s an 11-yard loss, and San Diego is forced to use its final timeout.
CHARGERS TIMEOUT
Q4 1:08: Rivers is hit as he throws on 3rd-and-21, and the pass falls incomplete. Now the team is faced with a 4th-and-21 at the 37-yard line. Kaeding is out to attempt a field goal — the 55-yard attempt is wide left, and the Broncos offense is back on the field. Broncos fans are all cheering and the Broncos sideline acknowledges the fans in the crowd. It’s a big celebration in Qualcomm Stadium as Orton takes two knees to close out the team’s sixth victory in as many games.
The Broncos now head into their bye week undefeated at 6-0.
FINAL SCORE: BRONCOS 34, CHARGERS 23
-Gray Caldwell, DenverBroncos.com
yeah elway07 first time since 1998′ our superbowl year!! lets get get get it!!
yeah elway07 first time since 1998′ our superbowl year!! lets get get get it!!
No INT,s again. What is that 1 in 6 games
Great Job Broncos, Have a good one everybody, Mahalo & GOD bless.
lol was surprised too 07elway
nice way togo into the by week!!! two weeks to get ready for bmore!!!
nice way togo into the by week!!! two weeks to get ready for bmore!!!
nice way togo into the by week!!! two weeks to get ready for bmore!!!
Let’s hear what everyone is going to say is the reason we beat the Chargers now.
Like I said. They can’t blame Ed this time. I don’t see what’s wrong with the Stockley play. They gave it to Santonio last yr.
They dont even need a poll askign who the player of the game was cause it was clearly eddie royal. good game all. dominated in all phases of the game. Defense, offense and yes sir, SPECIAL TEAMS!!! that makes up for last weeks special teams debacle lol
There’s a reason Eddie Royal is my laptop wallpaper, he is the man! I’m glad that he and Scheffler were the major impetuses of our success, as was Dumervil (ladies and gentlemen, your current NFL sack leader!). The Broncos are 6-0 and that’s all that needs to be said. The AFC West is ours again! It’s been too long.
Course Dumervil isnt getting respect on nfl.com…oF the leaders blah blah. Such bs.
LOL who are all these people?
DOOM has done nothing this year but smack the QB and be a great player he keeps this up and he can say hello to the Pro Bowl but I know he the team and everyone of us fans would rather him say hes going to Disney at the end of the year.
You know what’s totally weird… I had Royal up as my desktop picture for this past week and he’s the one that made the 2 biggest plays of the night!! And every week I change it, and for the past 6 weeks, the picture of the person I’ve had up on my desktop always ends up making one of the big plays of that week.
I can’t say enough how much I LOVE our defense!!! Its like one big monster! lol
Keep the faith Bronco Country… we are 6 ‘n zip, haha…
GO BRONCOS!!!!!
I said it once and Ill say it again. Kyle bears a haunting resemblance to Montana. I love it
His quick release is becoming VERY dangerous
GOOD GAME BRONCOS!!!!…and i still hope the media keep doubting us as a team BUT some people are starting to see the light now…..just like most people on here that probably just started supporting that orange and blue, but i know who the real fans are…(07elway,torainATV,Aussie and DynamicDave,Greatness007)…its others too but its a lil tooooo much to name so sorry if i left you out…
NOW I CAN HAVE A WHOLE WEEK WITHOUT STRESS…LOL
Just shut up all the doubters… Good job boys!
I Love It!!!!!
Revenge is a dish best served cold. Or should I say hot. Real hot !
This is a real team. All Phases. Everyone is on the same page. selfless football. Everyone just doing their job and doing it very well.
I think it is safe to say that the Orange Crush is back!!!!
What a great day to be a Bronco Fan!!
Great job guys! Keep it up! One game at a time!!!
Go Broncos Forever!!!!
Ok guys, my game highlights with what I saw!!
I find it UNBELIEBABLE that my boy Mr. Royal gets no receptions and ends up scoring 14 points, AMAZING! He is definitely the MVP of tonights game. He talked to the commentators after the game and they were laughing with him saying how he had no receptions and talked about stats and he said that this is a team who doesn’t care about stats! As long as we win! That’s why I have always been a die hard committed fan to this team! But look at my boy Sheffler, 101 yards as a tight end. Antonio Gates is not even compared to my boy Sheff!! Look at Orton, hitting those couple of deep passes! Our defense was amazing, just sucked whenever Dawk got a little roughed up because they just kept hitting us in the middle because he was out! 2nd half, he came in, only 3 pts allowed in the whole second half!!
I LOOOOOOOVVVVEEEEEEEE MY BRRONNNNNNNNCCCOOOOOOSSS!!!!
I LOVE MY ORANGE CRUSH D!!!
AND OF COURSE, I LOVE MY BRONCOS COUNTRY BABY!!!
I love how when the TEAM needed the running game in the second half they came out and smacked the chargers right in the mouth. Once agian The Denver Broncos come out and Grind out a great win. Enjoy it while you can then get back to preping for Baltimore.
TIME OF POSSESSION ! ! !
GO BRONCOS ! ! !
Oh yeah!
Gotta give a shout out to Eddie!
Great Job Man!!
I new it was just a matter of time before you broke one! Two was icing on the cake!!
And Doom! He keeps this up and he could break the season record!!
broncosfreak30, I think I read Royal had 249 yards as well.
WOW! Dawkins is beast. Something tells me he wasn’t supposed to come back into the game after that injury. I got a feeling that he was feeling sick to his stomach watching Rivers and company move up and down the field at will so he came back to put an end to that nonsense. It’s also amazing that the entire defense stepped up their game once he returned to the field.
DJ and Elvis made me so proud tonight. They were both all over the place and they made Rivers’ life miserable throughout the 2nd half. Nolan drew up some great blitzes to get DJ and Doom into the Chargers backfield and allow their athleticism to take over. Props to both those guys for exploding in this new defensive system.
Other than that, Eddie’s the man, Scheffler is the most underrated offensive player in the league, Orton is winner, and the O-line is as dominant as any unit in the league.
This may be the most complete team in the NFL right now. It’s exciting to be a Broncos fan right now!
This win was so exciting, I can’t sleep!! ha
milehighmagic88 – it is amazing how much of an impact Dawkins has with this team. His leadership is respected so much, the moment he steps on that field with the rest of our D, they get the job done as a solid defensive unit. Just goes to show how strong his presence is with not only our D but the entire team. He has respect for everyone on the team and in return he is overwhelmed with how much the other players follow his lead. Marshall is a prime example… in a short but quick timing he’s managed to at least consider what Dawkins has to say. Look what its done for him… he practically a whole new person but with the same “beastly” skills on the field. It’s impressive.
Keep the faith Bronco Country…
GO BRONCOS!!!!
Monodono…
Yea, that’s what I basically meant by saying that eddie had 14 pts and no receptions! He was the man tonight, and I hope everyone got the chance to hear what he said after the game to the commentators!! I can already say, there will never be another Eddie Royal!!
GOOO BRONNNNNCCCCCOOOOOOOSSSSSS!!!!
http://www.nfl.com/photos/09000d5d813870ce#id:09000d5d813870ce_25
Picture of Rivers fumbling the ball forced by DOOM!!!
Absolutely PRICELESS!!
GOOO BRONCS!
What did he say, is there a vid? I was watching the game online and the game was cut right after McDaniels was interviewed by the on field reporters. Btw, I also noticed players in a huddle on their knees giving thanks behind McDaniels. I wouldnt be surprised if Dawkins was behind all of it. That guy is amazing.
GO BRONCOS!
whos says we keep these jerseys?????? I am all in for these things i love em!! we look like an entire different team!! which kinda reflects the way we are playing!! like an entirely different team!!
It’s fun to see all those guys trying to save face. Coach Ditka, and bagon jumper Carter took us. Of course Jackson!
What’s truly amazing is the matchups! Was wrong on #22 but was straight on about #14 and #88 !! YES!!!!!!!!!!!
GO BRONCOS!!!
Keep the jerseys?? lol come on ppl i wanna hear what yall think!!
and eddie royal is sick!! Orton is playing outstanding. Knowson and Buckhalter are both playing great. and our D is playing great! 6-0 lets go perfect all year!! haha
i dont know why but my posts are too slow to get on this blog..i had to wait until everyones cooled down..lol..
ok wait up, where’s that charger fan punk that came in dissing our team?
how’d he/she put it? “welcome to sea level”?…lmao
great game! still remain an elite..rest up for those silly birds (ravens)
Eddie gave the chargers The Royal Treatment ! ! !
Yes!!! All the Choaker fans here in SoCal are DUMB struck… according to the MNF announcers, “Rivers has the Broncos’ Number…” Not tonight boys!!!!! 6-0 BABY! I love my team!!!!!! Like Royal said, the play as a team and don’t worry ’bout the stats.. COUGH LT! COUGH…
GOOOOO BRONCOS!!!!!!
I just hope Ray Lewis doesn’t get to lay a finger on Orton… keep up the protection O-Line!
GO DENVER!!!!! That is what I am talking about! You boys have been busting your asses out there this season. KEEP IT UP! I am so proud of you all. I fly with my blue and orange………….WoopWoop! Lets keep this up!
Florio’s Mom, thinking the same thing buddy. Who are all of these people?
Great way to go into a bye week. can’t wait for them to come out in two weeks and play baltimore. That should be a great defensive game.
I really hoped that Hillis would have a break out game. Oh, well, mabye he will after the bye week.
The end result is the same, however my prediction of the score was wrong. I am so proud of the way this Team played last night. Ortons pass to Scheffler was awesome for the TD. Royals performance on special teams was the difference maker. Our Defense played their asses off and shut down the Chargers in the second half. Way to Go Broncos!!!
I have to give credit to Rivers (Ugh), there were some moments in this game where he had me worried. Our Defense was putting so much pressure on him and just when you thought they had him, Rivers made a play. In the end Rivers could not handle the pressure and folded.
6-0 going into the bye week and relatively healthy. Dawkins needs to get that hamstring healthy, he is such a presence on the Defensive side of the ball. If the Broncos can keep the intensity up, keep preparing for games as they do, the defense continues to shut teams out in the 2nd half, I don’t see a loss coming anytime soon.
Get some rest boys, get healthy and see you in two weeks. GO BRONCOS!!!! Oh bye the way, did anyone see Cutlers performance against the Falcons. Performed exactly how he did in Denver, gets to the red zone and throws an interception. McDaniels is a genius!!! Orton one INT in 6 games, Cutler 4 in week one 2 in week 6. Glad that Cry Baby plays for the Bears.
This is the game I was waiting for. We are a complete team in every sence of the word. It full so good as well. Now they(media) see what we have always seen. The Broncos are a top 5 franchise. Not just scheme( meaning O or D).
Broncomania, I agree.
Scheffler had an amazing catch. Good catch, good placement by Orton. I also agree with the fact that we come into the bye week healthy. The only person we need really healthy is Larsen, so hopefully we can have him back by the baltimore game.
i am not saying we should take the ravens lightly but that defense is not as good as it was. This was another great win playing complimentary football as the coach likes to talk about. I like how mcdaniels gameplans every week a different weapon this week we lock up scheffler on the safety and 101 yards and a great catch for the td. Mcdaniels knows his football. And for the guy on the last blog who said we would lose dont come here anymore more.
We definitely know how to go for the jugular in the 2nd half.
john clayton said he now believes and he still gets hate mail for predicting we would go 3-13. Good job bronco fans
Still on for 16 – 0.
The Broncos can win in so many ways and have the defense to go all the way.
Kyle Orton is just like the incredible Bart Starr, a smart game manager who knows what it takes to win.
Congratulations Kyle on another great game.
WOW!!
What an awesome game!
Can’t wait to read all the nonsense on nfl.com; espn; and foxsports about how them chargers fell apart or some other nonsense about how them BRONCOS were lucky.
GO BRONCOS!!!
Thank you Pat Bowlen for getting Josh McD instead of Steve Spag No Wins.
baylinor: can’t wait to see the results on the picks!
What a great TEAM win!!! Broncos continue to roll and seem to get better and better each week with still room to grow. At the beggining of the year, I was opimistic that the Broncos could go 9-7 or 10-6 at the very best. Looks like I was wrong ( and I don’t mind admitting that). This TEAM is for real, and I know Josh has them believing they can win every game on the schedule. ( one game at a time. ) Go Broncos, enjoy the bye week and come back with the same fire. Two weeks to get ready for the Ravens and heal up.
This will be a very looooooooooong 2 weeks without Broncos football!!!
Regards,
Coach