3 sad but true takeaways from the Broncos' 23-16 loss to the Chargers

Heading into the week six matchup against the Los Angeles ChargersThe Denver Broncos were sailing on a wave of momentum with a three-game winning streak. But all good things must come to an end as the Bolts came to Denver and steamrolled the Broncos in a 23-16 victory.

Denver falls to .500 at 3-3, while LA is 3-2, holding a one-game lead over the Broncos and now in second place in the AFC West. The Broncos are now 1-2 at home with a tight week ahead as they travel in Week 7 Thursday Night Football Play against them New Orleans Saints.

Week 6 had a bizarre feeling from the start as we saw Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix intercept a tipped pass. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II left the game with a concussion After a pass deflection on the first defensive snap, Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh temporarily left the sideline in the first quarter, reportedly due to a cardiac arrhythmia.

Nix rallied his offense late in the second half, while Surtain was sidelined after being evaluated for a concussion. Harbaugh quickly returned and led his team to victory.

The Chargers have won six straight games in Denver as the Broncos have to shake off that game with a quick week-long trip to New Orleans. Before we can turn this loss on its head, we need to go over the takeaways from the Broncos' third loss of the season, disappointing as they may be.

The Broncos' best defender and Week 5 AFC Defensive Player of the Week 5 left the game after the team's first defensive strike. The Chargers' Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert immediately called attention to Surtain's absence and finished the game with completions to nine different receivers. Herbert totaled 22 first downs and 350 total yards (128 rushing) and controlled time of possession by over 15 minutes.

The Broncos' pass rush was a slam dunk as they went after Herbert, who suffered an ankle injury. The combination of Zach Allen, Justin Strnad, Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto accounted for a total of three sacks. In contrast, the rest of the Broncos defense totaled six QB hits, making little difference to the Chargers' passing attack.

In Surtain's absence, Broncos cornerback Riley Moss and the secondary were overwhelmed by a barrage of easy passes from Herbert. Broncos safety Brandon Jones led the team with 11 tackles on Sunday, despite the soft-shell coverage and zone coverage implemented by defensive coordinator Vance Joseph.

Joseph, the earned Coach of the Week Awards NFL Network Last week, he shut down the aggressive blitz packages that have made his defense one of the best in the league. Entering Week 6, Denver's defense was giving up about 14 points per game, but the Chargers' ability to convert third downs (11 of 18, 61%) stifled the discipline and effectiveness of the Broncos' strongest unit.

To be fair, it was the Broncos' offense that let the game get out of hand, and the defense did an admirable job of keeping this contest competitive. But being competitive won't be enough to win Sean Payton's first primetime return to the Saints.

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The Broncos offense is an example of taking two steps forward and one step back. After a remarkable offensive performance in Week 5, Denver's offense was abysmal against the Chargers in three of four quarters.

Nix was nervous and happy from the start as the Broncos were down to their third-string right tackle in Matt Peart and backup center Alex Forsyth. Instead of moving the chains with conscious decision-making and quick releases, Nix was mostly forced to retreat to the back and throw a series of off-platform incompletions and overturned passes.

The box score shows a final stat line for Nix at 19 of 33 for 216 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception, but this game was never as close as the numbers suggest. It took until the fourth quarter for the Broncos to get on the field, when Nix's college teammate Troy Franklin scored his first NFL touchdown with a 2-yard pass.

About five minutes later, fourth quarter team captain Courtland Sutton scored an impressive 15-yard grab that was reviewed and ultimately vindicated as Denver attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter. Wil Lutz made a 40-yard field goal and later attempted an onside kick before the Broncos ran out of time.

The Broncos offense was 3 for 11 (27%) in the third and was punted on five of its seven possessions. The Broncos were also plagued by an interception and a lost fumble in the first half. The Chargers scored 10 points off Denver's two turnovers.

As Payton envisions Nix becoming the next Drew Brees, he needs to start capitalizing on his young quarterback's strengths. Nix was once again Denver's leading rusher with 61 yards on six carries, an average of 10.2 yards per tote. By making him a threat on the ground, Nix's receivers had time to get open while he struggled. He plays his best football so far through improvisation.

Time will tell how much and how quickly Payton's handcuffs can be loosened by the Broncos' rookie signal-caller, who remains under the close watch of his tenacious and experienced play-caller.

The Broncos' fourth-year running back's rollercoaster season hit a new low with a home loss to the Chargers. Late in the second quarter, Denver's RB1 trailed 13-0 and failed on its first down after the Broncos' offense finally felt a hint of momentum following a five-play, 25-yard drive.

The disastrous turnover was the second of the season for Williams, who finished the day with just 23 rushing yards on six attempts and caught three passes for 13 yards with one drop. Rookie running back Audric Estime was released from injured reserve this weekend, returning from an ankle injury he suffered in Week 1. He started the second half of the game for Denver – a telling sign and perhaps a preemptive message from Payton to Williams.

But Payton is all about giving his boys a second chance. He brought Javonte back into the game in the second half to help his team rally.

Nix attempted a pass to Williams on 2nd-and-10, but it was dropped, stopping the momentum of the Broncos' young drive. Denver's rushing offense was led by Nix with 61 yards and finished the day with 110 yards and seven first downs.

It's no overreaction to say that Williams' performance over the six weeks was rather unproductive and unimpressive. He hasn't scored a single touchdown all season and is averaging 3.6 yards per carry. He has caught 20 catches for 143 yards, averaging 7.15 yards per catch, making him more productive as a pass catcher than the starting running back.

I'm not sure what's bothering Williams these days. Some say that after tearing his ACL and ACL in 2022, he no longer looks like himself in terms of bursting and exploding at the line of scrimmage. But the lack of motivation, fire — and determination that made him a popular player in Broncos Country — is more concerning.

I'm not suggesting the Broncos trade or give up on Williams. But perhaps it's time to use him in a complementary role while letting Jaleel McLaughlin and Estime compete for starters.

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