Broncos start strong, but blow a late lead and fail to clinch a playoff berth in a tough defeat

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Denver Broncos had an 11-point lead midway through the third quarter Thursday night as they closed in on a win that would punch their team's tickets back to the playoffs after an eight-year absence.

Just about everything fell apart from there in the Los Angeles Chargers' 34-27 comeback victory.

After getting outscored 21-6 in the second half, the stunned Broncos (9-6) were left to wait another week before they get their second shot to clinch their first trip to the postseason since winning all in the 2015-16 season.

The wait is extra-long after a Thursday game — but it was already going to be an uncomfortable holiday break for the Broncos, who were stung by their inability to finish at SoFi Stadium.

“I just feel like the frustration comes from the fact that we knew we could have won this game, and we started the way we knew that we wanted to,” linebacker Jonathon Cooper said. “We just didn’t finish the way we wanted to. ... Everybody is hurt. It’s a tough loss, a very tough loss. But we’ve just got to learn from it and come back next week stronger and focus on getting our 10th win.”

The Broncos appeared to be headed for a blowout win late in the first half, and blame for their second-half flop could be assigned to the offense and the defense — or even special teams, which gave up three points on the NFL's first successful fair-catch kick in 48 years to end the first half.

Denver drove for 219 yards and three touchdowns on its first three drives, but managed only 136 yards and two field goals the rest of the night. The Broncos converted their first three third downs, but went 2 of 10 from there.

Bo Nix passed for 239 yards and two touchdowns in a steady performance, but the passing game couldn't make up for the Broncos managing only 46 yards rushing in the final three quarters.

The Broncos sacked Justin Herbert twice, adding to their league-leading sacks total, but the elusive quarterback went 11 of 16 for 144 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Los Angeles made three touchdown drives of at least 70 yards in the second half, repeatedly breaking down the Broncos' normally stout defense with a running game that had been nonexistent earlier.

Coach Sean Payton hid neither his disappointment nor his confidence after watching his team's dismantling by Jim Harbaugh's Chargers.

“It was disappointing because there was a lot at stake, and we know that,” Payton said. “We had a fast start. I was encouraged by that, and then uncharacteristically this season, we didn’t finish or play nearly well enough in the second half, both offensively and defensively. Time of possession. The third-down numbers. Our rushing numbers fell off in the second half. Credit Los Angeles for fighting their way back in, and we didn’t make enough plays in the end. So we go from there.”

The Broncos can still wrap up a playoff berth with one more victory, but they missed their first chance to end the longest playoff drought for a franchise following a Super Bowl victory. The Broncos also were swept by the Chargers in the season series for the first time since 2010.

They visit Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, for a game that could be vital for the Bengals' currently faint playoff hopes. Denver's season finale is at home against defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City.

“We can’t allow ourselves to relax throughout quarters,” Broncos safety Patrick Surtain II said. “I think today was definitely a moment where we realized that we let that one get away towards the end of the second half.”