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INGLEWOOD – There were more than 10 minutes to play when the Chargers lined up for a fourth-and-1 play from their own 41-yard line on Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium. They had rallied for a modest lead entering the fourth quarter, and it seemed they had finally wrestled the momentum away from the Denver Broncos.
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The game changed in the next instant.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh decided to go for it, asking 6-foot-6 quarterback Justin Herbert to gain the 1 yard needed for a first down, keeping possession of the ball and continuing what could have been a time-consuming drive that could have resulted in a game-clinching score.
In the final analysis, it was an unwise decision, one Harbaugh regretted after Herbert was stopped for no gain, the Broncos gained possession and then rallied to take a 23-17 victory, sending the injury-riddled Chargers to their fifth consecutive defeat, and their eighth straight, dating to last season.
Given a short field to work with, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix led Denver to a five-play scoring drive over the next 94 seconds, firing a 5-yard strike to wide receiver Courtland Sutton for the tying touchdown with 8:53 remaining in the game. The momentum shift was monumental.
Herbert fumbled on the Chargers’ next possession.
Wil Lutz kicked a 19-yard field goal to make it 20-17 with 2:48 to play.
Herbert threw an interception on the Chargers’ next possession.
Lutz kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it 23-17 with 2:11 remaining.
When it was over, when the Chargers’ rookie-dominated offensive line failed to protect Herbert one final time and he was sacked as the final seconds ticked off, Harbaugh put the blame where he felt it belonged. He blamed himself for the decision to go for it on fourth down.
“It was the wrong decision,” Harbaugh said. “I’m mad at myself.”
Harbaugh could have sent JK Scott and the punt team onto the field, backed up the Broncos in the shadow of their own goal post and perhaps maintained the lead and the momentum the Chargers built thanks to a dominating third quarter in which they transformed a 10-3 deficit into a 17-10 lead.
“I take 100% accountability for making that decision, and it turned the momentum of the game,” Harbaugh said of deciding against punting, gambling that Herbert could pick up the needed yard with a quarterback sneak behind a makeshift line. “It was the wrong one, and I’ve got to be right on those.”
Herbert blamed himself for failing to get through a bunched-up Broncos’ line.
“You’ve got to get that yard,” Herbert said of the play. “You’ve got to find a way to get that yard. I didn’t do that.”
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Playing behind rookies Travis Burke at left tackle, Logan Taylor at left guard, Jake Slaughter at center and Alex Harkey at right tackle, and with right guard Cole Strange as the only veteran on the offensive line, Herbert directed two potentially game-altering third-quarter scoring drives.
Pro Bowl tackles Joe Alt (neck) and Rashawn Slater (ankle surgery) were sidelined, as was Trevor Penning, who was starting in place of injured left guard Trey Pipkins III (knee), who had taken over for Kayode Awosika after Awosika injured his leg in a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2.
The Chargers took a 17-10 lead into the fourth quarter thanks to Herbert’s 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Hayden Rucci, his first NFL catch, and running back Kimani Vidal’s 42-yard touchdown run after outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu ripped the ball from Nix’s grasp.
“I thought they did an incredible job,” Herbert said of the young linemen.
In fact, until the fourth quarter, Herbert had only been sacked once. He completed 14 of 24 passes for 121 yards with one touchdown and one interception, his seventh consecutive game, dating to last season, with at least as many picks as TD passes. He was sacked five times.
The Chargers rushed for a season-high 155 yards, with Vidal leading the way with 57 yards on eight carries, an average of 7.1 yards per attempt. Herbert scrambled for 54 yards on six carries, Omarion Hampton had 33 yards on 14 carries and Keaton Mitchell had 11 yards on six carries.
Nix completed 16 of 27 passes for 123 yards and one touchdown. The Chargers limited the Broncos to 106 yards rushing on 29 carries. Denver gained only 9 yards in the third quarter with Nix completing one of two passes for 4 yards as the Chargers held the Broncos without a first down.
“I mean, this is all about working hard,” Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack said. “Regardless of whether you win or lose, I’m still going to have to go out on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or whatever day of the week and give everything I’ve got to this organization, and this team and my teammates.”
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This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 4:51 PM.