The Chargers defeated the Broncos, 34-13.
To recap Week 17, here is everything we know:
It was over when…
Andre Roberts took the kickoff to the house in the fourth quarter to put the stamp on the game.
Notable numbers of the game
Justin Herbert passed Philip Rivers for the Chargers franchise passing touchdown record (35).
The Broncos were held to 3.1 yards per carry.
The Chargers held the Broncos to just three conversions on 11 attempts.
The Chargers converted nine of their 15 attempts on third down.
Austin Ekeler and Justin Ekeler made up more than half of the Chargers’ total yards (173 of 341).
Quick takes
– Herbert took what was given to him, meaning the Broncos eliminated many options down the field. However, he was still efficient in the short-intermediate parts of the field.
– It helped that Herbert had clean pockets throughout the entire game. Still, he did a great job of going through progressions and finding & anticipating his open receivers, something he struggled with against Cover 2 defenses.
– It might’ve taken a while, but Ekeler and Jackson are hitting their stride on the field together. They were impactful catching the football just as much as they were on the ground.
– As I mentioned, Herbert had plenty of time to distribute the wealth, which all the credit goes to the offensive line for keeping him upright and paving the way in the run game.
– Trey Pipkins, who filled in for Storm Norton, had another excellent performance. The coaching staff has done a terrific job of developing him.
– Without Jared Cook or Donald Parham, Tre’ McKitty got involved in the passing game, catching all of his three targets for 22 yards.
– After being gashed on the ground, the Chargers held the Broncos held in check in this department. The difference? Joey Bosa, Justin Jones, and Derwin James on the field.
– There were a couple of issues with the pass defense: Lack of pass rush and allowing too many yards after the catch due to poor tackling and angles to the football. Drew Lock finished 18-of-25 passing for 245 yards.
– Aside from that, the play in the secondary is a night and day difference when all the starters are on the field.
– The midseason addition of Andre Roberts has shown to pay dividends since Day 1, but he made a strong point to be re-signed after this season with his kick returns of 47 and 101 yards.
What’s next?
The Chargers take on the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV. Winner is in the playoffs.