NFL and College Football

Game of the Week (In Review) – San Diego Chargers- 32, Denver Broncos- 3

It was expected to be a tight divisional battle between the co-leaders of the AFC West, but in actuality, it simply turned into a tail-kicking of epic proportion. The San Diego Chargers went into Denver with all the momentum, and left with even more momentum, and with a one-game lead over the Broncos in their division. Kyle Orton didn’t start, but did play, and even he could do nothing to help his team end their losing streak. That streak has reached four games after the 32-3 loss they suffered Sunday afternoon.
Chris Simms did get the start for Denver, but strangely, Kyle Orton was named the #2 quarterback on the depth chart for the game. It was a very strange decision by Denver head coach Josh McDaniels, and it’s fair to say that the decision didn’t pay off at all. Simms went 2-of-4 for 10 yards in the first quarter for the Broncos, and never looked in rhythm with the rest of the offense. After that, Orton was put in the game, not looking 100% but gamely fighting through the injury he suffered a week ago in Washington. It was easy to tell that he was hampered by the injury, only completing 50% of his passes, and throwing no touchdowns and one interception.
Meanwhile, San Diego’s offense looked very comfortable throughout the day. Philip Rivers went 17-of-22 with one TD. The Chargers’ run game also came through, with nearly a 5-yard per carry average, from LaDainian Tomlinson all the way through his backfield mates. However, it was not a complete cakewalk for San Diego. In the second quarter, with the score 13-0, Denver began regaining offensive rhythm with Orton at the helm. They were able to get inside the red zone, leading to…

Turning Point: Knowshon Moreno fumbles into SD end zone, 2:00 left, 2nd Quarter

With the first half nearing its conclusion, Denver needed to cut the lead to one score to turn the momentum, and keep them in the game. They made two big pass plays to get to a first-and-goal inside the 5 yard line. Moreno, a rookie, was given the first crack at getting to the goal line and giving the Broncos a boost headed to halftime. His ball security has been an issue throughout the year, and it showed up again, as Jacques Cesaire stripped the ball out of Moreno’s hands. The ball bounced into the end zone, where Steve Gregory recovered for a touchback. Denver would not get the ball that close to the goal line again.

Game MVPs: San Diego Running Backs

Tomlinson is known as the star of the group, but everyone in their corps contributed to the victory. As a team, they combined for 43 carries, for 203 yards, and two touchdowns. Mike Tolbert, Jacob Hester, and Darren Sproles were just as instrumental in the victory as LT was, and allowed for the star to get a lot of rest on the sideline well before the final whistle.

Stat That Says It All: Time of Possession- San Diego-37:52, Denver-22:08
The running success for San Diego played a big role in this stat. So did the three turnovers for Denver, compared to none for the Chargers. Combine the two, and it definitely adds up to the big difference for the two teams. Denver is a team that has thrived on ball possession, leading to scores, and control of the game. Without that, they didn’t really have a chance.
So, where do both teams go from here? San Diego has taken control of the AFC West. The one-game lead they hold will pay big dividends for them down the stretch, as will facing opponents like Kansas City, who happen to be the Chargers’ opponent next Sunday. That lead could balloon, with Denver facing another tough task. They have a few things to fix, but no real time to fix them. They play again on Thursday night, facing the New York Giants in the Thanksgiving night tilt. Both teams will be in “must win” mode.
By C.J. Griger, for NFLandCollegeFootball.com