Up: Powder blues Our friend Ed Orgeron might call it “sissy blue,” but consider us suckers for the powder blue-and-white color combinations the Chargers trot out each Sunday.
Down: Feeling blue. Granted, it’s a holiday weekend, and the Broncos didn’t look so hot their last time in front of the home faithful. But 9,568 no-shows on a gorgeous afternoon sure is a lot. Even worse? It’s not even the highest number this season (11,755 vs. Washington).
Up: Kickin’ it. Sure, Javonte Williams’ angry, carry-four-tacklers 11-yard gain on the Broncos’ opening drive was impressive. But did you see left guard Dalton Risner’s celebratory leg kick? Someone’s putting in time on the yoga mat.
Up: Blockin’ Baron. How about the hops on Baron Browning? The Broncos’ rookie linebacker got vertical to swat a third-down throw from Justin Herbert late in the first quarter. Nikola Jokic would be proud.
Down: Baron Frowning. If only he could’ve laid a hand on Jalen Guyton after QB Justin Herbert’s scrambling fourth-and-4 throw near the end of the third quarter. Instead, Browning flailed at air and Guyton picked up a big first down.
Up: Teddy tough. How do you make up for a business decision on an 83-yard fumble return TD? Teddy Bridgewater’s dive for the pylon to score an 11-yard TD in the first quarter was a good start. His stiff arm of Joey Bosa to free himself up for a fourth-quarter TD pass to Eric Saubert was an even better finish.
Down: Derwin unblocked. Somehow, the Broncos forgot to block Derwin James Jr. on a blind-side safety blitz near the end of the first quarter. It cost them Bridgewater for the rest of the first half. They’re lucky it didn’t cost them the game.
Up: Lloyd “Crushenberry.” OK, so maybe that’s a little bit of hyperbole, but we gotta hand it to the center for getting to the second level and making the block that sprang Williams for a 9-yard TD run on third-and-goal.
Down: Lloyd “Whiffenberry.” Sadly, it wasn’t all smiles and lollipops for Cush, who got beat multiple times and had a drive-killing holding penalty on the team’s first offensive possession of the second half.
Up: Hairston’s haul. In terms of the degree of difficulty, there might not have been a more impressive play Sunday than Nate Hairston making the catch and sticking the landing at the Chargers’ 1 on the first punt of the game.
Up: Mime time. We’re not quite sure what that mimery was from DeShawn Williams following his second-quarter sack of Justin Herbert (calf roping?). But we know we like it.
Down: Brain Lock. Who do you blame for Drew Lock’s ill-timed interception at the end of the first half? Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur for dialing up a pass? Lock for forcing the throw? Or Vic Fangio for not desperately throwing his body in front of it? Answer: All three.
Up: Is it contagious? Not to be outdone, Herbert had a head-scratcher of a pick early in the fourth quarter, executing what amounted to a long hand-off to Pat Surtain II with his throw to the front corner of the Broncos’ end zone.
Down: O-line depth. Much like Broncos linebackers, Denver offensive linemen are fast becoming an endangered species. The latest to add to the list of fallen Denver front men: backup tackle Calvin Anderson and left guard Dalton Riser (again).
Up: Get Agim. Defensive lineman McTelvin Agim picked a fine time for his first sack, blowing past left guard Senio Kelemete one-on-one and dropping Herbert for a loss that set up Dustin Hopkins’ missed field goal with 7:58 left in the third quarter.
Up: Real heroes. A tip of the cap to the Broncos for their half-time celebration of front-line health care workers. Throw them a parade. Every Friday. For time eternal.
