Vic Fangio finally won his first game as an NFL head coach, as the Denver Broncos defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, 20-13 on Sunday. The Broncos defense was much improved to compensate enough for an uneven offense that continued to struggle to score points.
Here is the Twitter recap of the game.
While there were anticipated substitutions for injured players, one healthy starting player was benched: defensive end Adam Gotsis.
The Broncos began the game with aggressive passing.
Running back Phillip Lindsay augmented quarterback Joe Flacco with a series of good runs, culminating in a four-yard rushing touchdown.
The defensive personnel changes in the middle proved to be effective.
Receiver Courtland Sutton transformed a short pass into a catch-and-run 70-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
After a season-long drought, the defense finally got a turnover when safety Justin Simmons made an interception.
Left tackle Garett Bolles continued to struggle when he allowed Chargers edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu to strip sack Flacco.
Cornerback De’Vante Bausby suffered a neck injury with a hit by his own teammate Alexander Johnson.
Defensive back Kareem Jackson returned to play in this game after recovery from an injury. His tackling was sorely missed and its absence was a contributing factor in at least two of the Broncos’ losses.
Overall the Broncos special teams did not perform well.
Phillip Lindsay finished the game with 15 carries for 114 yards and one touchdown.
In the end, the Broncos defense kept the Chargers from catching up.
Perhaps the Broncos can establish a winning stretch when the club plays the Tennessee Titans next Sunday in Denver.
