Chargers takeaways: Comeback vs. Broncos puts playoff berth in sight

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The Chargers fully acknowledged the importance of Thursday’s game. They knew they couldn’t afford to lose a third straight game in such a tight AFC playoff race. The AFC West rematch against the Denver Broncos was moved into a prime-time TV slot because of the playoff ramifications for both teams.

With the lights dark in SoFi Stadium, Jim Harbaugh stood on the sideline between Justin Herbert and Derwin James Jr. and recognized how big the moment felt. The Chargers coach then told his team’s two most trusted leaders to simply enjoy it.

“Like pickup basketball, coach,” Herbert responded.

In that moment, Harbaugh knew the Chargers were in good hands.

The quarterback shook off an uncharacteristic interception in the second quarter Thursday to propel the Chargers to a 34-27 win that has the team on the brink of its first playoff appearance since 2022. Herbert threw two touchdowns in the second half, finishing with 284 yards passing and 28 rushing while helping the Chargers (9-6) outscore their division rivals 21-6 in the second half.

“I think it’s just an opportunity to go out there and play,” Herbert said. “It’s what we always dreamed of to have these bright lights and especially on ‘Thursday Night Football,’ a playoff-type game. ... As long as we’re playing loose, free, fearless and going out there and just playing ball and doing what we do, I think we’re at our best then.”

Four things we learned from the win:

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Not ‘Same Old Chargers’

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh reacts after Chargers running back Hassan Haskins scored on a 34-yard touchdown pass play.

After the Chargers got blown out in a late-season game with playoff implications, whispers of “same old Chargers” started circulating in critical corners of the internet.

Not Harbaugh’s guys.

“They just went back to work and stayed the course,” Harbaugh said of the team’s response from last Sunday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “Just a special win, a special group of guys. I just love our guys.”

Thursday’s victory was evidence that Harbaugh’s cultural shift has continued to take shape.

Outside linebacker Joey Bosa, who is in his ninth season with the team, already spoke to the defense earlier this season about how this team could be the one to finally put an end to the term “Chargering.” On Thursday, he marveled at how comforting it has felt this season to enter every fourth quarter knowing someone could make a play at any time.

On the sideline Thursday, James assured Bosa that player would be Herbert.

“Believe that it’s gonna change,” James said. “Believe that we’re gonna win the game. And Herbert put us on his back.”

Herbert orchestrated his 12th comeback win in the fourth quarter or overtime of a game, completing six of 11 passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the Chargers came back from a 24-19 deficit.

“We know games are gonna have to be won in the fourth quarter,” said cornerback Kristian Fulton, who helped the defense hold the Broncos (9-6) to just two field goals in their final seven offensive possessions.

“It’s a fourth-quarter league. Can’t take nobody lightly. So I’m proud of that. They’re a good team, they’re a playoff team, so that was a big win for us.”

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Scoreboard watching

The Chargers soon can call themselves a playoff team as well. They leapfrogged the Broncos for the No. 6 seed with their first sweep of their division rivals since 2010, securing an important head-to-head tiebreaker. The No. 6 seed likely will play at Pittsburgh or Baltimore in the wild-card round instead of playing at Buffalo.

Almost assured a postseason spot with games against the New England Patriots (3-11) and Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) remaining, the Chargers officially can clinch their playoff berth from the comfort of their couches Sunday. The Chargers are in with losses from the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts.

Rewarded with time off until Monday after the Thursday night game, will players be tuning in to other NFL games this weekend?

“I’ll be praying,” running back Gus Edwards said.

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Running game breaks free

Chargers running back Gus Edwards scores on a five-yard run against the Broncos at SoFi Stadium.

Edwards had a season-best 68 yards rushing and two touchdowns in 14 carries as the Chargers rediscovered their running game. With 117 yards on the ground, the Chargers eclipsed 100 yards rushing for the first time since Week 11.

After running a season-low 11 times last week while trying to play catch-up against the Buccaneers, the Chargers stayed committed to the ground attack with 28 carries Thursday. It was the team’s most rushing attempts since Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans.

“You see how much it can help with the passing game,” Edwards said. “I feel like they work hand-in-hand and then also it takes a lot of time off the clock. It keeps their offense off the field.”

The Chargers have struggled to run the ball consistently in key situations in recent weeks, but Edwards delivered in the perfect moment. He ripped off a 43-yard run in the fourth quarter after the Chargers started a drive with a three-point lead and 4 minutes, 28 seconds on the clock.

Edwards’ longest run of the season set up a 34-yard pass from Herbert to running back Hassan Haskins two plays later. The Chargers jumped ahead by 10 with 2:27 remaining.

Edwards had his first multi-touchdown game of the season as he has continued to come back from a high-ankle sprain suffered earlier in the season that put him on injured reserve.

The running game could get more reinforcements soon as leading rusher J.K. Dobbins is eligible to return from injured reserve next week after missing four games. The Chargers averaged 74.8 yards rushing in games without Dobbins compared with 118.1 with him.

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Jim Harbaugh’s favorite rule

Cameron Dicker could see the confusion on the Denver sideline when the Chargers lined up for a free kick at the Denver 47-yard line. Even some of his own teammates had no idea what a fair catch kick was.

But Chargers special teams players talk about it every week: A team can attempt a place kick or a drop kick after a fair catch and is awarded three points if it goes through the uprights and over the crossbar. Special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken is a “situational sensei” when it comes to obscure rules, Harbaugh said. It’s the head coach’s self-professed favorite rule in football.

“We just taught a bunch of people what’s going on,” Dicker said.

Wide receiver Quentin Johnston understood he was supposed to say he knew the rule but admitted he had never heard of it. Now it might turn into his favorite rule, too.

“I’m glad they have that,” Johnston said, “because we got the best kicker in the league.”

While it counts as a typical field goal, the Chargers didn’t line up with a long snapper and there was no rush. Punter JK Scott held the ball while teammates lined up spread across the line of scrimmage. Not having to kick from eight yards behind the line of scrimmage is what makes the rule so great, Harbaugh gushed.

“Been trying to get one of those, like, every game,” Harbaugh said.

More than crossing an item off Harbaugh’s personal football bucket list, the kick — which was tied for the third-longest in franchise history and the first attempted fair-catch kick since 2019 — also energized the Chargers going into the third quarter. Instead of an 11-point deficit, they were within eight, a one-possession Denver lead. The Charges scored touchdowns on their first two drives of the second half.

“He brought a lot of juice with that kick,” said receiver Derius Davis, who was interfered with on the punt fair catch that set up Dicker’s kick. “From getting that momentum, we just fed off it and stayed with it.”

Correspondent Anthony De Leon contributed to this report.