This matchup between two high-powered offenses got off to a slow start, as no one scored in the first quarter.
They did trade touchdowns to start the second, but Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning led Denver on a drive to score a touchdown right before half to take a 14-7 lead into a break.
After their defense forced a turnover on San Diego's opening drive of the second half, the Broncos scored two unanswered touchdowns to take a commanding 28-7 lead. Denver was able to cruise the rest of the way, holding on for the easy win.
Turning Point: Chris Harris picked off Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers on the first drive of the second half, giving Peyton Manning and the Broncos the ball in good field position. They promptly drove down the short field and scored a touchdown, stretching their lead to 21-7. The Chargers never got closer than 14 point after that.
Key Stat: San Diego faced an uphill battle all night long because of their inability to run the ball. They finished with a dreadful 61 yards on the ground, 17 of which came on one scramble by Rivers, and 23 yards came on the last play of the game.
Denver MVP: The Broncos have so many offensive weapons that it's hard for any one player to stand out, but that's exactly what Emmanuel Sanders did tonight. He caught nine passes for 120 yards and three touchdowns, marking the first multi-TD game of his career.
San Diego MVP: Despite their ineffectiveness on the ground, the Chargers still had a chance in this game because of Philip Rivers. He went 30/41 passing for 252 yards and three touchdowns, but more importantly kept his team moving up and down the field.
What’s Next? Denver will look to continue their winning streak next Sunday against Patriots in a rematch of last year's AFC Championship Game, while San Diego will try to end their two-game skid in Miami against the Dolphins.
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