INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Dustin Hopkins kicked 4 field targets, together with a 39-yarder with 2:38 ultimate in time beyond regulation, and the Los Angeles Chargers rallied for a 19-16 victory over the Denver Broncos on Monday evening.
Hopkins, who injured a hamstring right through the primary part, grimaced as he kicked the ball and fell to the bottom earlier than being picked up via teammates. The ninth-year kicker was once inactive for final week’s recreation towards Cleveland because of a quadriceps harm.
Coach Brandon Staley stated Hopkins’ hamstring roughly cramped up and strained on him early within the recreation, however began to chill out right through the second one part.
“You can’t say enough about him hanging in there,” Staley said. “Early in the third quarter, we were going to be careful with him which is why we went for it. But at the end we had no choice. We were going to kick no matter what.”
Hopkins has 5 occupation video games with 4 or extra field targets.
“I was trying to focus on a little backswing and just get through the ball. And that was it,” Hopkins stated of his first OT game-winner. “I wasn’t thinking about the circumstance or anything like that. I was just trying to repeat the swing thoughts in my head since it changed from pregame to the game.”
The Chargers have received 3 immediately to fortify to 4-2. They are tied with Kansas City atop the AFC West.
The recreation gave the look to be headed towards a tie till Denver’s Montrell Washington muffed JK Scott’s punt on the Broncos 32-yard line. It was once recovered via Deane Leonard on the 28.
Washington referred to as for an even catch, however Denver protection P.J. Locke did not listen Washington and attempted to dam Ja’Sir Taylor when Locke ran into Washington.
Justin Herbert, who finished 37 of 57 for 238 yards and an interception, handed to Mike Williams for 9 yards to get Hopkins nearer.
Russell Wilson was once 15 of 28 for 188 yards and a landing for the Broncos (2-4), who dropped a recreation in time beyond regulation for the second one immediately week.
“This is very disappointing,” Denver trainer Nathaniel Hackett stated. “We need to have a lot more urgency across the board. Starts with me as a coach, going to all the other coaches and on to the players. Players need to be, you know, just more urgent. We had some opportunities there, and we’ve got to execute at a higher level. We’ve got to come up with some better plays.”
Denver jumped out to a 10-0 lead with rankings at the first two drives. Brandon McManus was once excellent from 51 yards halfway during the first, and Wilson discovered a wide-open Greg Dulcich for a 39-yard landing with 1:49 ultimate within the quarter.
Wilson was once ready to elude power, step up within the pocket and loft a cross up the proper sideline to the rookie tight finish, who stuck it on the LA 15 and went untouched into the tip zone for his first NFL landing. Dulcich, a third-round select from UCLA, was once activated earlier than the sport after starting the season on injured reserve because of a hamstring harm.
On the play earlier than Dulcich’s rating, Wilson have shyed away from a sack strive via Khalil Mack and Chris Rumph II, scrambled proper and hooked up with Jerry Jeudy for a 37-yard final touch.
The Dulcich TD was once the Broncos’ first in 87 mins, 54 seconds.
The Chargers spoke back on their resulting ownership, placing in combination a 15-play, 82-yard pressure that was once capped via Austin Ekeler’s 6-yard run up the center with the Los Angeles linemen serving to him get around the goal line. The Chargers transformed all 4 in their third-down alternatives — together with Ekeler’s TD — at the pressure, which took 7:40 off the clock.
Following a Denver three-and-out, Los Angeles evened it at 10 on Hopkins’ 37-yard field goal with 53 seconds ultimate within the part.
The Broncos weren’t content material to expire the clock regardless that. KJ Hamler hauled in a 47-yard cross to the LA 28. Denver were given to the Chargers 9 earlier than McManus was once excellent from 27 yards.
The Chargers tied it on their first pressure of the 1/3 quarter when Hopkins cut up the uprights from 31 yards.
The groups traded field targets within the fourth quarter. McManus was once excellent from 48 yards after Baron Browning picked off Herbert. The Chargers spoke back with Hopkins making it from 35.
IT’S OVER
Herbert had a 26-game TD cross streak snapped. It was once the third-best run in franchise historical past and second-longest energetic streak within the league.
FLAG NIGHT
The groups mixed for 19 consequences and a season-high 240 yards. The Broncos had been flagged 10 instances for 151 yards, the twenty fourth time since 2000 a workforce has drawn greater than 150 penalty yards, in line with TruMedia.
The Broncos had 4 cross interference requires 87 yards.
Ron Torbert’s workforce have been conservative entering the sport. In their 4 earlier contests this season, they averaged 12 flags for 92.8 yards.
DISTRIBUTING THE BALL
Wilson’s first 9 completions had been to 9 other avid gamers. According to the NFL, he’s the primary participant to finish his first 9 makes an attempt of a recreation to 9 other receivers since a minimum of 1991, when play-by-play knowledge was once first recorded.
CRAZY TURNOVER
Browning’s interception got here after the ball was once deflected off Chargers tight finish Gerald Everett and a diving Okay’Waun Williams and into Browning’s palms on the LA 24. Joshua Palmer compelled a fumble earlier than the Broncos recovered it on the 30-yard line.
INJURIES
Chargers: RB Joshua Kelley suffered a knee harm within the first quarter and didn’t go back. C Will Clapp, who were given the beginning after Corey Linsley was once inactive because of sickness, left the sport within the fourth quarter however returned.
UP NEXT
Broncos: Host the sudden New York Jets on Sunday.
Chargers: Host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
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