Miles
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- Mar 18, 2019
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Game-changing moment
Just like they did in Week 4 against Jacksonville, the Broncos again built a double-digit first-half lead. But there were still plays the Broncos likely wish they could have back, specifically a strip-sack of Joe Flacco that prevented the Broncos from pushing their lead to three possessions early in the second quarter and a punt-return touchdown late in the third quarter. The Broncos, though, held on that drive after the Flacco fumble and tacked on a field goal to build their lead to 17-0. And as the first half wound down, Denver made its game-defining stand.
The Chargers took over with five minutes, 17 seconds to play at their own 25-yard line and drove the ball all the way to the Denver 3-yard line. On consecutive plays, the Broncos made sure they wouldn't reach the end zone. First, Alexander Johnson stopped Austin Ekeler in the right flat after a 2-yard gain to force a fourth down. The Chargers decided to go for it and got Ekeler in space on the left side of the field. Safety Kareem Jackson met Ekeler at the goal line, though, and blasted the third-year running back. Ekeler lost control of the ball and fumbled out of the end zone for a touchback.
Instead of trimming the lead to 10 or 14 at the half, the Chargers came up with nothing and trailed 17-0 at the break. Though the two teams still had another half of football to play, the Jackson hit changed the course of the game. It also underlined a physical half of football that was a marked change from Denver's defensive performance against Jacksonville in Week 4.
The Broncos later made another red-zone stop, as linebacker Alexander Johnson picked off Philip Rivers in the end zone to keep the Chargers scoreless. They also needed a fourth-quarter stop to prevent Los Angeles from tying the game, but it was Jackson's hit that set the tone for Sunday.