Justin Herbert's fourth-quarter meltdown dooms winless Chargers in loss to Broncos - BERITAJA

The Chargers yet made a play they could bent successful the Louvre — a spectacular 42-yard touchdown tally — but successful the extremity Sunday only coiled up pinch different L.

It was their 5th nonaccomplishment successful a statement this season, different turnover-plagued nightmare, that resulted successful a 23-17 conclusion to the Denver Broncos.

Most achy for the Chargers, they came tantalizingly adjacent to their first victory, claiming their first lead precocious successful the 3rd 4th only to manus it backmost pinch 3 consecutive turnovers successful the fourth.

It was a Justin Herbert meltdown, arsenic the Chargers backmost was stonewalled connected a fourth-and-one keeper, fumbled distant the adjacent possession and was intercepted connected the next. The Broncos tied the crippled aft their protect stop, past gradually inched away.

Herbert was sacked 5 times and had a fumble and an interception. His squad is 0-5 for the first clip since 2003, erstwhile the Chargers mislaid their first 5 games connected their measurement to a 4-12 season.

The roadworthy up is steep. The Chargers play astatine Kansas City connected Sunday, past aft a week disconnected look the Rams.

Dating to past season, Herbert has gone 7 consecutive games pinch astatine slightest arsenic galore interceptions arsenic touchdowns.

Just for illustration past year, he was playing down a cobbled-together violative statement Sunday, pinch starting tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater injured a week earlier successful the nonaccomplishment astatine Seattle.

The Chargers started 4 rookies connected the violative line, 3 of whom are backups. They besides were without All-Pro information Derwin James Jr., who missed a 2nd crippled pinch a hamstring injury, and No. 1 receiver Ladd McConkey, hobbled by an injured foot.

Still, the crippled was tight for three-plus quarters because Denver couldn’t get its discourtesy rolling, either. Through 3 quarters, the Broncos had tally 37 violative plays, each but 2 of which went for less than 10 yards.

After the Chargers forged a 10-10 necktie pinch the touchdown to Hayden Rucci, they claimed the lead pinch Kimani Vidal’s terrific 42-yard touchdown run.

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Oddly, seeing arsenic it came connected his location field, Vidal’s touchdown only quieted SoFi Stadium, which was awash successful orangish jerseys.

The spot would reignite, however, pinch the trio of Chargers turnovers.

Rumblings are ramping up for a different benignant of Charger turnover. The squad has not been capable to consistently move the shot contempt changing violative coordinators to Mike McDaniel, erstwhile caput coach of the Miami Dolphins.

Harbaugh said aft the nonaccomplishment to Seattle that location are nary plans to switch McDaniel, but that drum hit grows louder pinch each loss.

The Chargers struggled from the start. Their first pass, a completion to tight extremity Charlie Kolar, was fumbled away. That came a week aft Herbert’s opening propulsion was picked disconnected by Seattle.

The Chargers amassed 74 yards of discourtesy successful the first half, and were penalized 5 times for 58 yards.

The Broncos weren’t overmuch amended pinch 129 yards of discourtesy and 3 penalties.

Whereas the Chargers were looking for their inaugural victory, the Broncos were looking to get their first AFC West win, having mislaid their opener astatine Kansas City.

There’s an absorbing relationship betwixt Harbaugh and Denver coach Sean Payton. Harbaugh’s rookie play pinch the Chicago Bears was 1987, erstwhile NFL players went connected strike. The starting backmost for Chicago’s replacement squad, nicknamed the “Spare Bears,” was Payton.