The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Denver Broncos 23-20 with a last-second field goal.
The Chargers are 3-0 for the first time since 2002, with all three wins against AFC West opponents.
Coach Jim Harbaugh described the team’s turnaround by saying ‘the worm has turned.’
INGLEWOOD, CA – Los Angeles Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh is never short of catchphrases and analogies. But Harbaugh surprisingly didn’t have the words to describe the moment after the Chargers’ 23-20 comeback victory over the Denver Broncos.
“I don’t think I have the vocabulary to really express how great I feel with this win. Just the admiration for our team, for our players and coaches and just everybody,” Harbaugh said postgame. “Three wins in three games. It’s taken everybody.”
It took all three phases for the Chargers to beat Denver on Sunday.
The Broncos scored 17 unanswered points between the second and third quarters. Denver padded its lead to 20-13 advantage into the fourth quarter.
However, Justin Herbert led the Chargers on a game-tying seven-play, 76-yard drive that was capped off by a 20-yard touchdown strike to wideout Keenan Allen. The Chargers’ defense forced the Broncos to a three-and-out on their next possession.
The Chargers offense got the football back with under two minutes remaining. Herbert marched the squad down the field close enough for a game-winning 43-yard field goal by kicker Cameron Dicker that sliced between the uprights as time expired to improve the Chargers to 3-0.
“Not all games are going to be easy. I think we stuck through it and understood the situation of we’re losing at the current moment, but there’s time and downs and opportunity for us to get back out there. The offense took the field, and we knew we had one job. It’s to go move the ball and go score. And that’s exactly what we did,” Herbert said postgame. “Defense got the ball back. They came up with some huge stops all day, and special teams closed it out.”
The Chargers are 3-0 for first time since 2002. Perhaps most importantly, all three wins have come within the AFC West division. The Chargers are the third team since realignment in 2002 to beat division opponents in each of their first three games of a regular season.
Los Angeles sits alone on top of the AFC West.
“It means a lot. That’s like 23 years,” Chargers safety Derwin James said to USA TODAY Sports. “We are trying to become a different team. You can’t turn the worm and become a different team if you don’t take care of the games in front of you. We’re just trying to keep building on it. It’s an amazing team and we’re well coached.”
This year’s Chargers team looks different through three games. The Chargers never trailed against the Kansas City Chiefs. They shut down the Raiders in Las Vegas. In Week 3, they were faced with adversity after they gave up an early 10-point lead and trailed into the fourth quarter. But they were able to rally back in the final quarter and earned a hard-fought win.
When USA TODAY Sports asked James what Harbaugh’s message was to the team following the win. James replied: “the worm has turned.”
It turns out Harbaugh did have an analogy to describe the 3-0 Chargers.