Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker made the attempt, the longest free kick in NFL history and L.A. went into halftime trailing 21-13. L.A. eventually came back in the second half to win 34-27. For Harbaugh, it was a joyous opportunity and moment.

Perhaps the Broncos had a champagne party in their heads a bit too soon. Denver scored three touchdowns in their first three drives Thursday against the Chargers, who owned the league’s No. 9 defense in terms of DVOA (Defense-adjusted value over average) entering the game.

The Broncos took an 11-point lead in the third quarter but gave up three unanswered touchdowns as the Chargers won 34-27. The Broncos struggled to contain quarterback Justin Herbert and the Chargers passing game, with the secondary coming under fire by Payton after the game.

Initial thoughts from the Broncos’ 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16 at SoFi Stadium: 1. Self-inflicted wounds: As sheer pain goes, that Chiefs road game’s got a little company now. You don’t need to see the world with orange-and-blue glasses to notice that the Broncos gifted the Bolts at least nine points in the middle of the contest.

Sean Payton and Vance deserve all the blame for this game. Sean called plays like an asshole and got way too conservative in the 2nd half. Inexcusable. Vance made zero adjustments and has now got his ass kicked 2 of the last 3 games.

The Denver Broncos instinctively believe in their rookie quarterback to deliver when the chips are down. A glance at the box score and Bo Nix's day vs. the Indianapolis Colts reads quite bizarrely. The Denver Broncos rookie quarterback only passed for 130 yards on 33 attempts and was picked off three times.

Rookie wide receiver Troy Franklin loves the opportunity for the entire country to focus their attention on the Broncos. More importantly, he loves that Payton fully embraces those moments and has the utmost faith in his team. “He knows what he got,” Franklin told The Denver Post. “It’s cool to show everybody what the Denver Broncos are all about.”

First, Justin Herbert dug the Chargers out of their own territory with a gutsy third-down scramble. Then Gus Edgward popped off his longest run in five seasons by going for more than 40 yards. Then Hassan Haskins took a Herbert flip 34 yards for a score that put the Chargers up 34-24.

For years, the Broncos continuously held below-500 seasons. They've only had one winning year post-Peyton Manning era, and from 2017-2023, the team's overall record was 43-72. While Sean Payton was already the head coach in 2023, one could argue that it makes the current resurgence even sweeter for him.

Denver's head coach is under heavy fire for a decision that could ultimately cause the Broncos to miss the playoffs.

In the first-ever flexed Thursday Night Football game on Amazon Prime—a huge game between two teams for the final playoff spots in the AFC—Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton had one thing on his mind. Run the ball. We know this because the words "RUN IT!!" were scribbled on Payton's laminated call sheet.