Following a disappointing performance against Tampa Bay, the Los Angeles Chargers’ defense faced early challenges against the Denver Broncos, allowing an easy opening touchdown drive. Even defensive coordinator Jesse Minter found himself questioning his unit, which had previously ranked at the top of the NFL in points allowed.
However, the Chargers rallied to secure a 34-27 victory, putting them one win away from clinching an AFC wild-card berth. Minter is optimistic about the defense’s resurgence at a crucial point in the season.
“I do think that momentum is real, and feeling our defensive unit regain its momentum is huge,” Minter said on Tuesday. “Hopefully, we can carry this into our preparation this week, which I believe the guys are doing.”
The Chargers (9-6) started slowly, allowing the Broncos to march 72 yards in 10 plays for their first score. Despite forcing one third down, they surrendered a 15-yard run that kept the drive alive. Los Angeles fell behind 21-10 midway through the second quarter, but Minter noted progress as the Broncos needed to convert on third-and-long situations during their subsequent touchdown drives.
“I felt like we started to play better even though they moved the ball,” Minter remarked. “We let them off the hook a couple of times.”The turning point came when Joey Bosa recorded a sack on third down, forcing Denver’s first punt. From that moment, the Chargers’ defense allowed only six points.
“When you go through a season, you expect to win games in various ways,” Minter said. “This was the first time we started off poorly but managed to stay with it.”Outside linebacker Khalil Mack was confident that the defense would eventually find its rhythm. “It was known that we were going to bounce back and get the rhythm going,” he said.
The turnaround followed a challenging six-game stretch in which the Chargers faced playoff-contending teams. During that span, the defense allowed at least 27 points in four games, a stark contrast to their earlier performance where opponents had not exceeded 20 points in the first nine games. The Chargers went 3-3 during this stretch, securing wins against Cincinnati, Atlanta, and Denver, while falling to Baltimore, Kansas City, and Tampa Bay.
Despite the ups and downs, Minter believes the experience has strengthened the unit. “We’ve learned a lot about ourselves, and we’re looking forward to being at our best now,” he said. “As the season winds down, it’s about performing when it matters most. I’m eager to tackle these final two regular-season games and hopefully more.”
The Chargers can clinch a playoff spot with a victory over the New England Patriots (3-12) on Saturday, a game that will require them to contain rookie quarterback Drake Maye. Minter is particularly attentive to Maye after his impressive performance in a 24-21 loss to Buffalo, where he threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns.
“You can see the talent,” Minter noted. “He’s a playmaker who can make plays both inside and outside the pocket and has the ability to scramble. They had a couple of designed runs for him against Buffalo.”
Mack also acknowledged Maye’s abilities but emphasized the importance of treating each game, especially this one, like a playoff matchup. “It’s a playoff game, no different than the last one,” Mack said. “By any means necessary, we have to do everything we can to win.”
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