Broncos Player Grades from Frustrating 34-27 Loss to Chargers

How did the individual Denver Broncos grade out vs. the Los Angeles Chargers?

Dec 19, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine (31) intercepts a pass for Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) in the end zone in the first half at SoFi Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Denver Broncos started this game hot, but they let the opportunity to clinch a playoff spot slip through their fingers. With only one win against a team that is over .500 on the season at the moment, the Broncos beating the Los Angeles Chargers to clinch a playoff spot could’ve sent a message.

Instead, things faltered on offense after a hot start with three consecutive touchdown drives, and the defense was an issue all night. The Broncos didn't turn the ball over offensively, and only took the ball away once on defense.

The Broncos have two games left on the schedule and need one win to be in the playoffs. Denver's next shot is on December 28 against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Broncos are a perfect 8-0 against teams with a losing record, and no matter what happens this week, the Bengals will have a losing record. Hopefully, the Broncos can get to a perfect 9-0 against teams with a losing record and clinch a playoff spot. 

Denver's failure to clinch in L.A. starts with the coaching staff as defensive coordinator Vance Joseph continues to call zone coverage, which is not what the defense is made for. Meanwhile, Sean Payton still strives to be the smartest man in the room as he made the same few mistakes he has all season.

With a questionable decision to go away from the run after the first two drives and questionable handling to end the first half, Payton has to look in the mirror. His issues at end-of-half or end-of-game situations made it surprising when he made the right decision to kick the field goal late in the game.

As for the players, let's get into the individual grades.

Quarterback

Bo Nix | Grade: 57.2

The Chargers defense confused and limited Nix and the Broncos passing game. NIx's technique broke down, especially after the Chargers started to get pressure on him, which has been an issue all season.

Nix’s decision-making was poor, and he seemed fearful of challenging the sticks, which hadn’t been an issue in previous games. Perhaps his three-interception game last Sunday left him overly cautious. 

Running Back

Javonte Williams | Grade: 63.5

Only Williams saw enough snaps to qualify for a grade. While it was a good game from him running the ball, leading the team with 11 targets out of the backfield is too much.

Williams doesn’t offer much as a receiver, and Nix was force-feeding him targets, some by design, and it kept the Broncos behind the sticks on most of them. How Williams ran the ball and in pass protection got his grade to where it is. 

Wide Receivers

• Courtland Sutton | Grade: 61.7
• Devaughn Vele | Grade:  60.4
• Marvin Mims | Grade: 58.7
• Troy Franklin | Grade: 54.5
• Lil’Jordan Humphrey | Grade: 52.1

The receivers did a good job as blockers, and almost all of them had some key catches, but they all struggled to make themselves targets in the passing game. Their issues of getting reliably open have been an issue all season, and that is why the Broncos must find a legit top option, even with how good Sutton has been this season. 

Tight Ends

• Nate Adkins | Grade: 76.8
• Lucas Krull | Grade: 48.8
• Adam Trautman | Grade: 46.1 

Adkins had an incredible game as a blocker and made some good catches. His turnaround as a blocker has been remarkable for the Broncos offense.

The issue is the Broncos still lack a legitimate receiving threat. Trautman has been an issue as a blocker for most of the season, and Krull is much of what he was last season. The Broncos turned to Krull as their receiving tight end, but all he has done is show his limitations as a receiver. 

Offensive Tackles

• Garett Bolles | Grade: 68.4
• Mike McGlinchey | Grade: 53.2

Bolles had a great game outside of a handful of plays, allowing only two pressures on the night and doing well as a run blocker. McGlinchey struggled in both phases and allowed a team-high five pressures.

Interior O-Line

• Quinn Meinerz | Grade: 74.7
• Luke Wattenberg | Grade: 64.2
• Ben Powers | Grade: 51.2

Meinerz had a great game, and Wattenberg bounced back from a series of rough games. Powers struggled from start to finish, with some great plays mixed in. 

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Defensive Line

• Malcolm Roach | Grade: 79.2
• D.J. Jones | Grade: 71.2
• Zach Allen | Grade: 69.8
• John Franklin-Myers | Grade: 50.6

Roach and Jones were stout in the middle of the defensive line, and Allen made tremendous plays as a run defender. The four of them had 13 pressures, led by Allen with six. Franklin-Myers struggled as a run defender but did add three pressures. 

Outside Linebackers

• Dondrea Tillman | Grade: 51.2
• Jonathon Cooper | Grade: 48.9
• Jonah Elliss | Grade: 48.3
• Nik Bonitto | Grade: 47.3

The Broncos pass rushers were kept in check. These four players had nine total pressures, four of them from Cooper. They all struggled against the run, but the Chargers consistently attacked Bonitto as a run defender with tremendous success. Rashawn Slater shut him down in both phases, allowing two pressures and opening running lanes every time. 

Linebackers

• Cody Barton | Grade: 32.5
• Justin Strnad | Grade: 31.6

Justin Herbert and Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman systematically attacked the Broncos' linebackers. They froze the linebackers with play-action, with the Broncos focused on the running game, only for Herbert to hit a receiver behind them due to their lack of depth in their zones. While Strnad had a couple of plays against the run, Barton struggled in coverage, and against the run, Strnad was worse in coverage. 

Cornerbacks

• Kris Abrams-Draine | Grade: 75.1
• Ja’Quan McMillian | Grade: 70.6
• Patrick Surtain II | Grade: 58.2

The Broncos' pass coverage issues weren’t because of their corners. Surtain wasn’t 100%, but he had a solid game overall. McMillian and Abrams-Draine had great games, and congratulations to the rookie, Abrams-Draine, on an outstanding play for his first career interception. 

Safeties

• Brandon Jones | Grade: 71.5
• P.J. Locke | Grade: 43.5

Jones had a great game in coverage and against the run. Locke was consistently out of position in coverage and against the run. When watching the play of Locke and the linebackers, you must question Joseph's decisions coming into the game and the lack of adjustments when they were getting torched off play-action.  

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