Broncos Take Early Lead Against Chargers on Dobbins Touchdown

Denver capitalized on a Los Angeles turnover to establish an early advantage in its divisional matchup against the Chargers on October 11, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The Broncos scored on a short rushing touchdown by J.K. Dobbins after Bo Nix connected with Evan Engram for a 34-yard gain, taking a 7-0 lead during the opening quarter, according to Sports Yahoo.

The scoring sequence began after Denver recovered a fumble by the Chargers at the Los Angeles 40-yard line. Nix then found Engram deep over the middle to set up first-and-goal at the 5-yard line before Dobbins ran into the end zone from 3 yards out.

The opening period also featured several stalled possessions, a significant turnover and defensive pressure from both teams. The Chargers entered the game facing the challenge of starting four rookie offensive linemen, a lineup concern highlighted by Bolts From The Blue before kickoff.

Denver received the opening possession after winning the coin toss, with Los Angeles choosing to defer until the second half. Nix opened with consecutive handoffs to Dobbins that produced a combined 1 yard before Lil'Jordan Humphrey moved the chains with a catch just short of the marker and a forward dive.

The Broncos advanced beyond another first down but failed to sustain the drive near midfield. Nix's completion to Troy Franklin came 3 yards short of the line to gain, forcing Denver to punt.

Los Angeles initially struggled to move the ball against Denver's run defense, which stopped the Chargers on their first two plays. Justin Herbert then found an open receiver over the middle from a clean pocket on third-and-long, converting the situation into a first down.

However, Talanoa Hufanga delivered a hit that dislodged the ball, allowing Denver to recover possession at the Chargers' 40-yard line. That turnover created the opportunity for the Broncos' opening touchdown and proved to be the decisive scoring sequence of the first quarter.

Following the touchdown, the Chargers found running room and advanced toward midfield on their next possession. Alex Singleton made a tackle for a loss, setting up third-and-2, before Herbert was forced out of the pocket without finding an open passing option.

Los Angeles subsequently punted 37 yards, giving Denver possession at its own 15-yard line. The Broncos failed to take advantage, losing 5 yards on a screen pass to Tyler Badie before Marvin Mims gained 3 yards on a handoff. A false-start penalty further disrupted the possession, and Jeremy Crawshaw punted 50 yards.

The Chargers moved beyond midfield before the quarter ended, but their drive encountered another obstacle when Nik Bonitto sacked Herbert. The play left Los Angeles facing a fourth-and-long situation as the opening period concluded, with Denver maintaining its 7-0 advantage, according to Sports Yahoo.