Broncos Win Ugly in L.A. and It's Time to Stop Blaming Bo Nix for the Offensive Line

A win's a win, and Denver will take 23-17 over the Chargers every single time. But don't let the fourth-quarter comeback hide what we watched for three quarters.

Our Take: the offensive line, not Bo Nix, is the biggest problem with this offense right now.

Yes, Nix had a rough day. He went 16-of-27 for 123 yards and fumbled twice, including on a third-quarter scramble that set up Kimani Vidal's 42-yard touchdown run on the very next play. That's on him, and he knows it.

Now look at what he was working with. The Chargers came in winless with a banged-up roster, and Denver's front still couldn't open running lanes until deep in the fourth quarter. Sports Illustrated's Broncos site counted five pressures on Nix and flagged a string of pre-snap penalties and holds. J.K. Dobbins needed 18 carries to get 68 yards. Mile High Report's grader put it bluntly: this "top-ranked unit" is not passing the eye test.

This is a line that costs a lot of cap money. When the right tackle spot draws calls to sit Mike McGlinchey for Alex Palczewski, you've got a real problem.

And still, when it mattered, Nix found Courtland Sutton for a 5-yard touchdown to tie it at 17, and Wil Lutz closed it out with field goals from 19 and 36 yards. That's the third-year quarterback who keeps leading fourth-quarter comebacks. The defense also did it without Pat Surtain II and Riley Moss.

Sean Payton has to fix the protection and the run game, or this offense will keep living on late heroics. Clean up the front five and the Bo Nix debate takes care of itself.

Sources: [ESPN/AP recap](https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap/_/gameId/401872989), [Broncos On SI](https://www.si.com/nfl/broncos/onsi/broncos-biggest-winners-losers-in-23-17-victory-over-chargers), [Mile High Report](https://www.milehighreport.com/denver-broncos-news/188569/winners-losers-broncos-chargers-bo-nix-justin-herbert-week-5-nfl).