Broncos four downs: Ferris Bueller took the first half off (again), and Denver lost to Chargers because of it

Initial thoughts from the Broncos’ 23-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6 at Empower Field at Mile High:

Bueller’s day off: It was there on Bo Nix’s very first throw of the day — a third-and-8 shot downfield to Marvin Mims Jr. that sailed on the rookie quarterback and into the hands of safety Elijah Molden. And it didn’t get much better from there, Nix’s penalty-aided completion to Courtland Sutton near the end of the second quarter the closest the Broncos offense came to a highlight in five first-half possessions. The quarterback’s rating at the break (0.0) was the same as yours. Yes, Ferris Bueller took the first half off, as the Broncos were held scoreless in the first two quarters for the third time this season to fall behind 20-0. And no miracle second-half comeback was going to erase that.

Why Surtain matters: It’s not quite the same when Pat Surtain II isn’t on the field, is it? The Broncos All-Pro cornerback’s day was done after one snap. And for the first time in a while, Vance Joseph’s defense looked mortal. Linebacker Cody Barton had zero chance of covering Kimani Vidal on a wheel route that went for a 38-yard touchdown. QB Justin Herbert converted three third-and-longs on the next drive: a 20-play, 10-minute, 29-second march that slowly sapped the life out of Empower Field. And by the time J.K. Dobbins stretched the ball across the goal line for a 4-yard score with 1:03 left in the second quarter, the Chargers had converted 8 of 10 third downs, scored on all four of their possessions and taken a 20-point lead.

First-year lessons: For a moment, we had an all-time Chargering in play. And it was thanks in part to a group of rookies who represent the Broncos’ offensive future. Devaughn Vele, a healthy scratch the last three weeks, kick-started the rally with an improvised 37-yard catch-and-run from Bo Nix on fourth-and-2. Troy Franklin reeled in a 2-yard touchdown grab on the play after that, his first TD a week after his end zone drop sparked the now-infamous sideline confrontation between Nix and Sean Payton. And Nix kept the dream alive with a miraculous 6-yard scramble on fourth-and-5 on the next possession, then hit Courtland Sutton for a 15-yard scoring strike. Alas, Marvin Mims Jr.’s ensuing jet sweep on the two-point try came up empty, and the Chargering died with it, providing the ultimate rookie lesson: Don’t wait until the fourth quarter to do that.