Third
San Diego Chargers vs. The Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field. Julius Thomas powers through the Chargers defense in the 4th quarter for 17 yards. - Sean M. Haffey / Photo Sean M. Haffey UT San Diego.Failing to stop the Texans' third-and-16 haunted the Chargers on Opening Night.
The ugly beast returned Sunday and devoured the Chargers in their 18th and final game of the football year.
In allowing the Broncos to convert on third-and-17 by not covering Pro Bowl tight end Julius Thomas, the Chargers lost a chance to regain possession with three minutes to play and saw Denver close out a 24-17 victory.
No Chargers defender touched Thomas, who lined up on the offense's right edge and ran a simple out-and-up route.
No Chargers defender was within seven yards of Thomas when he caught Peyton Manning's sideline pass at Denver's 41 for a 21-yard gain.
Injuries during the game had knocked out safety Marcus Gilchrist and linebacker Manti Te'o.
Backup safety Darrell Stuckey was not to blame for Thomas being uncovered.
But there was a miscommunication between the two inside linebackers, Donald Butler and Teo's replacement, Bront Bird.
The U-T's Michael Gehlken reported that Butler suffered a concussion during the game. Mike McCoy declined Monday to comment on when Butler suffered the concussion.
Sharp improvement within John Pagano's defense, coming after Melvin Ingram and Jarret Johnson returned to the lineup and Gilchrist moved to slot cornerback, was a big factor in the five-game surge that carried the Chargers in Sunday's game.
But the failed third-and-17 recalled the Opening Night lapses of several newcomers in pass coverage.
Eric Weddle acknowledged that it was a brutal final note.
'As a player, if you're going to go down, you'd rather have them earn it, and not necessarily give them something. It just goes back to everyone on the same page and communicating. Some guys didn't get the call or (didn't) have the right call.
'It's unfortunate because if we get the ball back, I'm sure we would have scored.
'But that's on all of us,' Weddle said. 'It's not one person. We won't ever point one guy out. Or two guys. It's all 11 and it's all of us that didn't get the job done.'
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