Chargers Self-Destruct in Denver, 16-10

For three quarters Sunday, the Chargers beat the heavily favored Denver Broncos by running the ball against the league’s top-rated ground defense, hurrying Bronco quarterback John Elway to repeated distraction and generally keeping their wits about them in the noise caldron that was Mile High Stadium.

Then, in the last 15 minutes, the Chargers beat themselves. This is what young teams with new quarterbacks and first-year coaches do in the National Football League.

The final score was Denver 16, Chargers 10. The loss cost the Chargers a share of first place in the AFC West.

Denver (4-1) scored the winning touchdown on rookie Bobby Humphrey’s 17-yard burst with 1:03 remaining against an inside blitz that should have stopped him cold.

But free safety Vencie Glenn missed a tackle at the eight. Cornerback Elvis Patterson missed a tackle at the five. And Humphrey, who led everybody with 102 yards in 23 carries, dragged linebackers Gary Plummer and Leslie O’Neal into the end zone.

“One of the toughest losses I’ve ever been through,” said Charger defensive lineman Joe Phillips, who had one of his team’s three sacks. “Incredible. We gave the game away.”

“Today we were our own worst enemy,” said Tim Spencer, who led the Chargers with 78 rushing yards in 15 carries.

“Painful,” said utility back Dana Brinson, whose 52-yard punt return set up Marion Butts’ two-yard touchdown run off left tackle early in the third period, giving the Chargers a 10-6 lead.

“I hope we’re all crushed,” said Ron Lynn, the Charger defensive coordinator. “And I hope we all feel a little bit sick about coming that close.”

Here’s how close:

Midway through the final quarter, quarterback Jim McMahon (10 of 19 for 116 yards) completed a 19-yard pass to Jamie Holland that would have given the Chargers a first down at the Denver 44.

But the officials called left tackle Joel Patten for holding. “It was 50-50 on whether it was holding or not,” said Patten, who was playing on a sore knee. “But he (the official) made the call, and that makes it holding.”

Two plays later, Patten committed an illegal procedure penalty. Two plays after that, the Chargers had to punt.

With 3 1/2 minutes left, rookie Charger defensive end Burt Grossman jumped offside at the Bronco 33 on third-and-three. Elway’s “hard counts”--a technique he has mastered where he changes the inflection in his voice while barking out signals--had given the Chargers fits all afternoon. But this was the most costly.

“It’s totally legal,” Lynn said. “And our guy was offside.”

But Lynn and Charger Coach Dan Henning thought Denver was offside, too. They didn’t like the lateness of the call by head linesman Aaron Pointer. And they took particular exception when the officials needed a protracted conference to determine who to penalize.

“I don’t think you’re allowed to throw a flag after the whistle,” Henning said. “In fact, I’m sure of it.”

Elway would finish with 19 completions on 35 attempts for 199 yards. And his 17-yarder to tight end Orson Mobley got the Broncos into Charger territory. On fourth and one from the 37, Elway faked a dive play and handed back to Steve Sewell, who got outside the Chargers’ backside containment for seven yards. Two plays later, Humphrey’s touchdown put Denver ahead.

In the frantic final 15 minutes, the Chargers committed five penalties. Spencer lost a fumble. And, following the Humphrey touchdown, McMahon threw a third-down interception.

The ball was supposed to go to Anthony Miller. But after the game, McMahon said it was a “bad read” on his part.

“Anthony isn’t supposed to go over the middle on that play,” he said.

But that’s where McMahon threw it. And Kip Corrington intercepted. The Chargers managed just 20 yards on their 11 third-down plays all afternoon.

Their 211 yards of total offense was a season low.

“I think you can see from the scores around the league that anybody’s capable of beating you anytime,” said Denver Coach Dan Reeves, who is now 51-13 at home.

Regardless of how Reeves meant his assessment, it was unflattering to the Chargers.

But they had earned it.