Broncos Come Off the Ropes, Win, 20-10 : Chargers: San Diego dominates the first half but trails at intermission, 7-3. Denver pulls away in the second half.

The San Diego Chargers, relying on the one step forward, two steps back formula that has left them to finish 6-10 the past two seasons, were at it again Sunday in Mile High Stadium.

Add up the dropped passes, defensive lapses, penalties and botched scoring opportunities in the Chargers’ 20-10 loss to the Broncos before 64,919, and has anything really changed?

It has for the Broncos. Their last victory was Oct. 21 in Indianapolis; their last victory at home had come Sept. 23 against Seattle. But against the Chargers (6-8), who were still counting playoff hopes on their Christmas wish list, let Denver score 17 consecutive points to take a 17-3 early in the fourth quarter.

“You dominate them in yardage, time of possession, everything and come out of the half down, 7-3,” Charger linebacker Gary Plummer said. “That was the key.”

The Chargers had a 3-0 lead on John Carney’s 30-yard field goal with 56 seconds to play in the first half. The Chargers had squandered a first-quarter scoring opportunity because of tight end Derrick Walker’s fumble at the goal line, but no matter, San Diego’s defense had limited Denver to 62 yards in total offense.

But in the final minute of the first half, quarterback John Elway moved the Broncos 65 yards to score on a 25-yard pass to Michael Young.

“It gave them the motivation they needed,” Plummer said. “I think they were ready to quit. Unfortunately we haven’t realized as a team that we have to give the knockout punch when the opportunity presents itself. That’s something a mature team, a team headed for the playoffs can do.”

This is a high-expectation team, however, headed for a third consecutive 6-10 campaign, if form holds true down the stretch. The Chargers have already lost to the Chiefs and Raiders, their final two opponents, and Kansas City and the Raiders remain playoff-motivated.

“This was kind of a microcosm of the season. We had opportunities and didn’t make them happen,” Charger Coach Dan Henning said. “This points out to me that if you’re not good enough to take advantage of the opportunities, you just have to get better. We have to do a better job of putting people out there to make the plays.”

The Chargers placed themselves in position to grab the lead on their first possession. After moving to the Denver three on third and goal, quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver hit Walker with a short pass in the flat.

Walker was hit by safety Steve Atwater, and tried to put the ball across the goal line as he fell. The ball fell out of his hand, however, and Denver cornerback Randy Robbins recovered in the end zone, and then returned it to the Bronco 22-yard line.

Trailing, 7-3, the Chargers opened the third quarter with Donnie Elder muffing the kickoff. The Chargers were forced to go on the attack from their six-yard line, and after failing to gain a first down, put the Broncos back in good field possession at their 43.

Elway then took the Broncos into the end zone in nine plays, hitting Young again for the score from three yards out.

“John Elway was the difference,” Charger linebacker Leslie O’Neal said. “He started to get his confidence near the end of the first half when he scrambled and threw that touchdown pass. In the second half he was a totally different player.”