Denver Impressed by Charger Backs

Much of the reason Denver defeated the Chargers, 27-19, Sunday was because the Broncos stopped the Charger running game in crucial situations.

Not that it was a simple task. It never is when Marion Butts (6-feet-1, 248 pounds) and Rod Bernstine (6-3, 238) come through the line.

Denver strong safety Dennis Smith, who delivered the hit of the game when he knocked Charger receiver Nate Lewis into oblivion, wasn’t going to go anywhere near Butts during the Charger back’s 27-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Butts bounced off several Bronco defenders and hurdled Smith on his way to the end zone. After the run, Charger tight end Arthur Cox noted that Smith had hit Butts a few times but didn’t get a square hit on the him during the touchdown run.

“I said, ‘Hey, I know when to go for him and when not to, and that wasn’t the time,’ ” Smith said. “‘What do you want me to do, get hurt?”

Smith was wary of the big Charger backs from the first time he tackled Bernstine.

“I was seeing double after that,” Smith said. “I couldn’t clear my head.”

Bernstine finished with 103 yards and Butts with 49. Although Denver linebacker Michael Brooks was out and another linebacker, Mike Croel, was making his first start, the Broncos were able to buck the Charger ground game.

“Their running game is as good as any we’ve faced this year,” linebacker Karl Mecklenburg said. “I don’t know what their problem is.”

Later, he might have had the Charger problem figured out.

“When all you’re able to do is run, we figured that when it is third-and-four or third-and-five, we’ve got them,” he said.