Initial thoughts on 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 off the starting quarterback and ended up in the hands of safety Elijah Molden. And things didn’t get much better from there: Nix’s penalty completion to Courtland Sutton near the end of the second quarter, the closest the Broncos offense came, peaked at 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 through the first two quarters for the third time this season and fell behind 20-0. And no miraculous second-half comeback was going to erase that.

Why Surtain is important: 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 over in one click. And for the first time in a while, Vance Joseph’s defense looked deadly. Linebacker Cody Barton had zero chance to cover Kimani Vidal on a wheel route that cost a 38-yard touchdown. QB Justin Herbert converted three thirds-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 JK Dobbins stretched the ball over the goal line for a four-yard score with 1:03 left in the second quarter, the Chargers had converted eight of 10 third downs, scored on all four of their possessions and a 20 taken. -point lead.

Freshman classes: For a moment we had an all-time Charging in play. And that was partly due to a trio of rookies who represent the Broncos’ offensive future. Devaughn Vele, a healthy scratch the past three weeks, sparked the rally with an impromptu 37-yard catch-and-run from Bo Nix on fourth-and-2. Troy Franklin then hauled in a 2-yard touchdown grab, his first TD a week after his drop in the end zone led to the now infamous sideline confrontation between Nix and Sean Payton. And Nix kept the dream alive with a miraculous six-yard scramble on fourth-and-5 on the next possession, then hit Courtland Sutton for a 15-yard scoring strike. Unfortunately, Marvin Mims Jr.’s subsequent jet sweep. on the two-point attempt came up empty, and the Chargering died with it, providing the ultimate rookie lesson: don’t wait until the fourth quarter to do that.