Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock celebrates as he leaves the field after a 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High. (Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Finally.
The Denver Broncos found a way to win a close game late on Sunday as they defeated the Los Angeles Chargers, 23-20, on Brandon McManus' 53-yard field goal as time expired.
The game marked the debut of Drew Lock as the Broncos starting quarterback and he helped the Broncos jump out to a 17-3 lead in the second quarter.
He threw two touchdown passes to Courtland Sutton in the first quarter, one of 26 yards and the other of five yards.
After the Chargers tied the game at 17 in the fourth quarter, they had the chance to take the lead but placekicker Michael Badgley missed a 55-yard field goal.
Lock then put together an eight-play, 21-yard drive that ended with McManus' 52-yard field goal to give the Broncos a 20-17 lead with 4:26 left.
But Badgley hit from 46 yards out with 14 seconds remaining and it looked like the teams would go to overtime.
Broncos head coach Vic Fangio had a different idea.
Fangio overruled his offensive coodinator Rich Scangarello, who called for Lock to take a knee and get to overtime. Fangio called for a long pass instead.
"I said, 'Let's go to Sutton down the sideline and see what happens.'"
Lock's deep pass to Sutton was incomplete but Chargers cornerback Casey Heyward Jr. was called for pass interference and the Broncos had the ball at the LA 35 yard line after the 37-yard penalty.
McManus proceeded to drill the long field goal on the final play to give the Broncos the win.
Lock finished 18-of-28 for 134 yards, with the two touchdowns and one interception. Lock was 12-of-19 for 123 yards in the first half.
The Broncos are now 4-8 and play at the Texans on Sunday, December 8. Coverage starts at 7 a.m. MST on KOA 850 AM and 94.1 FM.
Check out KOA postgame interviews from the win over the Chargers, including (in order) head coach Vic Fangio, QB Drew Lock, K Brandon McManus, DL Dre'mont Jones, S Justin Simmons, S Kareem Jackson and WR Courtland Sutton.