Broncos coach Sean Payton couldn’t hold back his frustration. Last week, the Chargers ran the same play over and over, and his team couldn’t do anything to stop it.
It started with wide receiver Josh Palmer running a crossing route, slipping behind linebackers Justin Strnad and Cody Barton before catching a pass from quarterback Justin Herbert, resulting in a 24-yard gain in the first quarter of Week 16’s divisional matchup. In the second quarter, rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey ran the same route and had similar success. McConkey was uncovered when the ball landed in his hands and he sprinted down the sideline for a 27-yard gain.