The Los Angeles Chargers have secured an important victory against a direct competitor in the fight for the playoff places in the NFL.
The Chargers defeated the Denver Broncos at home with 34:27 (13:21) and thus won the direct comparison against Denver. Both teams have a record of nine wins and six losses in the AFC West of the US Football League.
The Chargers turned the game around after the break after conceding three touchdowns in the first half and were already down by eleven points. Gus Edwards ran into the end zone at the end of the third quarter to make it 19:24 for the hosts, and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert threw two touchdown passes to Derius Davis and Hassan Haskins in the final quarter.
Hidden Rule Unearthed: “Fair-Catch Free Kick”
An unusual action occurred at the end of the first half. Cameron Dicker scored with the first successful so-called “fair-catch free kick” in the NFL since 1976.
The little-known rule states that after a “fair catch” – in this case the Chargers caught a punt from the Broncos – a team can choose a “free kick”. The opponent’s defense has to position itself ten yards apart – so the kick takes place without any defensive action.
Fatter with an NFL record
This option is rarely chosen because “fair catches” are only possible after punts and kickoffs and the distance to the opponent’s goal is then usually too large. However, the Chargers only had two seconds left on the clock until halftime, so they opted for a free kick.
Kicker Dicker hit from 57 yards – it was the longest fair-catch free kick in NFL history.