Chargers defensive players celebrate after making a stop in a win over the Denver Broncos on Dec. 19. The Chargers look to put on another strong defensive performance Saturday against the Patriots. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Jesse Minter quickly impressed Chargers players with his calm demeanor during his first season as an NFL defensive coordinator, but as the Denver Broncos rolled up three consecutive touchdown drives last Thursday, even the unflappable Minter started to panic.
He had just spent four days speaking to his players about the proper response to ensure the prior week’s blowout loss to Tampa Bay would be a one-off. They couldn’t afford to make it a trend.
“I was afraid that at one point, I might have spoken that into existence,” Minter said with a slight smile.
Then a second-quarter sack from Joey Bosa sparked a three-and-out. The Chargers kept the Broncos out of the end zone for the last seven drives of the game to hold on for a 34-27 win that put the team on the brink of its first playoff berth since 2022.
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“I do think that momentum is real,” Minter said. “To sort of feel us as a defensive unit get our momentum back, it’s huge.”
By holding the Broncos to six points in the second half, the Chargers reclaimed their lead as the best scoring defense in the NFL, giving up 18.3 points per game. Against the New England Patriots on Saturday, the Chargers (9-6) could become just the sixth team since 1970 to give up 20 or fewer points in eight road games in a season, and the first since the 2010 Chicago Bears.
For a defense hoping to maintain momentum entering the postseason, the matchup is a prime opportunity. The Patriots’ 17.3 points per game ranks 30th in the NFL. New England (3-12) ranks last in passing yards (178.5 per game). Rookie quarterback Drake Maye, who was drafted third in April, has had at least one pass intercepted in seven…
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