Game story
In Week 2 of the 2005 NFL season on 2005-09-18, the Denver Broncos took care of business against the Los Angeles Chargers, pulling away with a 20–17 final that came down to the wire.
The highest-scoring period was Q2 with 14 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.
J. Plummer (Denver Broncos) paced the passing game, with -3.21 total EPA.
On the individual side, A. Gates (Los Angeles Chargers) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +6.77 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.
The momentum swing (-23.6% win probability) landed in the third quarter when Los Angeles Chargers changed the game: (14:56) 9-D.Brees pass intended for 87-K.McCardell INTERCEPTED by 24-C.Bailey at LAC 25. 24-C.Bailey for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Line score
Final score and points by quarter.
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | — | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Chargers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| Denver Broncos | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
Stars of the game
Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.
- 1 A. Gates · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +6.77 total EPA · 6 snaps · +1.13 EPA/play
- 2 K. McCardell · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +5.82 total EPA · 4 snaps · +1.46 EPA/play
- 3 R. Smith · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +4.80 total EPA · 8 snaps · +0.60 EPA/play
- 4 A. Lelie · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +3.70 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.62 EPA/play
- 5 C. Adams · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +2.73 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.91 EPA/play
- 6 E. Parker · Los Angeles Chargers · Receiving · +2.42 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.81 EPA/play
- 7 J. Putzier · Denver Broncos · Receiving · +2.11 total EPA · 1 snaps · +2.11 EPA/play
- 8 D. Sproles · Los Angeles Chargers · Rushing · +1.34 total EPA · 1 snaps · +1.34 EPA/play
Player of the game
FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.
A. Gates — LAC · Receiving
A. Gates posted the highest total EPA (+6.77) in the game, making the biggest overall impact on Los Angeles Chargers's efficiency. Across 6 counted snaps, they averaged +1.13 EPA per play.
The signature play (-6.99 EPA) came from Los Angeles Chargers: (14:56) 9-D.Brees pass intended for 87-K.McCardell INTERCEPTED by 24-C.Bailey at LAC 25. 24-C.Bailey for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals
Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.
Touchdowns
- Los Angeles Chargers — L. Tomlinson
- Los Angeles Chargers — L. Tomlinson
- Denver Broncos — C. Bailey
- Denver Broncos — K. Johnson
Field goals
- Denver Broncos — J. Elam
- Los Angeles Chargers — N. Kaeding
- Denver Broncos — J. Elam
How it unfolded, quarter by quarter
A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.
The opening quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 3–0. Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the LAC 27 (Q1 48:03) — (3:03) 1-J.Elam 45 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-83-M.Leach, Holder-10-T.Sauerbrun..
The second quarter: Los Angeles Chargers won the period 14–0. Los Angeles Chargers found the end zone from the DEN 16 (Q2 42:19) — (12:19) 21-L.Tomlinson right end for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Chargers added 1 points from the DEN 2 (Q2 42:13) — 10-N.Kaeding extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres.; Los Angeles Chargers found the end zone from the DEN 4 (Q2 34:59) — (4:59) 21-L.Tomlinson up the middle for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Los Angeles Chargers added 1 points from the DEN 2 (Q2 34:55) — 10-N.Kaeding extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres..
The third quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 7–0. Denver Broncos found the end zone from the DEN 77 (Q3 29:56) — (14:56) 9-D.Brees pass intended for 87-K.McCardell INTERCEPTED by 24-C.Bailey at LAC 25. 24-C.Bailey for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the LAC 2 (Q3 29:49) — 1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-83-M.Leach, Holder-10-T.Sauerbrun..
The fourth quarter: Denver Broncos won the period 10–3. Denver Broncos found the end zone from the LAC 3 (Q4 8:53) — (8:53) 39-K.Johnson up the middle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Denver Broncos added 1 points from the LAC 2 (Q4 8:46) — 1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-83-M.Leach, Holder-10-T.Sauerbrun.; Los Angeles Chargers connected on a field goal from the DEN 24 (Q4 5:25) — (5:25) 10-N.Kaeding 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres.; Denver Broncos connected on a field goal from the LAC 23 (Q4 0:09) — (:09) 1-J.Elam 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-83-M.Leach, Holder-10-T.Sauerbrun..
Turning points
Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q3 29:56) — (14:56) 9-D.Brees pass intended for 87-K.McCardell INTERCEPTED by 24-C.Bailey at LAC 25. 24-C.Bailey for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Denver Broncos (Q3 24:31) — (9:31) 16-J.Plummer pass INTERCEPTED by 27-B.Jue (78-D.Scott) at LAC 9. 27-B.Jue to LAC 17 for 8 yards (66-T.Nalen).
- Denver Broncos (Q1 53:14) — (8:14) 38-M.Anderson left guard to LAC 2 for 3 yards (58-R.Godfrey). FUMBLES (58-R.Godfrey), RECOVERED by LAC-76-J.Williams at LAC 2.
- Denver Broncos (Q4 0:09) — (:09) 1-J.Elam 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-83-M.Leach, Holder-10-T.Sauerbrun.
- Denver Broncos (Q4 0:57) — (:57) 33-R.Dayne left end to LAC 23 for 10 yards (53-S.Foley).
Impact plays
Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q3 29:56) — (14:56) 9-D.Brees pass intended for 87-K.McCardell INTERCEPTED by 24-C.Bailey at LAC 25. 24-C.Bailey for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
- Los Angeles Chargers (Q3 25:43) — (10:43) (Shotgun) 9-D.Brees sacked at LAC 35 for -7 yards (52-I.Gold). FUMBLES (52-I.Gold), RECOVERED by DEN-98-C.Brown at LAC 35. 98-C.Brown to LAC 35 for no gain (72-R.Oben).
- Denver Broncos (Q1 53:14) — (8:14) 38-M.Anderson left guard to LAC 2 for 3 yards (58-R.Godfrey). FUMBLES (58-R.Godfrey), RECOVERED by LAC-76-J.Williams at LAC 2.
- Denver Broncos (Q3 24:31) — (9:31) 16-J.Plummer pass INTERCEPTED by 27-B.Jue (78-D.Scott) at LAC 9. 27-B.Jue to LAC 17 for 8 yards (66-T.Nalen).
Quarterback report card
J.Plummer led all passers in efficiency for Denver Broncos, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.
- J.Plummer (Denver Broncos) · 43 dropbacks · 53.5% completion · -0.07 EPA/play · -3.21 total EPA
- D.Brees (Los Angeles Chargers) · 29 dropbacks · 51.7% completion · -0.23 EPA/play · -6.79 total EPA
Team stats comparison
Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.
| Stat | Los Angeles Chargers | Denver Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive EPA/play | -0.119 | -0.094 |
| Offensive success rate | 40.3% | 48.8% |
| Pass EPA/play | -0.234 | -0.075 |
| Rush EPA/play | -0.034 | -0.146 |
| Defensive EPA/play | +0.094 | +0.119 |
| Defensive success rate | 51.2% | 59.7% |
By the numbers
Both offenses finished within striking distance on EPA per play (Los Angeles Chargers -0.12, Denver Broncos -0.09) — a true toss-up on the analytics sheet.
- Denver Broncos: 12 drives, -7.86 total EPA, 3 scoring drives
- Los Angeles Chargers: 12 drives, -8.54 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
Key takeaways
What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.
- Denver Broncos leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
- One-score margin — fantasy managers should double-check garbage-time stats before drawing conclusions.
- A. Gates (Los Angeles Chargers) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
Every scoring play
Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.
- Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q1 48:03 · LAC 27 · Score 0-3
(3:03) 1-J.Elam 45 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-83-M.Leach, Holder-10-T.Sauerbrun. - Los Angeles Chargers TD (+6) — Q2 42:19 · DEN 16 · Score 6-3
(12:19) 21-L.Tomlinson right end for 16 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Chargers XP (+1) — Q2 42:13 · DEN 2 · Score 7-3
10-N.Kaeding extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Los Angeles Chargers TD (+6) — Q2 34:59 · DEN 4 · Score 13-3
(4:59) 21-L.Tomlinson up the middle for 4 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Los Angeles Chargers XP (+1) — Q2 34:55 · DEN 2 · Score 14-3
10-N.Kaeding extra point is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q3 29:56 · DEN 77 · Score 14-9
(14:56) 9-D.Brees pass intended for 87-K.McCardell INTERCEPTED by 24-C.Bailey at LAC 25. 24-C.Bailey for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q3 29:49 · LAC 2 · Score 14-10
1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-83-M.Leach, Holder-10-T.Sauerbrun. - Denver Broncos TD (+6) — Q4 8:53 · LAC 3 · Score 14-16
(8:53) 39-K.Johnson up the middle for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN. - Denver Broncos XP (+1) — Q4 8:46 · LAC 2 · Score 14-17
1-J.Elam extra point is GOOD, Center-83-M.Leach, Holder-10-T.Sauerbrun. - Los Angeles Chargers FG (+3) — Q4 5:25 · DEN 24 · Score 17-17
(5:25) 10-N.Kaeding 42 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-50-D.Binn, Holder-5-M.Scifres. - Denver Broncos FG (+3) — Q4 0:09 · LAC 23 · Score 17-20
(:09) 1-J.Elam 41 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-83-M.Leach, Holder-10-T.Sauerbrun.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Los Angeles Chargers vs Denver Broncos?
The Denver Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers 20-17 in Week 2, 2005 on 2005-09-18.
What was the final score of Los Angeles Chargers vs Denver Broncos?
The final score was Los Angeles Chargers 17, Denver Broncos 20 (LAC 17-20 DEN) in Week 2, 2005 on 2005-09-18.
What was the score by quarter in Los Angeles Chargers vs Denver Broncos?
Q1: Los Angeles Chargers 0, Denver Broncos 3; Q2: Los Angeles Chargers 14, Denver Broncos 0; Q3: Los Angeles Chargers 0, Denver Broncos 7; Q4: Los Angeles Chargers 3, Denver Broncos 10; Final: Los Angeles Chargers 17, Denver Broncos 20.
Who scored touchdowns and field goals in Los Angeles Chargers vs Denver Broncos?
Los Angeles Chargers touchdown — L. Tomlinson (Q2 42:19) Los Angeles Chargers touchdown — L. Tomlinson (Q2 34:59) Denver Broncos touchdown — C. Bailey (Q3 29:56) Denver Broncos touchdown — K. Johnson (Q4 8:53) Denver Broncos field goal — J. Elam (Q1 48:03, 3 pts) Los Angeles Chargers field goal — N. Kaeding (Q4 5:25, 3 pts) Denver Broncos field goal — J. Elam (Q4 0:09, 3 pts) Extra points followed each touchdown unless noted in the play-by-play.
How did the quarterbacks play in Los Angeles Chargers vs Denver Broncos?
J. Plummer (Denver Broncos), 53.5% completion, -0.07 EPA per dropback, -3.21 total passing EPA. D. Brees (Los Angeles Chargers), 51.7% completion, -0.23 EPA per dropback, -6.79 total passing EPA.
Who was the most impactful player in Los Angeles Chargers vs Denver Broncos?
A. Gates (Los Angeles Chargers) led the game in total EPA with +6.77 on receiving plays. across 6 snaps. The top single-play swing was (-6.99 EPA): (14:56) 9-D.Brees pass intended for 87-K.McCardell INTERCEPTED by 24-C.Bailey at LAC 25. 24-C.Bailey for 25 yards, TOUCHDOWN.. The biggest win-probability swing was -23.6%.
Was Los Angeles Chargers vs Denver Broncos a close game?
Yes — the margin was 3 points. Denver Broncos won 20-17 in a game that came down to the wire.
Season records after this game
Los Angeles Chargers
Entered 0-1 Now 0-2 L
Denver Broncos
Entered 0-1 Now 1-1 W
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