Play of the game
Danny Trevathan had the play of the game early in the contest but it changed the whole dynamic moving forward. With 12 seconds to play in the first quarter Rivers dropped back and looked to his favorite target, Antonio Gates. He had just crossed with his fellow tight end Ladarius Green about seven yards past the line of scrimmage on the left side of the field. Trevathan read the play and reacted.
“They had the play pretty well covered. It was kind of a hit [Antonio] Gates or nobody. I was trying to get it out in front of Gates,” Rivers said of the play after the game. “[Danny] Trevathan fell off of Ladarius [Green.] Ladarius was trying to get a little bit of a pick for Gates. He fell off of Ladarius and picked it. Obviously the throw was not good. In hindsight you just take the sack and go to second and fifteen, or whatever it was.”
The interception was the defense’s 11th of the season and fifth touchdown. It gave the Broncos a 14-point lead and sealed the win with three quarters still to play. The defense went on to impose their will on a previously impressive Chargers offense.
