San Diego lost 22-10 to the Broncos after struggling offensively for the second consecutive week. After entering the game with the 6th best record in the AFC, the loss was a blow to the Chargers' (8-6) playoff chances. It was their second consecutive home loss to the two teams tied for the best record in their conference. Denver's Manning threw a scoring pass to Demaryius Thomas at the end of the third quarter for their only touchdown of the game. The Chargers pulled to within six points at 16-10 after a TD catch by Gates with 10 minutes left. The Chargers trailed only 9-3 at the half after holding the Broncos to a field goal each time they entered the red zone. Manning was sick coming into the game, and left late in the second quarter with a thigh injury. Set up by a 58-yard punt return by Royal, Novak kicked a 30-yard field goal before the half ended for the Chargers' first score. Manning began the third quarter, and finished the game completing 14 of 20 passes for 233 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Novak missed two field goals in the game: a 46-yard attempt that was tipped by Derek Wolfe in the second quarter, and a 37-yard attempt that hit the left upright in the third. The Chargers were using a new holder with punter Mat McBriar, who was replacing the injured Scifres, but Novak refused to use it as an excuse. Novak placed the blame of the loss on himself, whose missed kicks would have tied the score and kept the game in reach. Rivers completed 24 of 41 attempts for 232 yards with two interceptions. Gates' touchdown was his 10th of the season, tying him with Gronkowski for most seasons with at least 10 touchdown catches by a tight end. Allen exited the game in the third quarter after suffering both a broken right collarbone and an injured right ankle in the second quarter; the collarbone sidelined him for the final two games of the season. The Chargers' defense limited Denver to 111 yards on 39 carries, an average of 2.8 yards per rush. They also held the Broncos to 3-for-12 on third-down conversions.. How many quarters did Allen play in?