The Chargers ended a two-game losing streak and defeated their Mile High demons with a 23-16 victory over the Denver Broncos.

It was the Chargers' first win in Denver since 2018, the year Derwin James Jr. was drafted in the first round.

“Wow,” the star safety said of the end of the road loss to AFC West rivals. “Man, it’s important, man, y’all know the number of division games is plus two.”

What we learned:

Fourth quarter a different game

The Broncos, a franchise founded in 1960, have never been left out at home. With a 23-0 lead, the Chargers came within a quarter of their historic performance.

The three-quarter masterpiece, a reporter began talking to outside linebacker Khalil Mack, must have been a big deal.

“Not really, man,” Mack interjected. “We want to do this every four quarters.”

The Chargers have made major strides under first-year defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, moving the unit that ranked 24th in the NFL in points allowed last season to first place for six straight weeks. But the late-game misfires are preventing the Chargers from truly enjoying the turnaround because there is still so much room for improvement.

Read more: Jim Harbaugh, Chargers feel better after first win in Denver since 2018

The Chargers, who lead the NFL with 13.2 points per game, gave up back-to-back 10-7 halftime leads in losses to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs.

On Sunday, quarterback Bo Nix threw for 176 of his 216 passing yards in the fourth quarter, taking advantage of an undermanned Chargers secondary that lost cornerback Kristian Fulton while the Broncos were in desperation mode.

Nix fought for two crucial first downs in the fourth quarter. He fended off an arm tackle attempt by James on fourth-and-5 and gained six yards to set up a 15-yard touchdown for Courtland Sutton on the next play. Nix escaped a narrow tackle late in the fourth quarter while racing 21 yards to set up the Broncos' final field goal attempt.

The 24-year-old rookie was the Broncos' leading rusher with 61 yards on six carries.

The Chargers' rookies make an appearance

Fulton left the game late in the third quarter with a hamstring injury. The cornerback was already dealing with a knee injury during the week and his departure was another blow to an already thin secondary that was without Asante Samuel Jr. (shoulder) and Ja'Sir Taylor (calf).

While the veterans were struggling, the newcomers were up to the challenge.

Cam Hart, a sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame, made his first start on defense Sunday and finished the game with three tackles, while fellow rookie Tarheeb Still made his second straight start at the position.

After carving out a quiet role as a punt protector on special teams, Hart announced his arrival on defense by rallying for a tackle on the first play from scrimmage. He showed his physicality by dropping a block and finishing with a solo tackle on Troy Franklin in the first quarter.

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“They fought,” James said of Hart and Still with a big grin. “I'm so proud of the boys. I told them that there is no age limit for this game. You can be a freshman and make plays.”

Still had three tackles in the first quarter and a key pass breakup to Marvin Mims Jr. that saved a potential touchdown. However, the rookies made several big plays in the fourth quarter. Sutton was still well covered as the receiver went for a touchdown catch in the back of the end zone.

On offense, rookie running back Kimani Vidal made his NFL debut in style, catching a 38-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert on his first touch as a pro.

The former sixth-round draft pick was inactive for the first four games of the season, but took advantage of an ankle injury to running back Gus Edwards to get into the rotation. Vidal had 11 yards rushing on four carries, 44 yards receiving and two catches.

The rookies will likely have more opportunities in the coming weeks as Samuel and Edwards have been placed on injured reserve and will miss at least three more games.

Third place was the Chargers' top priority

Justin Herbert called converting third downs the offense's top priority after the off week. The Chargers checked the field against the Broncos, converting 11 of 18 third-down attempts.

The team was seven in the two losses to 24 in the third losses.

The crucial third-down plays allowed the Chargers to dominate time of possession, particularly in the first half when they held the ball for more than 21 minutes. The highlight was a 20-play drive, the team's longest since 2000. It lasted 10 minutes and 29 seconds but ended with a field goal.

Red zone offense is Herbert's next task. The Chargers scored just one touchdown in their three red zone plays on Sunday.

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.