Offensive tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt returned for the Los Angeles Chargers and brought the results Los Angeles needed.

The Chargers returned from an early bye week and defeated the Denver Broncos in a crucial AFC West game that decided second place for the time being.

Denver snapped a three-game winning streak sparked by a stingy defense, but the Chargers' tackles returned and gave the offense the tools it needed to dominate.

The NFL's 31st-ranked passing offense had the confidence to run the ball 38 times against Denver earlier in the week, following offensive coordinator Greg Roman's philosophy.

However, Los Angeles only managed 3.4 yards per carry and one touchdown on the ground.

For the first time this season, the Chargers secured a victory via the passing game.

Quarterback Justin Herbert was 21 of 34 passing for 237 yards and a touchdown. Nine different players caught passes for Los
Angeles as the Chargers were able to distribute the ball and avoid turnovers against the third-best defense in the league.

A big part of why the Broncos' scoring defense was so good was their ability to limit opposing offenses to 159.8 passing yards per game entering Week 6. Entering Sunday, the Chargers were averaging 136 per game, a season-high 179.

Now the Chargers are 3-2 before traveling to Arizona to face the 2-4 Cardinals in the first Monday Night Football game ever to air exclusively on ESPN+.

The Cardinals are allowing a dismal 147.8 rushing yards per game, which will leave many in the Chargers' locker room wide-eyed and gives running back JK Dobbins a chance to reach 100 rushing yards for the first time since their Week 2 win at the Carolina Panthers surpass.

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