Chargers and Broncos face off in battle of former Oregon quarterbacks

To hear Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert tell the tale, he and Denver Broncos counterpart Bo Nix were like ships passing in the night, like ocean-going freighters navigating their way in and out of the Coos Bay harbor on a foggy Oregon evening when the visibility was next to nothing.

In truth, Herbert and Nix ran into each other at least once, while Herbert was a senior at the University of Oregon and beginning his journey to becoming a Rose Bowl champion with the Ducks and a first-round selection of the Chargers in the 2020 NFL draft and while Nix was an Auburn freshman.

Nix led the Tigers to a comeback victory over Herbert and the Ducks on Aug. 31, 2019, throwing for 177 yards and two touchdowns in his collegiate debut. Herbert threw for 242 yards and one touchdown in the first of only two losses that season for Oregon, which defeated Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

After three seasons at Auburn, Nix transferred to Oregon for the 2022 and ‘23 seasons, sort of following in Herbert’s footsteps. Their paths never crossed formally in Eugene, which makes Herbert’s telling of the story more or less accurate, but they certainly knew each other, mainly through Herbert’s brother, Pat.

“I missed him by a couple of years (at Oregon),” Herbert said of Nix. “I haven’t been able to watch a ton (of Nix’s play with the Broncos) right now, but I watched Oregon all those years and it was awesome to see their success, especially his. I’ve got nothing but respect for him.”

Of the 2019 game, Nix told Denver reporters recently: “It was a great head-to-head battle. They had a really good football team. I still remember them being one of the best defenses that I played. Justin had a great game himself. It came down to the wire, and it was just a really good college football game that day.”

Now, Herbert and Nix will meet on a football field for the first time since Auburn defeated Oregon 27-21 in a neutral-site game in Arlington, Texas. Nix and the Broncos host Herbert and the Chargers on Sunday in Denver. The Broncos have won three in a row and the Chargers have lost two straight.

May the better ex-Ducks quarterback win.

In fact, it might come down to which quarterback has the better day.

The Chargers and Broncos have two of the best defenses in the NFL through the season’s first five weeks. The Chargers have given up a league-low 12.5 points per game while splitting their first four games. The Broncos (3-2) have given up an average of 14.6 points.

Neither team has played to expectations offensively, though. The Chargers, in particular, have failed to take full advantage of their quarterback’s dynamic passing ability. Herbert is 31st among all quarterbacks in the NFL in total passing yardage with 578 yards, an average of 144.5.

Herbert is 17th with an average completion of 6.4 yards. He’s 30th with 91 attempts, an average of 22.75. He’s 30th with 59 completions, an average of 14.75. He’s 17th with five touchdown passes, an average of 1.25 per game. Those are career lows in all categories through four games of any season.

Some of the lowly statistics could be traced to a sprained right ankle Herbert suffered during the Chargers’ victory over the Carolina Panthers in Week 2, a debilitating injury that limited his ability to plant and throw with his usual accuracy and also to escape onrushing defenders.

The Chargers have adjusted their game plan to accommodate Herbert, according to offensive coordinator Greg Roman. But, after a bye week, Herbert and the Chargers’ offense could be closer to full strength come Sunday. Herbert reported improved progress in his rehabilitation exercises.

Healthy or not, effective or not, Nix isn’t about to overlook Herbert.

“He played for a while at Oregon, went through some tough times, and battled through it,” Nix said. “He won a Pac-12 championship and a Rose Bowl. So, he’s one of those guys you look up to playing at Oregon, and now he’s been in the league for several years. I’ve been watching him and he’s been doing great things. So, it’ll be fun watching him live and fun seeing him again.”

CHARGERS (2-2) at BRONCOS (3-2)

When: 1:05 p.m. Sunday

Where: Mile High Stadium, Denver

TV/radio: KCBS (Ch. 2); 98.7 FM; 105.5 FM/94.3 FM (Spanish)