If Week 2 was a heartbreaker, Week 3 was déjà vu. Against the Chargers in Los Angeles, the Broncos once again played tough, once again had the game within their grasp, and once again walked away empty-handed, losing 23–20 on a last-second Cameron Dicker field goal. For most of the afternoon, Denver looked like it might pull off the upset. Courtland Sutton was phenomenal, torching the Chargers’ secondary and even hauling in a 52-yard touchdown that gave the Broncos the kind of highlight they needed. J.K. Dobbins ran with purpose, keeping the chains moving and forcing the defense to respect the ground game. The defense even made Justin Herbert uncomfortable at times, pressuring him into mistakes and forcing turnovers that should have swung the momentum. And yet, it ended the same way as the week before. Denver had a 20–13 lead in the fourth quarter and couldn’t protect it. The offense sputtered when it mattered most, the defense bent just enough to let Herbert march his team back, and the Chargers tied it before nailing the game-winner as time expired. If you’re a Broncos fan like me, you’ve seen this movie too many times before, and you’re tired of the ending. Through three weeks, the Broncos are 1–2, and here’s the maddening part: they could just as easily be 3–0. Every game has been close. Every game has been winnable. But until they figure out how to close, those almost-wins are just losses in the standings. It’s frustrating, it’s hopeful, and it’s all too familiar.