No. 1 – December 24, 2007 @ San Diego Chargers
Broncos 3, Chargers 23
This was not the most catastrophic December loss to the San Diego Chargers in Denver Broncos history (that would come the following year), but it did set the stage for Denver’s second losing season since 1999 (when they also suffered a December Monday Night Football loss).
A loss to the Texans in Week 15, coupled with this beatdown by the Chargers meant that for the second year in a row Denver would not make the playoffs. Philip Rivers wasn’t great, but Jay Cutler struggled in his second trip to San Diego. He made his second career start there one year prior, also a loss.
On this Christmas Eve, Cutler fumbled on the very first drive of the game and was intercepted twice. LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown, which was more than San Diego would need. Denver produced just three points on the day, a 23-yard field goal from Jason Elam late in the fourth quarter.
The loss was not the ultimate death knell for Mike Shanahan – that came one year later with a Week 17 loss against the Chargers that again cost the Broncos a playoff spot – but it was a sign of bad things to come for the Mastermind.
