The September 11 game, which I witnessed from nosebleed seats inside Sports Authority Field at Mile High (yeah, it's still called that — and the name could stick around for quite a while), shouldn't have been that close. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Broncos held a 24-7 lead after giving up just one score to Rivers and company. But new offensive coach Mike McCoy got conservative way too early, setting the stage for a pair of disasters — namely a bizarre Trevor Siemian interception and a Jamaal Charles fumble, both of which led to Chargers TDs.
Add in a missed field goal by Denver's Brandon McManus, whose new $11.24 million extension was made official today, and Bradley Roby's second spirit-crushing interference penalty of the evening (albeit on a terrible call), and L.A. had a chance to tie the game with a field goal in the waning seconds. If not for new coach Vance Joseph effectively icing the Chargers' rookie kicker Younghoe Koo and defensive-line afterthought Shelby Harris partially blocking the attempt that counted, Broncos fans would have been doing a lot more crying than Rivers did earlier in the contest, following a briefly redemptive Roby interception.
This series of events resulted in a victory that Siemian and company did their damnedest to give away and left Rivers shattered again, much to the profane delight of the Broncos faithful on Twitter. A couple of the messages below offer grudging respect for Rivers even as they express their deep loathing for him. The rest go for the jugular. Count them down below.
Number 20:
Live look at Philip Rivers #crybaby #whinyB #Broncos pic.twitter.com/zH7O7eXNmL
— Kelly Anne Sobers (@Its_Kelly_Anne) September 12, 2017
Number 19:
I wonder if Philip Rivers ever watches himself whine and cry on film or something and gets embarrassed of himself
— ???? ????? (@jill_payne_) September 12, 2017
Number 18:
Pardon my french, but does Philip Rivers bitch and moan after every play that doesn't go his way? Good lawd. Shut up man. #LACvsDEN
— DailyDenverBroncos (@dailydenbroncos) September 12, 2017
Number 17:
Is Philip Rivers the biggest asshole QB in the NFL?
— Travis Grither (@GritherTM) September 12, 2017
Number 16:
FUCK YOU PHILIP RIVERS YOU SOB
— SavageAss_Black Swan (@swanlakelibra) September 12, 2017
Number 15:
Nothing better than watching Philip Rivers bitch and moan about something. #MondayNightFootball
— Dan Cunningham (@DanC5010) September 12, 2017
Number 14:
philip rivers retire bitch
— Chris Manning (@GreenManning) September 12, 2017
Number 13:
#LACvsDEN I love watching Philip Rivers complain to the refs. pic.twitter.com/W7EaJ7vKBR
— Dan Dan Noodles (@DANGERHSUN) September 12, 2017
Number 12:
shut yo cry baby ass up philip rivers damn.
— rashad (@rashadswavey5) September 12, 2017
Number 11:
Wow fuck you Philip rivers
— sergio dipp (@casey_deliberto) September 12, 2017