The Denver Broncos have been waiting for the Nik Bonitto they know and love to make an appearance, and he finally delivered in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Bonitto is coming off a career-high 14-sack season in 2025 and has already recorded 40 sacks in his NFL career. He’s established himself as a true game-wrecker in Denver, but through the first four games of this season, he hadn’t quite lived up to those expectations, entering Week 5 with just one sack.
With the Broncos needing a statement performance in a critical divisional matchup, Bonitto came through with his best game of the season to date. He sacked Justin Herbert twice and played a major role in Denver’s pivotal road victory.
Nik Bonitto took advantage of a golden opportunity against the Chargers
The Chargers presented the perfect opportunity for Bonitto to get back on track. Los Angeles was without both starting offensive tackles in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, so Bonitto had the chance to tee off against rookie left tackle Travis Burke.
Nik Bonitto chases down Justin Herbert to get the sack 💪@DENvsLAC on CBS/Paramount+
— NFL (@NFL) October 11, 2026
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/aAKporoasY
The Broncos took full advantage of the Chargers' depleted offensive line, recording a season-high five sacks against the revolving door of pass protectors. Bonitto led the charge, helping Denver’s pass rush produce the kind of performance that had largely been missing through the first four games.
Denver led the NFL in sacks in each of the last two seasons, but the pass rush hadn’t maintained that same level of dominance early in 2026. They entered Week 5 with just eight total sacks, making Sunday’s performance an encouraging sign for Vance Joseph’s defense that relies on relentless pressure to dictate games.
The ability to generate pressure was particularly important with Denver’s shorthanded secondary really needing the boost. Both starting cornerbacks, Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss were sidelined due to injuries, and star Talanoa Hufanga left Sunday’s game early with an ankle injury.
An effective pass rush meant less time for the defensive backs to hold up in coverage, which was a key factor in Herbert’s brutal day at the office. The Chargers quarterback finished 14-of-24 for 121 yards, a touchdown, an interception and a lost fumble. It was the first time the Broncos have beaten Herbert head-to-head in the Bo Nix era, and their defense deserves much of the credit.
The Broncos offense still has plenty to figure out down the stretch, and Denver’s defensive identity right now is built around its suffocating defense. Bonitto is one of the key players that makes that unit so difficult to handle, and the team desperately needs their $106 million edge rusher to deliver performances like this consistently.
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