Guess what? The AFC West goes through San Diego, again.

A 6-0 start for the Denver Broncos, which included a 34-23 road victory at San Diego, has gone by the wayside. In the wake of Sunday’s 32-3 loss to the Chargers at INVESCO Field at Mile High, the Broncos have more important things to worry about than just trying to win a division title. Like finding a rhythm in the passing game, getting their defense back on track and solving their issues of scoring in the red zone. With that said, here are three observations from Sunday’s defeat that knocked the Broncos out of first place in the division.

SIMMS CAN’T PASS TEST.

Chris Simms started the game for Denver, but he didn’t finish it. The backup-turned-starter lasted just three series before being pulled for injured starter Kyle Orton. Simms did OK as long as he was handing the ball off, leading Denver down to the San Diego 17 on the game’s opening drive. But once he went back to pass for the first time, the former Texas signal-caller was sacked by Shaun Phillips and fumbled the ball. San Diego recovered at the Denver 28. Simms was just 2-for-4 for 10 yards passing before he was replaced by Orton with 4:10 left in the first half.

For the record, a hobbled Orton wasn’t on his game, either. He did lead Denver down the field on three plays on his first drive, but a Knowshon Moreno fumble at the goal line halted that scoring opportunity. Orton finished 15 of 29 for 171 yards with one interception as Denver was forced to throw as it fell behind 13-0 and never was able to get into the game. “Chris came in and gave it a good try. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out,” defensive end Vonnie Holliday said. “Kyle came in and gave us a spark, but it wasn’t enough.”

DEFENSIVE PAIN IN THE NECK.

En route to a 5-0 start this season, the Broncos gave up just 40 points -- 17 of those in an overtime win against New England. Since then Denver is just 1-4 and has allowed 130 points. In the four-game losing streak, Denver has allowed 27 or more points in each of those games. It doesn’t help that safety Brian Dawkins suffered a neck injury early in the second quarter and didn’t return in Sunday’s game. Losing the emotional leader of the defense, along with San Diego’s newly-found pounding running game, sapped the life out of the Broncos. Whether it was LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles, Jacob Hester or Mike Tolbert, San Diego had its way punishing the middle of Denver’s defensive line. It also didn’t help matters that San Diego got a short field on an onside kick, which led to a Tomlinson TD, and a failed fourth down at the Chargers 40, which San Diego took down the field for one of four Nate Kaeding field goals.

RED-ZONE BLUES.

Even when Denver had chances to score, it couldn’t. Chris Simms fumbles on his first pass attempt at the San Diego 17, turning the ball over. A Knowshon Moreno fumble at the goal line on Kyle Orton’s first drive late in the second quarter denied Denver a score. Then after a 1st-and-goal at the 6 on the opening drive of the second half, Orton threw back-to-back incompletions and the Broncos settled for a 23-yard Matt Prater field goal. In the fourth quarter, four plays from the 14 resulted in a 5-yard false start penalty and four Orton incompletions.

For an offense that scored just one field goal two weeks ago against Pittsburgh and didn’t score in the second half last week at Washington, the Broncos are playing like, well, the team many thought they’d be before the season started, not like the one that started 6-0. And now, the New York Giants are on tap in four days, something the Broncos are thankful for. “It’s a great feeling to have a short turnaround and be able to have another game on Thursday,” wide receiver Brandon Marshall said. “We’ve dropped four in a row and, hopefully, we can bounce back some time soon.”

--- MICHAEL HICKS.