Denver Broncos Claim AFC’s No. 1 Seed In 19-3 Victory Over Los Angeles Chargers
The AFC playoff will officially run through the “Mile High City” as the Denver Broncos wrapped up the AFC’s top seed in a 19-3 slug fest win over the short-handed Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
Broncos Defense Dominates Chargers Offense In Justin Herbert’s Absence
In an outcome that many saw coming once it was reported that Chargers star QB Justin Herbert would sit out their final game against Denver, the Broncos’ defense thoroughly shut down the Trey Lance-led Chargers offense.
Despite the Broncos also resting many of their own starters on defense, the second-string defense still held the Chargers to just 217 total yards in the game. The Broncos’ defense also scored the only touchdown of the game, which came courtesy of a pick-six by Cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian in the first quarter.
Broncos QB Bo Nix also had a productive game despite the conservative approach on offense in the win. The former Oregon Duck finished with 141 yards passing, as well as leading the team in rushing with 49 yards.
The true star of the game for Denver was their kicker, Will Lutz, who had a perfect game from range. The one-time Pro Bowler made 4 field goals, which accounted for 12 of the Broncos’ 19 points scored in the game.
Chargers Choose Rest Over Potential Win Against Broncos
After losing their chance at claiming the AFC West division title with their loss last week against the Houston Texans, the Chargers decided to rest up the majority of their team heading into their Wild Card game next week.
Although the Chargers essentially punted on this game, they still had a chance to make it an interesting game late despite the poor play by backup QB Trey Lance. The Chargers were only down 10-3 heading into halftime.
Trey Lance would finish the game going just 20 of 44 for 136 yards with both an interception and a costly fumble. The Chargers’ offense struggled to consistently move the ball without their star QB at the helm, as they only managed to make it into the Broncos’ territory 3 times in the game.
Looking At AFC Playoff Picture In Final Week Of NFL Season
Today’s win brought the Denver Broncos to an impressive 14-3 record to finish out the regular season. This win also gives them their second-straight playoff appearance, their first consecutive playoff appearance since their five straight postseason appearances from 2011-2015.
With the Broncos securing the first seed, they also secure the highly coveted first-round bye. Denver will wait exactly two weeks before squaring off with the lowest-seeded team remaining in the AFC Playoffs.
For the Chargers, the loss bumps them down to the seventh seed in the AFC following wins by both the Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots today. This sets them up with a date with the second-seeded Patriots on the road in Foxborough in the Wild Card round next weekend.
