The Denver Broncos locked up the AFC’s top seed with a 19–3 victory over a short-handed Los Angeles Chargers squad on Sunday.
McMillian returned an interception 45 yards for a first-quarter touchdown, providing the decisive play as Denver (14–3) secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC for the first time since 2015. Wil Lutz added four field goals, and the Broncos’ defense overwhelmed the Chargers’ backups, stopping Los Angeles on 11 of 12 drives while forcing two turnovers and two turnover-on-downs possessions.
The Chargers (11–6), with nothing at stake in the division race, rested several starters, including quarterback Justin Herbert, safety Derwin James and edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, and treated the game as a tune-up for the postseason. Trey Lance made his first start for Los Angeles, but his fourth pass was tipped and intercepted by McMillian, who sprinted down the sideline to give Denver a 10–0 lead.
Los Angeles managed just one scoring drive, a 30-yard Cameron Dicker field goal as time expired in the first half to cut the deficit to 10–3. From there, Denver’s defense took over. The Broncos recorded four sacks, highlighted by Nik Bonitto’s strip-sack early in the fourth quarter that ended any lingering hope of a Chargers comeback. Denver finished the regular season with an NFL-best and franchise-record 68 sacks.
Offensively, Denver leaned on efficiency rather than fireworks. Rookie quarterback Bo Nix endured one of his quietest performances of the season, throwing for 141 yards, but avoided major mistakes as the Broncos steadily extended their lead with Lutz’s reliable leg. The win tied a franchise record for victories in a season and sent Denver into the postseason with momentum — if not style points.
Los Angeles found a small silver lining as wide receiver Keenan Allen reached multiple contract incentives, finishing with seven catches for 36 yards to earn $1 million in bonuses. Still, the Chargers’ offense struggled overall, and rookie receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith exited with a hamstring injury after the early interception.
Denver now earns a first-round bye and will host its first playoff game in a decade, potentially against these same Chargers if Los Angeles advances from the wild-card round. The Chargers will travel to New England next weekend, while the Broncos enjoy a week off before the AFC playoffs truly begin.
