The Denver Broncos did what they needed to do against the Los Angeles Chargers, locking down the top seed in the AFC with a 19-3 win that also left plenty of lingering questions about whether Denver’s offense is actually playoff-ready.
Offensively, this was an ugly game on both sides of the ball. The Chargers elected to sit quarterback Justin Herbert, which turned out to be a smart decision given the beating taken by his backup, Trey Lance, who was under siege all day from the nasty Broncos pass rush.
Denver quarterback Bo Nix wasn’t anything special, either, but Nix and the rest of the Broncos offense did enough to win. Coach Sean Payton said going into this one that he wanted to run the football, but the Denver offense really didn’t do much of anything other than put up enough points to get a win, averaging just 3.7 yards a carry on the ground
The Broncos first drive was an impressive 91-yard, 15-play affair, but like so many other Denver drives this season, it stalled in the red zone, forcing a 24-yard field goal by kicker Wil Lutz. The defense then scored the only touchdown of the game to make it 10-0 on a 45-yard interception return by defensive back Ja’Quan McMillian, who’s been quietly making big hits and big plays in the secondary all year long.
The rest of the game was a festival of field goals for the Broncos, as they mostly relied on their defense to shut down Lance and the Chargers. Lance did have 69 yards on the ground on nine carries, but the Chargers passing game was an ongoing exercise in futility, as Lance went 20-for-44 for just 136 yards. He also lost a fumble and got picked off to go with four sacks that cost LA another 32 yards.
Lance and his teammates did manage to make it 10-3 just before halftime, as kicker Cameron Dicker capped off a 12-play, 51-yard drive with a 30-yard kicker just before the half.
That was the last time it was a one-score game, however. Lutz hit three more field goals, including a 26-yarder in the third quarter that basically put this game away. The Chargers showed almost no ability to move the football, but the Broncos weren’t much better.
This win won’t answer any of the questions about Nix and the offense going into the playoffs. Nix finished 14-for-23 for just 141 yards, although he did add another 49 yards on eight carries. The lone bright spot in the Denver offense was running back Jaleel McLaughlin, who had 41 yards on 6 carries during some slashing runs, and he added another 17 yards on his sole reception.
The Broncos got the bye they wanted by playing conservative offensive football, but it’s hard not to wonder whaat this one might have been like with Herbert at the helm for the Chargers. It’s a question that will be asked this coming week, along with plenty of others about the Denver offense as the Broncos get the week off, then another week to await whoever their first playoff opponent will be.