The Denver Broncos finished the 2025-26 regular season true to their brand of football. Defense led the day, and they scored enough to win on Sunday. Neither team’s offense scored a touchdown in the 19-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. The only touchdown came on a pick-six by Broncos’ cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian in the first quarter.

Resting key starters in preparation for their wildcard playoff game next weekend, Chargers’ head coach Jim Harbaugh went with backup quarterback Trey Lance over Justin Herbert. In four quarters, the Chargers were held to one field goal by the Broncos’ starting defense, holding Lance to 136 yards passing on 20 completions.

The Broncos finished the regular season with a 14-3 record. They clinched the top seed in the AFC over the 14-3 New England Patriots via the tiebreaker. The road to the Super Bowl will go through Denver, starting with the AFC divisional round.

“When people ask, ‘What’s the benefit of the [No.] 1 seed?’ Many will say it’s the rest. I personally think it’s the elimination of a game that you don’t have to play,” said Broncos head coach Sean Payton.

Quarterback Bo Nix tied an NFL record: 24 wins in his first two seasons. He matched Russell Wilson’s accomplishment. Nix finished the Broncos’ 14th win of the season with 141 passing yards, no touchdowns, and no interceptions. The Broncos focused on winning and securing the top seed.

“It’s good. I think it’s the best possible position to be in,” Nix said after the game. “Two home games is where we want to be. It’s better than playing on the road and better than playing an extra game. I think for us, it’s the best-case scenario. It’ll be good to play here because of our stadium and the atmosphere. I think that’ll apply a little bit more pressure. At the end of the day, it’s an open tournament, and it’s going to be a really good opportunity to play really good teams. Each one that comes in here is going to be a tough, physical, competitive game.”

The Chargers enter the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and face the New England Patriots on Sunday night in Foxboro, MA. The Broncos will face the lowest remaining seed in the divisional round the following weekend, which could, once again, be the Chargers.

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