DENVER (AP) — The Denver Broncos secured the AFC’s top playoff seed with a 19-3 win over the Los Angeles Chargers’ bevy of backups Sunday, a victory fueled by Ja’Quan McMillian’s 45-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Wil Lutz was 4-for-4 on field goals as the Broncos (14-3) tied their franchise record for most victories in a season and earned their first No. 1 playoff seed since 2015, which they parlayed into a third Super Bowl title.
They’ll get a week off before hosting their first playoff game in a decade, which could be against these same Chargers (11-6) if L.A. beats the Patriots (14-3) at New England in the wild-card round next weekend.
Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had one of his worst games of the season, throwing for just 38 yards in the first half and 141 overall, but he tied Russell Wilson’s record of 24 wins in his first two NFL seasons.
With no chance to win the division, the Chargers treated this game much like a bye week as they prepare to hit the road for the playoffs in the wild-card round. Coach Jim Harbaugh sat several of his starters, most notably quarterback Justin Herbert, safety Derwin James and OLB Tuli Tuipulotu.
QB Trey Lance made his sixth career start and first with the Bolts. His fourth pass went off the hands of KeAndre Lambert-Smith and into the arms of McMillian, who raced down the Broncos’ sideline for a 45-yard touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
Lance finished 20 of 44 for 136 yards. Lambert-Smith later left the game with a hamstring injury.
After five fruitless drives, Cameron Dicker’s 30-yard field goal with 3 seconds left in the second quarter pulled the Chargers to 10-3 at halftime.
The Broncos had four sacks, none bigger than Nik Bonitto’s strip-sack at the Los Angeles 20-yard line early in the fourth quarter. That led to Lutz’s third field goal, from 41 yards, and a 16-3 lead with 11:45 left.
The Broncos’ four sacks gave them a franchise-record and NFL-high 68 for the season, four shy of the 1984 Chicago Bears’ NFL-record 72 sacks.
The game was profitable for at least one Chargers player — wide receiver Keenan Allen, whose seven catches for 36 yards allowed him to reach contract incentives worth $1 million in bonuses Sunday.
Winter wonderland
Temperature at kickoff was a 69 degrees, which is the warmest on record in Denver, besting the old mark of 67 degrees in 1956. The average temperature for the Broncos’ nine home games in the regular season was 68.2 degrees, a franchise high. The coldest game was on Nov. 6, when it was 60 degrees on a Thursday night kickoff against the Raiders.
Injuries
Chargers: RB Omarion Hampton (ankle) and LT Jamaree Salyer (hamstring) were inactive. CB Donte Jackson (ankle) left in the first quarter. Lambert-Smith pulled his let hamstring with 6 seconds left in the second quarter and walked gingerly to the sideline. S Kendall Williamson injured an ankle in the third quarter.
Broncos: LT Garett Bolles (ankle) got hurt with 5:55 left in the first half and headed to the locker room. He returned on the ‘ opening drive of the second half. S P.J. Locke (leg) also was injured in the second quarter and didn’t return. Locke has been starting in place of injured S Brandon Jones.
Up next
Chargers: visit the No. 2 seed New England Patriots in the wild-card round.
Broncos: get a much-needed bye before hosting their first playoff game since the 2015 season in the divisional round.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
