[GAME_RECAP]
Broncos-Chargers at Mile High turned into a defensive clinic and a special-teams steady hand, with Denver grinding out a 19-3 win and locking up the AFC’s top seed for January. With Justin Herbert resting, Trey Lance got the start for L.A., and Denver’s front greeted him with constant heat and four sacks, plus tight coverage that turned the middle of the field into a no-fly zone. (nfl.com)
Early on, the Broncos set the tone with Bo Nix using his legs — a 22-yard burst jump-started the first scoring drive — before Wil Lutz started stacking receipts. The real jolt came when Ja’Quan McMillian jumped a Lance throw and cruised for a 45-yard house call, flipping a 3-0 grind into a 10-0 stranglehold. Halftime hit at 10-3, and Denver’s defense basically said, “that’s enough.” The under cashed, the crowd chilled, and the orange crush kept squeezing.
Second half? More of the same mile-high squeeze. Nik Bonitto ripped a strip-sack, Eyioma Uwazurike and Sai’vion Jones joined the party, and even when the Chargers pieced together late yards with Lance scrambles, the red zone slammed shut. Offensively, Denver played keep-away and field-position chess: Nix finished 14/23 for 141 yards with 49 rushing yards, Evan Engram popped a 37-yard catch en route to 45 yards, and Lutz calmly drilled four field goals from 24, 26, 41, and 23. When the dust settled, that was plenty — and it came with a cherry on top: Denver clinched the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. (nfl.com)
Final tally: Broncos 19, Chargers 3. Lance’s legs (9 for 69 yards) kept a few chains moving, and Keenan Allen fought for 7 catches, but Denver’s defense owned the money downs, and special teams tilted the field just enough for Sean Payton to pocket a no-drama Week 18 dub. Mile High in January? That road runs through Denver now. (nfl.com)
Big Dill of the Game: Ja’Quan McMillian — 45-yard pick-six that broke it open and set the tone for a defense that never let go. This is Dillon “Big Dill” Smith, signing off from Big Dill Sports — where ballin’ is a big dill.
[QUARTER_BREAKDOWN]
| TEAM | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | FINAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAC | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| DEN | 10 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
[PLAYER_BOXSCORE]
DEN - Passing (1 players)
| Player | Pos | Att | Comp | Yds | TD | INT | FPTS | PPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bo Nix | QB | 23 | 14 | 141 | - | - | 10.5 | 10.5 |
LAC - Passing (1 players)
| Player | Pos | Att | Comp | Yds | TD | INT | FPTS | PPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trey Lance | QB | 44 | 20 | 136 | - | 1 | 8.3 | 8.3 |
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