Los Angeles
Chargers
1-15
20
FINAL
38
Denver
Broncos
9-7
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a decisive Week 18 showdown, the Denver Broncos topped the Los Angeles Chargers with a final score of 38-20, securing their playoff positioning in the 2026 season. With playoff implications on the line, the Broncos delivered a strong performance at home, showcasing their dominance over a rival team.
Quarterback Bo Nix led the charge for Denver, throwing for 202 yards and four touchdowns, demonstrating precision and poise throughout the game. Jonah Coleman contributed significantly on the ground, racking up 80 rushing yards, while Ladd McConkey of the Chargers led all receivers with 82 yards but couldn't find the end zone as the Broncos' defense held strong.
Defensively, Denver made a statement with standout performances from Patrick Surtain II, who intercepted two passes, and Zach Allen, who added a sack to the mix. The turning point came in the second quarter when Surtain's first interception set up a quick touchdown, allowing the Broncos to establish a lead they would not relinquish. With solid defensive pressure and timely turnovers, Denver's defense played a crucial role in sealing the victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | YDS | TD | INT | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bo Nix | QB | 36 | 25 | 202 | 4 | 1 | 108.7 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 44 | 22 | 196 | 3 | 3 | 56.6 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonah Coleman | HB | 17 | 80 | 4.7 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| Omarion Hampton | HB | 8 | 33 | 4.1 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| RJ Harvey | HB | 7 | 29 | 4.1 | 0 | 18 | 0 |
| Bo Nix | QB | 3 | 14 | 4.7 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Brady Russell | FB | 4 | 11 | 2.8 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Kimani Vidal | HB | 3 | 3 | 1.0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Quentin Johnston | WR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Courtland Sutton | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 7 | 82 | 11.7 | 1 | 21 | 1 |
| Jaylen Waddle | WR | 5 | 51 | 10.2 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Evan Engram | TE | 7 | 49 | 7.0 | 1 | 22 | 0 |
| Quentin Johnston | WR | 6 | 46 | 7.7 | 1 | 12 | 2 |
| Courtland Sutton | WR | 3 | 36 | 12.0 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Troy Franklin | WR | 6 | 36 | 6.0 | 2 | 14 | 1 |
| David Njoku | TE | 1 | 23 | 23.0 | 0 | 23 | 0 |
| RJ Harvey | HB | 2 | 18 | 9.0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Brenen Thompson | WR | 2 | 14 | 7.0 | 1 | 11 | 0 |
| Tre' Harris | WR | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Oronde Gadsden | TE | 2 | 10 | 5.0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Jonah Coleman | HB | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Tyler Higbee | TE | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Omarion Hampton | HB | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Alec Ingold | FB | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Marvin Mims Jr | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daiyan Henley | WILL | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Patrick Surtain II | CB | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Ja'Quan McMillian | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Derwin James Jr | SS | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elijah Molden | FS | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Singleton | MIKE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tony Jefferson | SS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Riley Moss | CB | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Jones | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonathon Cooper | LEDG | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nik Bonitto | REDG | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Genesis Smith | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach Allen | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tarheeb Still | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Denzel Perryman | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Eboigbe | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Talanoa Hufanga | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Akheem Mesidor | REDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tuli Tuipulotu | LEDG | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.J. Jones | DT | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Kiser | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Marcus Williams | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dalvin Tomlinson | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donte Jackson | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Hart | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| R.J. Mickens | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Teair Tart | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malik Harrison | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wil Lutz | K | 1 | 1 | 5 | 26 |
| Jeremy Crawshaw | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cameron Dicker | K | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |

