Los Angeles
Chargers
0-0
38
FINAL
17
Denver
Broncos
0-0
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a decisive Week 18 matchup, the Los Angeles Chargers topped the Denver Broncos 38-17, solidifying their playoff positioning in the 2026 season. With both teams vying for momentum as the regular season came to a close, the Chargers showcased their offensive prowess and strategic execution.
Justin Herbert was the standout performer for Los Angeles, throwing for 285 yards and three touchdowns, while Quentin Johnston dazzled with 152 receiving yards, making crucial catches throughout the game. The Chargers’ offense effectively utilized their playmakers, consistently moving the ball and finding the end zone, which kept the Broncos on their heels.
Defensively, Khalil Mack made his presence felt with two key sacks, helping to disrupt Denver’s offensive rhythm. The turning point came in the second quarter when Mack's pressure led to a critical turnover, allowing the Chargers to extend their lead and seize control of the game. With the defense holding strong and making impactful plays, Los Angeles was able to cruise to victory, showcasing their readiness for the playoffs.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | QB | 43 | 26 | 60% | 285 | 3 | 2 | 83.9 |
| Bo Nix | QB | 39 | 17 | 44% | 140 | 1 | 0 | 61.9 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RJ Harvey | HB | 7 | 96 | 13.7 | 84 | 1 | 27 | 0 |
| Kimani Vidal | HB | 8 | 86 | 10.8 | 43 | 0 | 41 | 1 |
| Keaton Mitchell | HB | 14 | 80 | 5.7 | 33 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Justin Herbert | QB | 5 | 19 | 3.8 | — | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| J.K. Dobbins | HB | 7 | 15 | 2.1 | — | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Brenen Thompson | WR | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | — | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| Adam Trautman | TE | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Alec Ingold | FB | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Bo Nix | QB | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Quentin Johnston | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quentin Johnston | WR | 11 | 152 | 13.8 | 31 | 1 | 27 | 0 |
| Ladd McConkey | WR | 7 | 90 | 12.9 | 25 | 1 | 32 | 0 |
| Courtland Sutton | WR | 7 | 64 | 9.1 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Jaylen Waddle | WR | 2 | 47 | 23.5 | 5 | 0 | 24 | 0 |
| Oronde Gadsden | TE | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 11 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Troy Franklin | WR | 2 | 16 | 8.0 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Brenen Thompson | WR | 3 | 11 | 3.7 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 0 |
| Evan Engram | TE | 2 | 9 | 4.5 | — | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| J.K. Dobbins | HB | 3 | 6 | 2.0 | — | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Kimani Vidal | HB | 2 | 5 | 2.5 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| David Njoku | TE | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| RJ Harvey | HB | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Singleton | MIKE | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jahdae Barron | CB | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Khalil Mack | REDG | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Strnad | WILL | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Patrick Surtain II | CB | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Genesis Smith | SS | 6 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Brandon Jones | FS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Nik Bonitto | REDG | 4 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonathon Cooper | LEDG | 3 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Donte Jackson | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tre Hawkins III | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| JT Woods | FS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach Allen | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trevon Diggs | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Justin Eboigbe | DT | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Teair Tart | DT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Daequan Hardy | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ja'Quan McMillian | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ekow Boye-Doe | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Smith | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jonah Elliss | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Karene Reid | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Malcolm Roach | DT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Riley Moss | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Devon Key | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bud Dupree | LEDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Akheem Mesidor | REDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deane Leonard | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wil Lutz | K | 1 | 1 | 2 | 31 |
| Cameron Dicker | K | 3 | 3 | 3 | 49 |

