Broncos Pull an Upset
Social feeds are buzzing after the Denver Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers despite the Chargers’ injured O‑line — fans are pointing to Denver’s pressure packages and quick‑game offense as the difference. The Broncos also had a 30‑30 OT thriller in another recent matchup that’s keeping debates alive. (x.com)
Denver beat the Chargers 19-3 at Empower Field on Jan. 4, 2026, a result that clinched the Broncos the AFC’s No. 1 seed. (pro-football-reference.com ) Denver’s defense generated four sacks and eight QB hits and got an early lift when Ja’Quan McMillian returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter. (Pro Football Network ) (pro-football-reference.com ) The Chargers’ offensive line had been decimated over the season — All‑Pro Rashawn Slater suffered a torn patellar tendon in training camp and first‑round pick Joe Alt later suffered a season‑ending high‑ankle fracture — forcing constant reshuffling up front. (Sporting News ) (chargers.com ) Protection troubles showed up in the numbers: StatMuse records Justin Herbert was sacked 54 times in 2025, and PFF/chargers notes he faced roughly 173 pressures across the season; the Chargers also sat Herbert in Week 18, starting Trey Lance instead against Denver. (StatMuse ) (chargers.com article summarizing pressure data ) (Sports Illustrated ) Support for the social‑media take — that Denver’s pressure packages and quick passing won the day — shows up in the game chart: Denver averaged 4.2 yards per play, recorded the defensive TD plus three Wil Lutz field goals on four red‑zone trips, and PFF’s game overview highlights the Broncos’ pass‑rush impact. (PFF ) (pro-football-reference.com ) That defensive momentum carried into the playoffs: Denver followed the Chargers win with a 33-30 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 17, 2026 to reach the AFC Championship — a game that also produced a fractured right ankle for Broncos QB Bo Nix. (DenverBroncos.com ) (ESPN )
