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DOWN X DOWN › week 18 › Chargers at Broncos
Updated Nov 2, 5:48 PM ET
2026
2026this season2025final

Week 18 · Sunday 1:00 PM ET · Empower Field at Mile High

LACvsDEN

Chargers offensevsBroncos defense

Season numbers through Week 8: 7 games for Chargers, 8 for Broncos. Ranks are out of 32; #1 is the best offense or the stingiest defense.

LAC offenseDEN offense
Keys to the game · where this matchup tilts, from the season numbers4 reads
01
Biggest edge

Backs catch passes

Broncos give up 48 yards a game to running backs (31st), against a league average of 32. Chargers' running backs produce 31 (15th).

02
Opportunity

Short middle is open

Broncos are worst against short middle throws, allowing +0.27 EPA per attempt. Chargers send 18% of their throws there.

03
Watch out

Passing lanes are closed

Chargers gain -0.30 EPA per dropback (32nd). Broncos allow -0.06 (6th).

04
Wash

Explosive play rate

Call this one even. Chargers create explosive plays on 8% of snaps (25th). Broncos give them up at 9% (15th).

Players to watch

LAC Chargers

10Justin HerbertQB · 131/212 · 1398 yds · 5 TD · 10 INTEPA per dropback -0.268Omarion HamptonRB · 89 car · 309 yds · 3 TD · 11 recEPA per touch -0.239Tre HarrisWR · 18 rec · 256 yds · 0 TD · 28 tgtEPA per target +0.301Quentin JohnstonWR · 12 rec · 202 yds · 0 TD · 26 tgtEPA per target +0.2445Tuli TuipulotuWeakside Linebacker · 29 tackles · 3 sacks · 1 INT · 3 PD3 sacks20Cam HartLeft Cornerback · 28 tackles · 2 INT · 6 PD2 INT · T-11th in the NFL

DEN Broncos

10Bo NixQB · 149/250 · 1493 yds · 9 TD · 3 INTEPA per dropback -0.01 · 23rd20Jonah ColemanRB · 30 car · 134 yds · 2 TD · 9 recEPA per touch +0.17 · 2nd17Jaylen WaddleWR · 29 rec · 315 yds · 2 TD · 51 tgtEPA per target +0.0814Courtland SuttonWR · 20 rec · 221 yds · 1 TD · 37 tgtEPA per target -0.1529Ja'Quan McMillianNickel Back · 25 tackles · 2 sacks · 1 INT · 7 PD1 INT99Zach AllenLeft Defensive End · 25 tackles · 4.5 sacks · 3 PD4.5 sacks · T-16th in the NFL
The series · Chargers and Broncos since 1999, and this season's records56 meetings

The Broncos lead the series 33–23 since 1999. They have won the last 2. Oct 11, 2026, at SoFi Stadium: the Broncos won 23–17. Justin Herbert started at quarterback for the Chargers and Bo Nix for the Broncos; Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton coached.

Chargers at home14–14the Chargers' record
In Denver9–19the Chargers' record
Most pointsChargers 52 · Broncos 392008 · 2008
Biggest winChargers by 38 · Broncos by 292007 · 2003
Playoffs0–1the Chargers' record

The last 5

2026 · Wk 5DEN 23 at LAC 17
2025 · Wk 18LAC 3 at DEN 19
2025 · Wk 3DEN 20 at LAC 23
2024 · Wk 16DEN 27 at LAC 34
2024 · Wk 6LAC 23 at DEN 16

2026 records

ChargersBroncos
Overall0–76–2
Division0–32–1
Conference0–43–1
Other conference0–33–1
Home0–34–0
Away0–42–2
Last 5LLLLLLWWWW
StreakLost 7Won 4
Points a game14.1 – 25.021.5 – 20.6

Every meeting since 1999, regular season and playoffs, from nflverse's game list, which starts in 1999; the all-time series goes back further. Franchises that moved count as one team (the Raiders, Chargers and Rams). Home and away are from the Chargers' side. Records are this regular season.

The lineups · Chargers offense against the Broncos defenseDepth charts
Broncos defense · 3-4 DChargers offense · 3WR 1TE76Alt74Awosika66Slaughter69Strange77Burke88Kolar10Herbert8Hampton15McConkey9Harris1Johnston96Uwazurike93Jones99Allen0Cooper15Bonitto40Strnad49Singleton21Moss2Surtain29McMillian9Hufanga22Jones

Chargers offense · 3WR 1TE

  • QBJustin Herbert#10 · 131/212 · 1398 yds · 5 TD · 10 INT
  • RBOmarion Hampton#8 · 89 car · 309 yds · 3 TD · 11 rec
  • WRLadd McConkey#15 · 17 rec · 286 yds · 1 TD · 24 tgt
  • WRQuentin Johnston#1 · 12 rec · 202 yds · 0 TD · 26 tgt
  • WRTre' Harris#9 · 18 rec · 256 yds · 0 TD · 28 tgt
  • TECharlie Kolar#88 · 10 rec · 98 yds · 0 TD · 17 tgt
  • LTJoe Alt#76
  • LGKayode Awosika#74
  • CJake Slaughter#66
  • RGCole Strange#69
  • RTTravis Burke#77

Broncos defense · Base 3-4 D

  • RDEEyioma Uwazurike#96 · 15 tackles · 1 sack
  • NTD.J. Jones#93 · 16 tackles · 1 sack · 1 PD
  • LDEZach Allen#99 · 25 tackles · 4.5 sacks · 3 PD
  • WLBJonathon Cooper#0 · 4 tackles
  • SLBNik Bonitto#15 · 17 tackles · 3.5 sacks
  • RILBJustin Strnad#40 · 38 tackles · 0.5 sacks · 2 PD
  • LILBAlex Singleton#49 · 98 tackles · 2 sacks · 2 PD
  • RCBRiley Moss#21 · 24 tackles · 1 INT · 7 PD
  • LCBPat Surtain II#2 · 29 tackles · 2 PD
  • NBJa'Quan McMillian#29 · 25 tackles · 2 sacks · 1 INT · 7 PD
  • SSTalanoa Hufanga#9 · 22 tackles · 1 sack · 2 INT · 3 PD
  • FSBrandon Jones#22 · 54 tackles · 2 INT · 5 PD

Starters from each team's current depth chart (nflverse, from ESPN), drawn in the offense's base three-receiver set against the defense's base front. The nickel back, the extra defensive back most teams use against three receivers, is drawn lighter. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. The toggle at the top flips which offense is drawn.

Head to head · LAC offense against DEN defense
StatLAC LAC offFavors LAC · Favors DENDEN DEN def allowsNFL avg
Overall
EPA per play
-0.26#32
-0.03#12+0.00
Success rate
35%#32
40%#644%
Yards per play
4.7#30
5.2#105.4
Explosive play rate
8%#25
9%#159%
Passing
Pass EPA per dropback
-0.30#32
-0.06#6+0.03
Sack rate
10%#28
7%#147%
Running
Run EPA per carry
-0.23#31
-0.02#26-0.08
Yards per carry
3.7#23
4.4#224.1
Money downs
3rd down conversion
37%#27
43%#2241%
Red zone TD rate
50%#29
48%#861%
Targets by position
WR yards per game
122#27
131#9147
TE yards per game
47#22
68#2655
TE targets per game
7.4#17
8.8#277.6
RB receiving yards per game
31#15
48#3132
Where the ball goes · EPA per throwDeep is 15+ air yds

Chargers: EPA per throw

Left
Middle
Right
Deep
+0.656% of throws
-0.052% of throws
-0.069% of throws
Short
+0.0724% of throws
-0.0718% of throws
-0.4041% of throws

Broncos: EPA allowed per throw

Left
Middle
Right
Deep
-0.2620 throws
-0.1210 throws
-0.0118 throws
Short
+0.0780 throws
+0.2752 throws
+0.10119 throws

Green gains more than expected, red loses value. Cells with fewer than 5 throws are grayed out.