The Denver Broncos just need to beat the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 18 in order to secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC and have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
That task has become a whole lot easier as Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh announced that the team's starting quarterback, Justin Herbert, will not start the game in order to rest for the playoffs. Instead, the Broncos will face the Chargers' No. 2 quarterback, Trey Lance.
This leads to a belief that the Chargers could rest most or all of their starters for this game, which obviously tilts things in favor of the Broncos.
Jim Harbaugh said QB Justin Herbert won’t play Sunday against the Broncos.
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) December 29, 2025
Said other starters with “the most bruises” and need “the most healing” won’t play.
Fans of the New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars – the only two teams that can take the No. 1 spot away from Denver – won't like this news. The Broncos were able to clinch the final spot in the playoffs last season when the Kansas City Chiefs took the same approach the Chargers look like they're going to, and the Broncos won that game 38-0.
The Chargers were able to defeat the Broncos 23-20 back in a highly competitive game in Week 3. But after losing to the Houston Texans on Saturday, their chances to be anything but a Wild Card went up in smoke. The Broncos clinched the AFC West title with that Texans win, making them the first team besides the Chiefs to win the division since 2015.
The Chargers will likely be criticized for this move, but they have been one of the most snakebitten teams in the league when it comes to injuries this season.
Starting tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt have been lost for the season. Running back Najee Harris and linebacker Junior Colson suffered the same fate. First-round pick and starting running back Omarion Hampton missed a huge chunk of the season with an ankle injury. Offensive lineman Mekhi Becton has struggled to stay healthy.
At the end of the 2022 season, then-Chargers coach Brandon Staley chose to leave his starters in despite the team being locked into the No. 5 seed in the playoffs. Starting wide receiver Mike Williams suffered a back injury in that game that forced him out of the lineup and the Chargers were knocked out in the Wild Card round by the Jaguars.
READ: 6 Broncos players who must step up to help avoid early playoff exit
It may not be a popular decision, but the Chargers don't want history to repeat itself. The Broncos will gladly take that.
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