The 13-3 Denver Broncos are hosting the 11-5 Los Angeles Chargers today at 4:25 p.m. ET in a Week 18 contest. The Chargers beat the Broncos 23-20 in Week 3 on September 15. Since then, the Chargers have gone 8-5 while the Broncos have gone 12-2. The Broncos have already won the AFC West but are still trying to clinch the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
In this game, the Broncos are -13.5-point favorites with the over/under set at 37.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Here is my best bet for today’s Broncos vs. Chargers game.
Chargers vs. Broncos prediction, preview
This season, the Broncos have established one of the best defenses in the NFL. Denver allows the third-fewest total yards per game while giving up 19.3 points per contest, the fourth-fewest in the NFL. Their defense is led by Nik Bonitto, who has 12.5 sacks this season, the sixth most.
Their offense is led by QB Bo Nix, who has thrown for 3,790 yards with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Nix is sixth in passing yards and seventh in passing touchdowns among QBs. In their first meeting this season, the Chargers held Nix to only 153 yards and one touchdown. Courtland Sutton is leading the Broncos in receptions (73), receiving yards (1,012), and receiving touchdowns (7). Sutton finished with six catches, 118 yards, and a touchdown against Denver in Week 3.
The Chargers are coming off a 20-16 loss to the Houston Texans, but won four consecutive games before that. Like Denver, Los Angeles has an elite defense, as it has allowed 20-plus points only once in the last seven games. Justin Herbert is not playing in this game, and Trey Lance will make his first start with the Chargers. Lance’s last start came in Week 18 last season for the Dallas Cowboys against the Washington Commanders. In that contest, Lance completed 20 of 34 passes for 244 yards. It isn’t confirmed that any other Chargers players are resting in this game, but it’s possible, as they already clinched a playoff berth.
Chargers vs. Broncos pick, best bet
Three of the Chargers’ last three losses were by at least 14 points, and without Herbert, they could struggle a ton against the Broncos, who need a win to clinch the No. 1 seed. This season, Denver has only two wins by 14 or more points, but this is a perfect situation for them to capitalize on a Herbert-less team.
