If you're frantically looking for what was the score to the denver broncos game, I've got you. The Denver Broncos took down the Los Angeles Chargers with a final score of 19-3 on Sunday, January 4, 2026.
Honestly, it wasn't the kind of high-flying offensive explosion that looks great on a highlight reel. It was gritty. It was sorta ugly at times. But it was exactly what Sean Payton needed to lock up the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
Breaking Down the 19-3 Scoreboard
The game started off with a bang when Ja'Quan McMillian jumped a route and took a 45-yard interception back to the house. That pick-six basically set the tone for the entire afternoon. From that point on, it felt like the Chargers were just banging their heads against a brick wall.
Denver's defense is legit. They held LA to just a single field goal—a 30-yarder by Cameron Dicker right before the half. That was it. No touchdowns, no explosive plays, just a lot of punting and frustration for the visiting team.
Quarter-by-Quarter Reality
Looking at the box score reveals a slow burn:
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- First Quarter: Broncos 10, Chargers 0
- Second Quarter: Broncos 0, Chargers 3
- Third Quarter: Broncos 3, Chargers 0
- Fourth Quarter: Broncos 6, Chargers 0
Bo Nix didn't have his best day, finishing with just 141 passing yards. He looked a bit out of sync, maybe feeling the pressure of the playoff implications, but he didn't turn the ball over. That’s the "winning football" Payton always talks about. Wil Lutz ended up being the MVP of the scoring sheet, knocking through four field goals from 24, 26, 41, and 23 yards.
Why This Score Mattered So Much
People keep asking what was the score to the denver broncos game because the win changed everything for the postseason bracket. By hitting that 14-3 record, Denver officially tied a franchise record for wins.
Think about that for a second.
This team was in the basement just a couple of years ago. Now, they've ended the Kansas City Chiefs' decade-long reign over the AFC West. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs finished 6-11 and are watching from home. It's a total vibe shift in the division.
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The Defensive Masterclass
Nik Bonitto is a monster. He logged a strip-sack in the fourth quarter that basically iced the game. The Broncos finished the regular season with 68 sacks as a team. That’s nearly an NFL record—just four shy of the '84 Bears.
If you were watching the game, you saw the Chargers' Trey Lance struggling just to get a pass off. He was under fire the entire sixty minutes. Denver stopped the Chargers on 11 of their 12 drives. That’s not just a win; that’s a statement.
What Happens Now?
Now that we've cleared up what was the score to the denver broncos game, we have to look at the "now what." Because Denver secured the top seed, they earned a first-round bye. They’ve been resting while the rest of the league beats each other up in the Wild Card round.
The next time they take the field at Empower Field at Mile High will be Saturday, January 17, 2026. They’re facing the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round. It’s a massive revenge game because the Bills knocked Denver out of the playoffs last year in a 31-7 blowout.
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Key Takeaways for Fans
If you missed the action or just needed the numbers, here is the shorthand version of the latest Broncos game:
- Final Score: 19-3 (Denver Win)
- Top Performer: Ja'Quan McMillian (45-yard INT return TD)
- Defense: 4 sacks and only 3 points allowed
- Outcome: Clinched the #1 seed in the AFC
The Broncos are finally back in the driver's seat of the NFL. It took a decade of searching for a quarterback and the right system, but the 19-3 win over the Chargers proves this team can win even when the offense is having a "down" day.
Your Next Steps: Keep an eye on the injury report for KeAndre Lambert-Smith. He left the Chargers game with a hamstring issue, and with the Buffalo Bills coming to town on January 17th, Bo Nix is going to need all the weapons he can get. Make sure your Saturday afternoon is cleared for that 2:30 p.m. MT kickoff on CBS—the road to the Super Bowl officially runs through Denver.