Chargers rest starters in regular-season finale loss to Broncos

DENVER — The Chargers’ regular-season finale Sunday came down to want versus need. No question, the Chargers wanted to defeat the Denver Broncos and improve their seeding for their AFC wild-card game next week. But, realistically, they needed to rest their many bruised starters.

So, quarterback Justin Herbert didn’t play, but backup Trey Lance did. Offensive linemen Bradley Bozeman and Jamaree Salyer sat out as did outside linebackers Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu. Derwin James Jr. didn’t suit up and fellow safety Elijah Molden stayed home to nurse an injury.

Altogether, 14 Chargers regulars didn’t play Sunday.

The Chargers’ 19-3 loss to the Broncos dropped them to seventh in the seedings, and they will face the second-seeded New England Patriots. Although they didn’t play like a top-seeded team, the Broncos managed to clinch the No. 1 spot and a bye next week, dropping the Patriots to No. 2.

Given the right results Sunday, the Chargers (11-6) could have finished fifth, sixth or seventh. A victory over the Broncos (14-3) would have kept them in sixth, but a loss would have dropped them to seventh, and a date with the upstart Patriots, who have made a post-Tom Brady resurgence.

Four field goals and an interception returned for a touchdown were all the points the Broncos needed to subdue the Chargers in Denver coach Sean Payton’s first victory in four games over Jim Harbaugh. Herbert led the Chargers to a 23-20 come-from-behind victory in Week 3.

Sunday’s game film won’t be making it to the Hall of Fame, that’s for sure. The Chargers trailed 10-3 by halftime, but won the field-position battle after the Broncos marched 81 yards for a 24-yard field goal by Wil Lutz on their first series, slamming the door on Denver’s offense.

The Chargers forced the Broncos to punt three times in the first half en route to denying an opponent an offensive touchdown in the first half for the seventh time in 17 games this season, tied for the best mark in the AFC and also tied with the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks in the NFL.

Trouble was the Chargers had to punt four times.

Lance was shaky to start, misfiring on 6 of 7 passes to start the game. His failed connection with rookie wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith resulted in a 45-yard interception return for a touchdown by Broncos cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian for a 10-0 lead with 3:39 left in the first quarter.

Lance began to find something resembling rhythm in the second quarter, leading the Chargers on a drive that produced Cameron Dicker’s 30-yard field goal with three seconds left in the half. By halftime, Lance had completed 11 of 20 passes for 80 yards with one interception.

The Chargers’ defense blanked the Broncos after Lutz’s field goal. Quarterback Bo Nix was 6 of 10 for 38 yards in the first half. He also ran for a team-leading 43 yards on six attempts, including one designed rush for a 22-yard gain, but he couldn’t pad the Broncos’ early 10-point lead.

The Chargers suffered a significant loss when cornerback Donte Jackson sustained an ankle injury with 6:07 remaining in the first quarter. He was one of only a handful of regulars to start on defense or offense as Harbaugh stuck to his game plan and played mostly backups.

More to come on this story.