The Broncos will not face Justin Herbert on their path to clinching the No. 1 AFC playoff seed. 

The Chargers’ starting quarterback will rest in Week 18, coach Jim Harbaugh told Los Angeles media on Monday, in their regular-season finale Sunday at Empower Field. Backup quarterback Trey Lance will start for the Chargers. 

“He’s got bruises that need to heal,” Harbaugh told reporters about Herbert. 

The Chargers (11-5) clinched a playoff spot. However, a Week 17 loss against the Texans clinched the AFC West for Denver (13-3). Los Angeles cannot improve its playoff seeding and will rest its starters with “the most bruises and need the most healing,” Harbaugh said. The Broncos will earn the AFC’s top playoff seed with a victory on Sunday. 

“We’ll see how the rest of the week goes with who all they are,” Harbaugh said. “They’ll be some situations where some starters are backups.” 

The Chargers are the lone division team to beat the Broncos this season. Denver lost a heartbreaker, 23-20, on a walk-off Los Angeles field goal at SoFi Stadium in Week 3. Inside linebacker Alex Singleton described Herbert as “one of the best players in the world” before Harbaugh announced he would not play in the regular season finale. 

“We want to make up for that (loss) and finish 5-1 on the year in the division,” Singleton said Monday on a teleconference call. “That’s the most important thing going into this game.” 

Turnover margin 

Coach Sean Payton identified one shortcoming of his Broncos team ahead of the postseason: turnover margin.  

The Broncos have committed 17 giveaways this season. They’ve logged 12 takeaways. That minus-five margin is significant considering the historic trends of Super Bowl winners.

“The one area that has to improve is the turnover margin, and that can happen,” Payton said Monday on a media teleconference call. “We did a collective (study) of the last 25 years of Super Bowl winners. It’s something like 114 in the plus.” 

Singleton added: “I think we’ve been really good at everything else. It’s just taking that next step to where we want to go, and to be able to take the ball away.” 

Briefly 

Offensive lineman Calvin Throckmorton cleared waivers and is expected to sign with the Broncos practice squad. … Outside linebacker Nik Bonitto has not recorded a sack over the last three games. On Monday, Payton said: “(I’m) worried about caging the quarterback, rushing him properly. So, we’re not focused on the sack numbers.” … The Broncos have played ball-control offense in recent wins over the Raiders and Chiefs with a high number of double-digit play drives. On Monday, tight end Adam Trautman said: “It’s a huge deal. It’s also a confidence booster.” … The Broncos are now 11.5-point favorites over the Chargers in Week 18, according to FanDuel, after Harbaugh announced Herbert will not play. … Payton celebrated his 62nd birthday on Monday.