Chargers’ playoff chances get big boost with Jaguars not resting starters
By Matt Pagels
The Los Angeles Chargers have a chance to clinch a playoff berth, but they’re going to need some help in order to do so.
Win and in? If only it were that simple.
The Chargers (8-7) are on the verge of becoming only the second team in NFL history to make the playoffs after starting the season 0-4. We all know who did it first..
The Chargers must take care of business at home against a Raiders team that failed to live up to expectations.
Should the Bolts finish 9-7, they then need the Tennessee Titans (8-7), who have lost three straight games, to lose. Bring back that 2008 magic!
The Titans, who are currently the No. 6 seed in the AFC, play the Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5), who they’ve already beaten earlier this year. Also, the Jags are locked into the No. 3 seed in the AFC and have nothing to play for.
Great.
But don’t give up hope just yet, Chargers fans! According to the Jaguars’ official website, Jacksonville will not rest its starters in the season finale, with head coach Doug Marrone saying that it is “the right thing to do for this team.” The Jags are coming off a disappointing loss to Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers, so they clearly want to get back on the right track and enter the playoffs with some momentum. Also, losing to your divisional rival twice–and ultimately being the reason why that rival makes the playoffs-is something they’ll try to avoid.
And should the Titans fall to 8-8, the Chargers need either a win from Baltimore (9-6) or a loss from Buffalo (8-7). The Ravens, who are currently the No. 5 seed, host the Bengals, and the Bills, who are behind the Chargers at No. 8, travel to Miami to face the Dolphins. The Chargers would be eliminated from the playoffs if they are in a three-way tie with the Ravens and Bills due to a tiebreaker based on conference record. All four of these games (including Chargers) kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET.
It’s a lot going on, but this seems very doable, especially with the Jaguars playing their starters. Unlike Lloyd Christmas’ situation, the Chargers are in a nice position to get what they want.