The Buffalo Bills hosted the New England Patriots on Sunday in a game that should have been a breeze for the Bills, except it wasn't. New England led at halftime and came within three points and an onside kick attempt from upsetting Buffalo. This may be worrisome for the LA Chargers, who just need to beat the Patriots on Saturday to clinch a spot in the AFC Playoffs.
While the Patriots might be a bigger challenge than their record indicates, Chargers fans should still be celebrating the Bills' win on Sunday. Sure, it was the expected outcome, but Buffalo's near-loss would have been brutal for the Chargers.
The Bills are still in contention for the No. 1 seed in the AFC with the win over New England. This is important for the Chargers as the Kansas City Chiefs won't be able to rest their starters in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which is great for the Bolts.
Chargers are the big winners of the Chiefs and Bills' race for the No. 1 seed
The NFL Playoffs are all about matchups and with the right matchup, the Chargers can advance to the Divisional Round. The odds of the Chargers making any kind of run if they have to play one of the top three teams in the AFC in the first round are slim. However, with the right matchup the team can get some momentum, and who knows what could happen after that.
The ideal situation for the Chargers is moving up to the No. 5 seed to take on the Houston Texans in the Wild-Card Round. The Texans are not a massive threat, especially with all the injuries on the offensive side of the ball.
Houston would rightfully be a home favorite against the Chargers in this case but this is a winnable situation for the Chargers. So how is it possible?
The most likely scenario to become the No. 5 seed in the AFC is for the Steelers to lose out. Kansas City being forced to play for something in Week 17 drastically increases the odds of Pittsburgh losing out.
This could create a favorable scenario for the Chargers in Week 18. The Chargers play the Las Vegas Raiders, who will be more concerned with their offseason vacation plans than playing in that game. Meanwhile, the Steelers will be hosting a Cincinnati Bengals team that might have a lot to play for in Week 18.
If the Bengals beat the Broncos in Week 17 then they have a chance to make the playoffs with a win and the right outcomes in Week 18. It might be a longshot for the Bengals to get all the outcomes they need in Week 18, but just beating the Broncos gives them something to play for against the Steelers.
That swings the door open for the Steelers to lose out and finish with a 10-7 record. Winning out would give the Chargers an 11-6 record and a winnable first-round matchup against the Texans.
All of this would have been DOA if the Bills somehow blew Sunday's game against a three-win Patriots team.