The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Kansas City Chiefs in one of two Christmas Day games in what is a potential playoff preview. Both the Chiefs and Steelers have clinched a spot in the NFL Playoffs but there is a lot to play for, including for teams not involved in the game like the LA Chargers.
A win for Kansas City would lock up the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Buffalo Bills own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Kansas City but are two games back with two weeks to play. Kansas City needs just one win.
The Steelers are tied with the Baltimore Ravens but currently own the tiebreaker and control their own destiny in the AFC North. Winning the division isn't just a huge accomplishment for Pittsburgh, but a huge advantage as well as it would give the team a first-round home playoff game and better seeding in round two.
This game will have a big impact on the playoffs either way and one team that should be watching it closely is the Chargers. And while this seems sacrilegious to Chargers fans, the rooting interest should be in the Chiefs.
Chiefs beating the Steelers on Christmas is the best-case scenario for the Chargers
It might be painful to root for a division foe but Chargers fans need to think about the bigger picture in this game. Jumping from the No. 6 seed to the No. 5 seed should be the team's main goal these last two weeks and the most realistic way to do that is to usurp the Steelers.
The Chargers need to win out and they need either the Steelers or Ravens to lose out to jump to the No. 5 seed. Baltimore has a tough game against the Houston Texans in Week 17 but has a lay-up against the Cleveland Browns in Week 18, so losing out is highly unlikely for Lamar Jackson and Co.
Pittsburgh, though, has to play the Chiefs in Week 17 and a Cincinnati Bengals team that might be playing for its playoff life in Week 18. If Cincy loses in Week 17 then that Week 18 game won't matter and the Steeler should have a breezy day. The Steelers will be in trouble, though, if the Bengals have something to play for.
None of this matters a lick if the Steelers beat the Chiefs at home on Christmas. That would all but ensure the Chargers would end as the No. 6 seed and would leave the team's first-round matchup totally up in the air as the No. 3 seed could be one of three teams.
An easier situation to understand, as well as an easier situation for the Chargers to advance, is to simply be the No. 5 seed and play the Houston Texans in round one. The Texans are by far the best matchup for the Chargers, giving the Bolts their best chance of actually advancing to the AFC Divisional Round.
The worst-case scenario is possible if the Steelers win, though. The Steelers could theoretically beat the Chiefs, lose to the Bengals, and still lose out on the AFC North if Baltimore wins out. If that happened, the Chargers would have a first-round matchup against the Ravens team that beat them 30-23 at home earlier this year.
That is a much tougher matchup to see the Chargers advancing in.