The LA Chargers officially clinched a trip to the NFL Playoffs with a 40-7 win over the New England Patriots on Saturday. This is the Bolts' second playoff trip in the last three years as the team looks to win its first playoff game since 2018.
Unfortunately for the Chargers, the AFC is loaded with Super Bowl contenders and winning a first-round playoff game is easier said than done. As great as the Bolts' turnaround has been under Jim Harbaugh, the fact remains there is a talent gap between the Chargers and the top teams in the AFC.
There is one remedy for the Bolts and it comes via the fifth seed in the AFC. If Los Angeles can usurp the Pittsburgh Steelers for the fifth seed then the Bolts would play the Houston Texans in the first round. While the Texans would still be favored at home, the team's 31-2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas proved they are not on that Super Bowl level.
Everything has been lining up perfectly for the Chargers to get the fifth seed in the AFC and the NFL just helped the Bolts even more. The Week 18 schedule has been officially released by the league and the Chargers will know whether or not the fifth seed is obtainable before they even kickoff.
Chargers will know on Saturday night if they will have an opportunity to get the 5th seed. Depends on if Cincinnati beats Pittsburgh. They will play the Raiders on Sunday at 1:25 pm PT. pic.twitter.com/o6P8cSrxLM
— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) December 30, 2024
NFL scheduling Bengals-Steelers for Saturday is a blessing for the Chargers
The Chargers appear to be intent on playing the starters in Week 18 for a chance to secure the fifth seed and this may change the calculus a tad. If the Chargers have no chance at securing the fifth seed, it would not be surprising whatsoever if the starters only play one half against the Las Vegas Raiders.
It goes deeper than that, though. By scheduling the Bengals-Steelers game for Saturday night, the NFL is ensuring that the Bengals have everything to play for in Week 18. Pittsburgh is going to get the best version of the Bengals and based on the Steelers' recent performance, that may result in a loss.
Cincinnati needs to beat Pittsburgh to have a chance at making the NFL Playoffs but it goes deeper than that. The Bengals also need both the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins to lose. If either of those teams win, the outcome of the Bengals' game does not matter.
If all the games were played at the same time, and the Bengals were scoreboard-watching, it could have created a situation where Zac Taylor pulled his guys in the second half. After all, both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins need new contracts this offseason and they won't want to risk injury in a pointless game.
That possibility is now completely out of the picture. Cincinnati is going to play on Saturday with no outside influence. The Bengals simply have to win and let the chips fall where they may.
Scheduling the Ravens-Browns game for the early Saturday game is also a blessing for the Chargers. The Ravens would lock up the AFC North with a win, which could give the Steelers less to play for. Pittsburgh should also be vying for the fifth seed for that lucrative Texans matchup, but the team may be less motivated if the division is not even in reach.
Granted, the flip side of that coin is that if the Ravens lose, the Steelers would suddenly have the entire world to play for. But in that instance, the Chargers would still be the big winners as a Ravens' loss and Steelers' win would give the Chargers a date against the Steelers in the first round. That is still way better than having to play the Ravens on the road.
Either way, the Chargers are the big winners.