New England Patriots defeat Tennessee Titans
How does this game impact the LA Chargers? It is simple: the team's trek for the no. 1 seed in the AFC. While the Chargers are not currently in the hunt for the no. 1 seed, as mentioned, they are only a game and a half behind the Tennessee Titans. If the Chargers get hot and finish the season with one or fewer losses then they very well could be the top seed in the AFC.
So once again this becomes the lesser of two evils. There is the current top seed in the AFC in the Titans taking on the fifth-seeded and hottest team in the AFC, the New England Patriots. A win in this game would give the Patriots and Titans the same record, and depending on the other outcomes, could put them atop the AFC after starting 2-4.
This becomes a simple math equation. Would it be better for the Chargers' prospects at the top seed for Tennessee to have three losses after this week or for both teams to have four losses? The latter is obviously the better outcome, even if the idea of the Patriots getting hot is worrisome. We also have to look at the rest of the schedule. The Patriots have two games against the Bills and a game against the Colts.
Those are three losable games and even though the Patriots only have four losses right now, there is a decent chance they finish with six or seven. Meanwhile, the rest of the Titans' schedule is a cakewalk and while they are trending in the wrong direction, they should not lose many more games. Losing to New England might be the only path to them losing six games.
The Chargers would obviously have to do their part, but this is the first part of the equation that would lead to the tea getting the top seed... which leads us to the second part and the final Week 12 outcome to root for.