Why the Chargers were the big winners of Week 5 without even playing

The vibes around the LA Chargers were certainly low heading into the team's Week 5 bye. After a 2-0 start, the Chargers not only lost two games in a row but also lost several first-round picks to injuries that threatened the entire fabric of the 2024 season.

Thankfully, Justin Herbert did not miss his start in Week 4 and Joe Alt's injury appears to be much smaller than initially expected. With a week off to refresh, some optimism has returned to the Chargers fanbase ahead of Week 6.

Making matters even better is the fact the Chargers saw their positioning improve in the AFC without having to play a game in Week 5. While it is still early in the season with many turns around the corner, it is impossible to deny the Chargers as winners of the Week 5 slate.

Week 5 outcomes were about as good as it gets for the Chargers

Every game matters in a 17-game season and the Chargers received some added cushion without having to go out and actually win a game on Sunday. Of course, the Bolts still need to take care of business as the season goes along but the path to making the playoffs did get somewhat easier after Week 5.

The Chargers are projected to be right in the thick of the AFC wild-card picture and most of the teams who the Chargers are competing with lost on Sunday.

The Cincinnati Bengals, who have been the most disappointing team of the 2024 season, blew a late 10-point lead to lose to the Baltimore Ravens in overtime. With a 1-4 record, the Bengals essentially have to go 8-4 down the stretch to secure a playoff spot (assuming 9-8 is the floor for an AFC wild card team). With the way Cincy has played, that feels unlikely.

The Pittsburgh Steelers, who have a head-to-head win over the Chargers, suffered their second consecutive loss. A 3-2 Steelers team is much less daunting for the playoff picture (considering the team's tough upcoming schedule) than a 4-1 Steelers team.

Cleveland was unable to gain any ground on the Steelers in the AFC North as the Browns were easily beaten by the Washington Commanders. With a 1-4 record and a bad quarterback situation, nobody in Los Angeles has to be worried about outlasting Cleveland for a playoff spot.

Both the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets also lost their respective games. Granted, one of those teams naturally has to win the division, but the second-place AFC East team may not be as daunting as imagined. Behind the 3-2 Bills are the 2-3 Jets and 2-3 Miami Dolphins, who both are worse off right now than the Chargers.

Last year the AFC playoff picture was extremely crowded, not that the Chargers were in the running. That does not appear to be the case this year, which only increases the odds of Jim Harbaugh making the playoffs in his first season with the Chargers despite the team's faults.