The Chargers have clinched a playoff berth and will be playing past Week 18.
But which seed will the Bolts earn? And who could the Chargers play?
The Chargers 20-16 loss to the Texans on Saturday took away the Bolts chances to claim the No. 1 seed and win the AFC West.
That means Jim Harbaugh’s squad will be a Wild Card squad for the second year in a row. The Chargers are currently the No. 6 seed as of Sunday night.
Here’s a breakdown of possible seeding and opponent scenarios for the Bolts now that we’re heading into Week 18:
No. 5 Seed
The only way the Chargers will be the No. 5 seed is if they win in Week 18 against the Broncos and get some help.
The Bolts would get the fifth seed with the win and a Texans loss to the Colts in Week 18, regardless of the Bills outcome against the Jets, as they would win the head-to-head tiebreaker against Buffalo.
The No. 5 seed, which the Chargers earned in 2024, would mean a road game in the Wild Card Round against the AFC North champion.
No. 6 Seed
The No. 6 seed, the spot they currently occupy, is a possibility in many scenarios for the Chargers.
They will be at least in the sixth spot with a win in Denver.
Another way to get this spot is a Bills loss in Week 18 to the Jets and a Texans win over the Colts. In this scenario, the Bolts would be sixth seed regardless of their outcome against the Broncos.
Another situation is to have the same result as both the Texans and the Bills — all either win or lose in Week 18.
That would put all three teams with the same record in a three-way tie, slotting the Bolts second in that tiebreaker.
The No. 6 seed would mean a road date with the AFC’s No. 3 seed in the Wild Card Round.
As of Sunday night, that spot is projected to be the Jaguars as the winners of the AFC South.
No. 7 Seed
If the Chargers lose against Denver and the Bills win against the Jets they will be the No. 7 seed.
The Bolts getting the No. 7 seed would mean a road game at the AFC’s No. 2 seed, which is currently the New England Patriots.