What Chargers' OT win means for AFC West, NFL playoff picture

Billy Heyen

What Chargers' OT win means for AFC West, NFL playoff picture image

Cam Hart got his hand on the throw from Jalen Hurts.

Tony Jefferson reeled in the interception.

And since it came in overtime, and the Los Angeles Chargers had already gone ahead on a Cameron Dicker field goal, this was a walk-off INT.

The Chargers improve to 9-4 on the season, dropping the Philadelphia Eagles to 8-5. The Eagles, of course, aren't in the AFC, so their record doesn't impact the Chargers.

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L.A. Needed this to stick around in the AFC West race, though.

The Denver Broncos are 11-2 and trying to win the division. The Chargers would still have some work to do, but it's not totally out of reach yet.

They're at least well ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs, who are 6-7 after their Sunday night loss.

The Chargers have put themselves in good position for a wild card spot, too. They control their own destiny for that.

The Chargers, at 9-4, are tied for the best record among wild card teams with the Buffalo Bills, who are also 9-4.

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The Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans are both 8-5, so the Chargers don't have a bunch of room to slip up.

But at this time of year, the best thing a team can do is give themselves control of their own destiny.

And for the Chargers, that's what they've done. If they win out from here, with four games left, they'll be in the playoffs. This overtime win, for that reason, was absolutely massive.

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Senior Editor