The Los Angeles Chargers have emerged as a contender in a crowded AFC, but after a loss to the Houston Texans on Saturday, they can start packing their bags for their first playoff game.
Los Angeles dropped its Week 17 matchup against Houston, falling to 11-5 on the season and ceding the AFC West crown to the Denver Broncos, who had already clinched the division earlier in the week. The Chargers have secured a playoff spot for the second straight season, but will now do so as a wild-card team.
The loss to the Texans, who were fighting for their own playoff lives, locks the Chargers into a road game in the wild-card round, likely as the fifth or sixth seed in the AFC bracket. While Jim Harbaugh’s team entered Week 17 with a slim but viable chance to claim the coveted AFC West title and host a home game, the defeat eliminates that possibility and shifts the focus entirely to the final regular-season matchup.
Here’s where the Chargers stand in the AFC playoff picture.
MORE WEEK 17 NFL:
- NFL power rankings for Week 17
- NFL Week 17 picks, predictions
- NFL Week 17 picks against the spread
Chargers playoff picture
The Chargers have officially cemented their place in the postseason, but after the tough Week 17 loss to the Texans, the AFC West title is officially out of reach. That loss, which dropped the Chargers to second place in the division, means the Denver Broncos (13-3) have officially clinched the AFC West crown for the first time since 2015.
AFC West standings
| Rank | Team | Record | GB |
| 1 | Broncos | 13-3 | -- |
| 2 | Chargers | 11-5 | 2.0 |
| 3 | Chiefs | 6-10 | 7.0 |
| 4 | Raiders | 2-14 | 11.0 |
Jim Harbaugh's team will now shift its focus to securing the best possible Wild Card seed as they prepare for a road trip in the opening round of the playoffs. The Chargers now hold the tiebreaker for the top Wild Card spot over the 11-4 Buffalo Bills due to a better conference record, but Buffalo can take sole possession of that spot with a win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
While winning the AFC West is no longer an option, the Chargers' Week 18 matchup against the division-champion Broncos remains critical. The outcome of that game will determine whether the Chargers can maintain their hold on the No. 5 seed or drop to the No. 6 seed, which would dictate their Wild Card opponent and likely a tougher travel schedule.
After securing their playoff ticket, the Chargers now focus on building momentum for the postseason, where they will try to make a run at the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl from the Wild Card position.
AFC Wild Card standings
| Seed | Team | Record |
| 5 | Bills* | 11-4 |
| 6 | Chargers* | 11-5 |
| 7 | Texans | 10-6 |
*Clinched postseason
Currently, the Chargers sit at the No. 6 seed in the AFC.
With a win in Week 18, the Chargers would clinch at least the No. 6 seed. They need the Bills to lose to either the Eagles or the Jets to remain in the 5 seed.
Six of the seven teams in the AFC playoffs have clinched, with the AFC North spot being the one up in the air. The Bills can still catch the Patriots for the AFC East and the Texans can catch the Jacksonville Jaguars.
MORE: NFL Week 17 predictions
Chargers Week 18 Game
| Week | Date | Opponent | Time (EST) |
| 18 | TBD | at Denver Broncos | TBD |
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