On Sunday, the Chargers will play one in every of their maximum necessary video games of the season.

Until the sport approach not anything.

A victory at Denver or a loss by way of Baltimore clinches the AFC’s No. 5 seed for the Chargers, who’ve the similar 10-6 report because the Ravens however cling the tiebreaker as a result of a greater convention report.

The NFL on Wednesday set the kickoff of Baltimore’s regular-season finale at Cincinnati for 10 a.m., West Coast time.

That’s 3 hours, 25 mins ahead of the Chargers and Broncos will start, which means the Chargers will have to know by way of kickoff if the results of their recreation nonetheless holds importance.

Trainer Brandon Staley stated he’ll get ready his avid gamers this week like another of the season, explaining the starters will proceed to obtain lots of the paintings in follow.

However he stated he and his group of workers will likely be able to regulate if the end result of the Ravens’ recreation dictates a special means.

“It’s a must to take the details at the flooring, as they occur in actual time, to make your determinations,” Staley stated. “That’s what we’re going to do. When we know about that recreation, we’ll make the right choices shifting ahead, simply take it case-by-case.”

If the Ravens win or tie and the Chargers lose, the Chargers would drop to the 6th seed, which might imply a wild-card weekend shuttle to Buffalo or Cincinnati.

The staff that finishes 5th will play on the winner of the sport Saturday night time between Tennessee and Jacksonville, the ones two scuffling with for the AFC South championship.

“Clearly, we’re no longer going to understand till Sunday,” Staley stated. “Our means this week is to head beat the Broncos and to play our highest.”

The Chargers appear to be peaking on the proper time, having gained 4 in a row and clinching the franchise’s first postseason berth in 4 years.

In addition they are coming off one in every of their maximum entire offensive performances of the season in a 31-10 win over the Rams. Sooner than that recreation, the Chargers’ offense were sputtering.

So, additionally in play Sunday for Staley is the theory of maintaining momentum and completing robust heading into the playoffs.

“Let’s stay it going,” huge receiver Mike Williams stated. “I believe like we’ve were given a rhythm going. We’re in an excellent spot to stay it going. That’s our activity to head available in the market and play. However, regardless of the coaches come to a decision, I’m with it.”

All the way through the franchise’s most up-to-date playoff 12 months, the 2018 Chargers confronted a an identical scenario coming into the general Sunday of the steady season.

Additionally enjoying in Denver, that staff had a possibility to win the AFC West with a victory and a loss by way of Kansas Town. The NFL set its agenda so the ones video games began concurrently.

However the drama pale temporarily because the Chiefs jumped to a 21-3 halftime lead over the then-Oakland Raiders en path to a 35-3 win. The Chargers beat the Broncos 23-9 in a recreation that ended up being differently meaningless.

The 2022-23 Chargers are also making an attempt to able edge rusher Joey Bosa for the postseason after he ignored 12 video games as a result of core-muscle surgical treatment. The four-time Professional Bowler performed 24 snaps in his go back Sunday.

Coming again this week is Derwin James Jr., the staff’s celebrity protection. A quadriceps harm and concussion have restricted him to twenty-five snaps over the past 4 weeks, which means James would possibly want some paintings even supposing the sport in Denver lacks affect within the standings.

Staley stated James would go back to follow in complete Thursday, the Chargers’ first on-field exercise of the week.

“Relating to being a participant, you can’t be part in, part out of a recreation,” operating again Austin Ekeler stated. “So, for us, we’re a full-go.… If Trainer desires to make that call, they’re going to have to pull us off.”

There are a number of Chargers who may use overtime to heal, together with proper take on Trey Pipkins III, who has been coping with a knee sprain lots of the season.

Quarterback Justin Herbert seemed at the staff’s harm record Wednesday as a result of a sore left shoulder popping out of the sport towards the Rams however Staley stated Herbert can be a complete player in follow Thursday.