The 4-13 New England Patriots take on the 9-6 Los Angeles Chargers in the first of today’s Saturday NFL games.
For the Patriots, who sit at the bottom of the AFC, the game has little significance beyond this afternoon. But the Chargers will look to secure a playoff berth with a win today.
Chargers Are Likely Playoff-Bound
The Chargers are close to a shoo-in for the playoffs. They and the Denver Broncos, who are also 9-6, are positioned sixth and seventh in the playoff bracket.
Trailing them are the Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, and Miami Dolphins — all 7-8.
Those teams looking on the outside of the playoff race will need the Chargers or Broncos to lose both today and in Week 18 to a shot at the postseason — pending tie-breaking variables such as head-to-head results and strength of victory.
Now, the Chargers could not have asked for a better set of opponents to close out the season. Next week, they face the Las Vegas Raiders, who, like the Pats, are 3-12.
Both the Chargers and Broncos will look to gain ground on the 10-6 Pittsburgh Steelers, who are currently positioned as the 5th seed in the AFC, and aim to secure a higher playoff seed.
Injury Report
Los Angeles Chargers Inactives:
- Easton Stick, QB
- Gus Edwards, RB
- Denzel Perryman, ILB
- Jordan McFadden, G
- Trey Pipkins, T
- Hayden Hurst, TE
- Justin Eboigbe, DE
New England Patriots Inactives:
- Jabrill Peppers, S
- Joe Milton III, QB
- Terrell Jennings, RB
- Sidy Sow, G
- Tyrese Robinson, G
- Ben Brown, C
How to Watch the Chargers vs. the Patriots
Nationally, this game will air at 1:00 PM Eastern (10:00 AM Pacific) on the NFL Network. To watch, you’ll need a subscription to the channel, NFL+, or YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket.
Fans in the Boston and Los Angeles area markets can watch the game on their local affiliates: KCBS (Los Angeles) and WCVB (Boston).
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