Jim Harbaugh doesn’t care for classy playoff eventualities. With groups nonetheless vying for divisional titles and playoff seeding, the Chargers coach, whose workforce clinched its first postseason berth since 2022 on Saturday, maintains a easy objective for a Week 18 sport in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“My plan is to win,” Harbaugh stated Monday. “That’s been our mindset from the very beginning: win the next game.”
A highway win within the Chargers’ regular-season finale in opposition to the Raiders (4-12) is critical for the Chargers (10-6) to maneuver up within the AFC playoff image. They’ll declare the No. 5 seed — establishing a positive matchup in opposition to the No. 4 Houston Texans within the wild-card spherical — with a win over the Raiders and a Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Steelers (10-6) personal the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Chargers. Pittsburgh performs Cincinnati (8-8) at 5 p.m. PST on Saturday. The Chargers will know the stakes of their sport earlier than they fall asleep Saturday.
When requested of the potential for resting starters if the Chargers’ playoff seeding already is set earlier than the workforce’s 1:25 p.m. kickoff in Las Vegas, Harbaugh declined to entertain hypotheticals.
“We’re going to take it one day at a time,” Harbaugh stated. “We’ll do what’s best for the team.”
If the Chargers stay within the No. 6 spot, they are going to play their wild-card sport on the AFC North champion. Baltimore (11-5) can clinch the division with a win over the Cleveland Browns at 1:30 p.m. PST on Saturday. The Steelers want a Baltimore loss and a win over the Bengals to assert the division and the coveted residence playoff sport.
The Chargers have an opportunity to succeed in 11 wins for the primary time since their 12-4 season in 2018. However with hopes to earn their first playoff victory in six seasons, well being is paramount getting into the postseason. They already misplaced one other starter on Saturday as security Elijah Molden broke his left fibula throughout the playoff-clinching victory in opposition to the New England Patriots, Harbaugh confirmed Monday.
The versatile defensive again was within the midst of a breakout season, entrenching himself as a starter regardless of becoming a member of the Chargers 10 days earlier than their season opener in a commerce with Tennessee. The previous third-round choose began a career-best 12 video games with three interceptions, seven cross breakups and two fumble recoveries.
Molden initially thought he suffered a bruise when he stopped DeMario Davis for a deal with on third down. He advised coaches and trainers he simply wanted to stroll it off on the sideline, the place he paced forwards and backwards however by no means went into the harm tent earlier than returning to the sport. As soon as he began backpedaling as the following play started, nevertheless, Molden grabbed at his left leg. Trainers referred to as for the harm cart, and Molden was carrying a strolling boot within the locker room.
“Most fun I’ve had playing the game since I was a little kid,” Molden wrote on Instagram. “Lot more plays to be made in the future, best believe that!”
The lack of Molden hits an already injury-riddled safeties group that has two different gamers on injured reserve. Starter Alohi Gilman has missed 5 video games with a hamstring harm whereas Marcus Maye — who was claimed off waivers on Nov. 27 and jumped instantly into the rotation — is out with an ankle harm.
Gilman would possibly return to follow this week, Harbaugh stated Monday.
The Chargers have relied on follow squad call-ups — together with Tony Jefferson, Kendall Williamson and Eddie Jackson — to buoy the secondary. Jefferson, a 10-year professional, has claimed a beginning position since Gilman’s Week 13 harm and has 24 tackles since being signed to the energetic roster.
Receiver Joshua Palmer left Saturday’s sport with a heel harm and was seen within the locker room on crutches with a strolling boot, however Harbaugh stated he doesn’t anticipate the harm will put Palmer on injured reserve. No phrase but on his availability for Week 18.
