The Bolts are back in the postseason.
The Los Angeles Chargers are heading back to the playoffs, but as Week 18 gets into full flow their seeding is still to be determined.
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defeat on Saturday night has opened the door for the Bolts to finish as the fifth seeds.
But with a playoff place already secured, is it worth risking Justin Herbert and co. in Week 18?
The short answer is yes.
Sweet, sweet revenge
Ignoring playoff implications for a moment, the final game of the regular season is against the Las Vegas Raiders.
It is the first time the Chargers have returned to Allegiant Stadium since their 63-21 defeat to the Raiders in 2023.
That evening marked a low point for the Bolts in recent years, and remarkably could have been worse with LA down 42-0 at half time.
It is a game every Chargers fan would like to put behind them, and a dominant win tonight will send LA into the playoffs with revenge exacted over Vegas.
There is also the argument for momentum, as the Chargers have won two straight games ahead of Week 18.
Houston vulnerable
Putting rivalry to one side, a win in Week 18 would – on paper – give LA a much easier game in Wildcard Weekend.
Should the Bolts lose to the Raiders they will travel to M&T Bank Stadium to face the Baltimore Ravens.
While the storyline of another ‘Hargh-Bowl’ would make for good headlines, the Bolts would be heavy underdogs.
The two teams have already met this season, with the Ravens coming out 30-23 winners back in Week 12.
However, if the Chargers beat the Raiders today they will instead travel to Houston to play the Texans.
Houston are no mugs, they have rightly won the AFC South. Victory for them today over the Tennessee Titans will see them hit double-digits wins on the season.
However, the Texans have lost three of their last five games before Week 18. Those defeats include a loss against the 3-13 Titans and the Christmas Day massacre at the hands of the Ravens.
The odds speak for themselves. The Chargers sit at around 25/1 (+2500) to win the Super Bowl, and while the Texans are 50/1 (+5000) the Ravens are third-favourites at 7/2 (+350) – according to Paddy Power.
So yes, short answer is that the Bolts should play their starters in Las Vegas this evening.
Should they have a 42-0 lead like the Raiders did in last year’s game at Allegiant Stadium, then by all means rest Herbert for the second half.
But finishing 11-6 as opposed to 10-7 could make all the difference come next weekend.
