Do the Chargers Rest Their Starters in Week 18?
Jim Harbaugh has done it again. The Chargers ended last season with a 5-12 record. The disappointing season resulted in head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesoco being relieved from their duties. This led to Harbaugh being hired to change the direction of this franchise, which is something he does best.
In Harbaugh fashion, he turned a 5-12 team into a playoff team in just one season. The Chargers clinched a playoff berth in Week 17 after a dominating performance against the New England Patriots. The 40-17 win saw Justin Herbert pass Peyton Manning with the most passing yards in a quarterback's first five seasons. As well as Ladd McConkey breaking the Chargers franchise rookie record in receiving yards and receptions.
The Chargers head into the final week of the season at 10-6 and, at worst, will be the sixth seed. Due to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ recent slide, a Steelers loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday would allow the Chargers to move up to the fifth seed with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The Bengals are going to play that game needing a win to ensure a chance at possibly making the playoffs. So, realistically speaking, the Chargers will know their fate right before their game on Sunday.
If the Steelers win and the Chargers are locked into the sixth seed, the Raiders game would absolutely mean nothing. As the sixth seed, the Chargers would have to travel to the AFC North Division winner, which could be the Steelers or the Baltimore Ravens. Harbaugh and company could elect to rest their starters who are battling some injuries or just eliminate the risk of a starter getting hurt before the playoffs. This scenario was presented to the Chargers back in 2022 when they rolled out the starters in a meaningless game against the Denver Broncos. Wide receiver Mike Williams got hurt in that game and missed the playoff game.
A Bengals win might force the Chargers to gamble and play the starters in Week 18. This would mean a win over the Raiders would give the Chargers the fifth seed. The fifth seed would result in a date with the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card. Playing the starters is going to come down to whether the Chargers are playing for something on Sunday. As of right now, they are playing for the fifth seed. However, things can change based on the results of Saturday’s games. Coach Harbaugh, in a locker room victory speech after the win over the Patriots, hinted that the Bolts need to focus on seeding positioning, stating, “We are at 10; we are in the playoffs, but it is now time for positioning. And 11 sounds a heck of a lot better than 10! So let's go get that one!”
