Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers may be behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West race, but falling shy of catching the reigning champions will still keep them in the AFC playoff picture.
After defeating the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football in Week 11, Los Angeles is 7-3 after Harbaugh’s first 10 games back in charge of an NFL team, and there is plenty of reason for optimism.
Here’s a closer look at where the Chargers sit in the AFC playoff picture and where they could end up going if they continue to play well, using Pro Football Network’s Playoff Predictor.
Can the Chargers Make the Playoffs?
Heading into Week 12, the Los Angeles Chargers are 7-3 and now have an 86.5% chance to make the playoffs.
They have a 3.7% chance for the No. 1 seed, a 2.5% chance for the second seed, a 0.8% chance for the third seed, a 0.2% chance for the fourth seed, a 37.6% chance for the fifth seed, a 26.6% chance for the sixth seed, and a 15.2% chance for the seventh seed.
Can the Chargers Win the AFC West?
Here’s what the AFC West race looks like heading into Sunday’s Week 12 games:
- The Kansas City Chiefs have a 91.0% chance to win the AFC West.
- The Los Angeles Chargers have a 7.1% chance to win the AFC West.
- The Denver Broncos have a 1.9% chance to win the AFC West.
- The Las Vegas Raiders have a <0.1% chance to win the AFC West.
Current AFC West Standings
- Kansas City Chiefs (9-1)
- Los Angeles Chargers (7-3)
- Denver Broncos (6-5)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-8)
Chargers’ Super Bowl Chances Entering Week 12
Can the Chargers win the Super Bowl? The PFN Playoff Predictor projects that Los Angeles has a 3.2% chance to win it all.
Chargers’ Remaining Schedule
- Week 12: vs. Baltimore Ravens
- Week 13: at Atlanta Falcons
- Week 14: at Kansas City Chiefs
- Week 15: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Week 16: vs. Denver Broncos
- Week 17: at New England Patriots
- Week 18: at Las Vegas Raiders
Ravens vs. Chargers Preview
Monday Night Football brings “The Harbaugh Bowl,” the second iteration of a football family clash between head coach brothers John and Jim.
The only other time the Harbaughs have faced each other as NFL head coaches was Super Bowl 47 when John’s Ravens edged out Jim’s San Francisco 49ers for a 34-31 victory. While this week’s game doesn’t have quite as much on the line, Baltimore and Los Angeles are both trying to solidify spots in the AFC playoff race.
Lamar Jackson is still amid an outstanding campaign, even if Week 11 was a step back. He’s earned a perfect 100.0 grade in PFN’s QB+ system this season, the No. 1 mark for all quarterbacks dating back to 2019. The only other QBs to earn an A+ grade since 2019 were Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes in 2020 (Rodgers won MVP).
However, the Los Angeles Chargers — like the Steelers in Week 11 — represent another stiff defensive test. The Bolts have allowed just 14.5 points per game this season, No. 1 in the league. In Week 11, the Bengals became the first team to score more than 20 points against the Chargers all year.
Meanwhile, Justin Herbert is playing like a man possessed. The Jim Harbaugh magic has worked, and Herbert seems like an altogether different quarterback who’s more willing to rip throws than ever before. His average depth of target is up to a career-high 8.6 yards.
That’s a problem for a Baltimore secondary that cannot stop the pass. It’s not surprising that the Ravens allow the most passing yards per game since they’re usually winning. However, Baltimore also ranks second-worst in explosive pass rate and seventh-worst in pass defense efficiency.
PFN Prediction: Chargers 28, Ravens 27
