Even though they rested most of their starters, including two-time Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert on Sunday and, at least partly as a result, lost to the Denver Broncos at Mile High Stadium 19-3, the Los Angeles Chargers will be going back to the playoffs for the second straight year and only the fourth time since moving up the California coast from San Diego in 2017.
The Chargers now at least have a chance at winning their first Super Bowl in franchise history and making only their second-ever trip to the NFL’s ultimate game. As the San Diego Chargers, the team got to the Super Bowl in the 1994 season behind coach Bobby Ross and quarterback Stan Humphries â only to be crushed by Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young and the San Francisco 49ers, 49-26.
By essentially conceding Sunday’s game to the Broncos, the Chargers certainly made their championship quest harder on themselves. With the loss, coupled with the Buffalo Bills’ easy 35-8 annihilation of the New York Jets, the Chargers dropped to the No. 7 seed in the AFC.
Chargers Must Play Entire Postseason on the Road
By dropping from No. 6 to No. 7, the Chargers lost any chance at hosting a playoff game. No matter how long they survive in the postseason, they will need to win three straight road games to get to the Super Bowl, which this season takes place on February 8 at Leviâs Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
So what’s next for the Chargers now?
On Wild Card Weekend, the Chargers must fly across the country to Foxborough, Massachusetts, where the temperature is forecast to be in the low 40s or even high 30s. There, they will face the No. 2 seed New England Patriots, who finished the season at 14-3, winning 13 of their last 14 games.
The exact date and time of the game was not announced as of 8:15 ET on Sunday, but if it were to be set for Saturday, January 10, rain is in the forecast for that date in Foxborough.
What Would Come After Wild Card For Chargers
Given the Patriots’ high profile and history, and the fact that they are led by a leading MVP candidate in sophomore quarterback Drake Maye, it seems highly likely that the Chargers vs. Patriots game will end up scheduled for the featured Sunday Night Football slot, at 8:15 p.m. ET on January 11.
According to the opening betting line from FanDuel Sportsbook, the Chargers head into Foxborough as surprisingly narrow 3.5-point underdogs.
Because they hold the lowest possible seed in the AFC playoff bracket, if the Chargers somehow pull off the upset in New England their next opponent is already determined. That would be the top-seeded Denver Broncos â again.
Los Angeles defeated Denver in Week 3, 23-20, dealing the Broncos their second of the only three losses they would suffer in the 2025 season before losing the halfheartedly contested matchup on Sunday.
Of course, that Divisional Round game would also be on the road, in the altitude of Mile High Stadium, in a game that would be scheduled either for January 17 or 18. Temperatures in Denver, according to AccuWeather, could dip down into the 20s or even teens on those dates.
If the Chargers could pull off a second-straight upset on the road under difficult conditions, and assuming the AFC playoffs contain no further upsets, the Chargers would then travel to the somewhat sunnier climes of Jacksonville, Florida, to face the Jaguars for the AFC championship on January 25.
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