NFL playoff picture: What does Chargers-Raiders mean for AFC standings

Results update: The Raiders beat the Chargers 27-20 to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Raiders improve to 5-7 while the Chargers drop to 6-6. Las Vegas is in tenth place, a game back of LA. The Chargers are tied with the Patriots, but lose the conference tiebreaker to them. Both are a game back of the seventh place wild card Jets.

The Raiders and Chargers are facing off in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium in a critical Week 13 AFC West showdown. Both teams have a lot of work in front of them if they want to make the playoffs, and that makes this a must-win game for both sides.

The Raiders closed as 2.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Chargers playoff picture

The Chargers are 6-5 and currently sit in second place in the AFC West and eighth place in the AFC playoff standings. Kansas City leads them by three games in the division, so LA’s best playoff chance is a wild card berth. They entered their Week 13 matchup a half game back of the Jets for the final wild card berth and a half game up on the ninth-place Patriots.

If the Chargers win, they would move into sixth place due to the conference record tiebreaker over the Bengals and Jets. If the Chargers lose, they would drop to ninth behind the Patriots due to the same tiebreaker.

Raiders playoff picture

The Raiders are 4-7 and this is effectively their last chance to climb back into the playoff picture. They are two games back of the Chargers, a team they need to climb over to have a chance at a wild card berth. If they lose, they drop to 4-8.

Tiebreaker implications

The Chargers won the first game between these teams, winning 24-19 in Week 1. If the Raiders lose, they drop the head-to-head tiebreaker, which is the first divisional tiebreaker.