The Chargers looked like a team on the verge of disaster when they fell behind by double digits against the Broncos on “Thursday Night Football.”
Good teams, though, find a way to win with their back against the wall. And Los Angeles certainly looked like a good team in the second half.
After an exceptionally rare free kick field goal trimmed the Chargers’ deficit to one possession before halftime, Jim Harbaugh’s squad took that momentum into the second half and went on to score 21 consecutive points to to take a 34-27 victory and block the Broncos from clinching a playoff berth.
A stretch of three losses in four games heading into Thursday threatened the Chargers’ own playoff hopes. But the win served as a major boost to their chances, even if it didn’t officially punch their ticket to the playoffs.
Here’s a look at how L.A.’s comeback win affects the AFC wild-card race and what it means for key tiebreakers.
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AFC wild-card standings
| Seed | Team | Record |
| 5 | Ravens | 9-5 |
| 6 | Chargers | 9-6 |
| 7 | Broncos | 9-6 |
| 8 | Colts | 6-8 |
| 9 | Dolphins | 6-8 |
| 10 | Bengals | 6-8 |
| 11 | Jets | 4-10 |
| 12 | Browns | 3-11 |
| 13 | Jaguars | 3-11 |
| 14 | Titans | 3-11 |
| 15 | Patriots | 3-11 |
| 16 | Raiders | 2-12 |
Both the Broncos and Chargers are now well-positioned to make the playoffs with sizable leads over the Colts, Dolphins and Bengals in the AFC wild-card standings. While seeding should still be on the line in the final weeks, it would take a major collapse and some bad luck for either Denver or Los Angeles to miss the playoffs entirely.
Denver’s loss does, however, have major seeding consequences. The Broncos would have had a nearly insurmountable lead over the Chargers in the wild-card race if they had won, meaning the No. 6 seed likely would have been their floor. That could mean avoiding the Bills in the wild-card round.
Instead, the Chargers secured the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Broncos and jumped them in the standings. Denver also loses the tiebreaker to the Ravens, so the Broncos will now have to finish at least a game ahead of either team to earn better than the No. 6 seed.
MORE NFL WEEK 16:
Chargers playoff picture
The Chargers hold the AFC’s No. 6 seed and would face the Steelers in the wild-card round if the season ended today.
L.A. would have been at risk of carrying a slim one-game lead into Week 17 with a loss and a win by any of the three trailing teams this weekend. Instead, the Chargers can now clinch a playoff berth with losses by both the Colts and Dolphins on Sunday.
Broncos playoff picture
The Broncos are still in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot, but their chances of avoiding the No. 7 seed took a sizable hit with Thursday’s loss. Denver has to gain a game on the Chargers to jump L.A. in the standings because Herbert and co. own the head-to-head tiebreaker.
The Broncos can still clinch a playoff berth in Week 16, but it would require losses by the Colts, Dolphins and Bengals.
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