Chargers playoff picture: Updated seeding scenarios for L.A. in 2026 NFL bracket
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Chargers playoff picture: Updated seeding scenarios for L.A. in 2026 NFL bracket originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Chargers are officially headed to the playoffs as the AFC's final Wild Card team.
The Chargers went into Week 17 still in the hunt for the AFC West title, but a loss to the Houston Texans and a Denver Broncos win over the Kansas City Chiefs secured the division title for the Broncos. In Week 18, the Chargers suffered a second straight loss, falling to the Denver Broncos and finishing the season with a 11-6 record.
Due to the results of the other games across the AFC, the Los Angeles Chargers are now locked into the No. 7 seed in the AFC playoff bracket. The Houston Texans' win secured them the No. 5 seed, and the Buffalo Bills' win moved them ahead of the Chargers and into the No. 6 seed.
Here is the final look at the Chargers’ seeding for the 2026 NFL playoff bracket.
MORE:Updated NFL playoff picture following Week 18
NFL playoff bracket 2026
Chargers playoff picture
The Chargers' loss combined with the Buffalo Bills' win over the New York Jets means Los Angeles is the No. 7 seed in the AFC postseason.
Los Angeles winning in Week 18 would have made the Chargers eligible for the No. 5 or No. 6 seed, but the Houston Texans beat the Indianapolis Colts to keep the fifth seed while Buffalo leapfrogged Jim Harbaugh's team.
| Seed | Team | Record |
| 1 | Denver Broncos* | 14-3 |
| 2 | New England Patriots* | 14-3 |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars* | 13-4 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh Steelers* | 10-7 |
| 5 | Houston Texans* | 12-5 |
| 6 | Buffalo Bills* | 12-5 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Chargers* | 11-6 |
| 8 | Indianapolis Colts - eliminated | 8-9 |
| 9 | Baltimore Ravens - eliminated | 8-9 |
| 10 | Miami Dolphins - eliminated | 7-9 |
| 11 | Cincinnati Bengals - eliminated | 6-11 |
| 12 | Kansas City Chiefs - eliminated | 6-11 |
| 13 | Cleveland Browns - eliminated | 5-12 |
| 14 | Las Vegas Raiders - eliminated | 3-14 |
| 15 | New York Jets - eliminated | 3-13 |
| 16 | Tennessee Titans - eliminated | 3-14 |
*=clinched playoff spot
The Chargers will now pack their bags and head all the way east to face Drake Maye and the New England Patriots in the AFC Wild Card round.
MORE: Updated 2026 NFL Draft order
AFC West standings
Los Angeles finishes second in the AFC West behind the Broncos, who locked up the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
| Rank | Team | Record |
| 1 | Denver Broncos | 14-3 |
| 2 | Los Angeles Chargers | 11-6 |
| 3 | Kansas City Chiefs - eliminated | 6-11 |
| 4 | Las Vegas Raiders - eliminated | 3-14 |
Chargers clinching scenarios
After losing their Week 18 matchup to the Denver Broncos, the Chargers finished the regular season with an 11-6 record. This loss, combined with other results across the AFC, locked the Chargers into the No. 7 seed.
The Houston Texans' victory over the Colts secured the No. 5 seed, while the Buffalo Bills' win over the Jets pushed the Bills ahead of the Chargers and into the No. 6 seed due to tiebreakers. The Chargers' late-season struggles, finishing with two consecutive losses, ultimately cost them the chance for a better seed, relegating them to the lowest Wild Card spot.
The No. 7 seed Chargers will now face the No. 2 seed New England Patriots in Foxborough during the Wild Card round.
