Can Chargers clinch a playoff berth in Week 16?

The Chargers will need lots of outside help if they want to punch their ticket to the postseason this week.

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers dropped their second straight game, falling to 8-6 and making their path to the playoffs slightly more difficult. Still no reason to panic, as the NFL.com playoff index gives the Chargers an 87 percent chance to reach the postseason.

Could they clinch a playoff spot this week? It's possible, but they'll need to take care of business on Thursday night against the Denver Broncos first and foremost before anything. The Broncos actually jumped the Chargers in the standings, overtaking second place in the AFC West and the sixth seed overall. There's two ways the Chargers can punch their playoff ticket this weekend.

The first clinching scenario goes as follows:

• Win vs. Denver Broncos AND Indianapolis Colts loss/tie vs. Tennessee Titans AND Miami Dolphins loss/tie vs. San Francisco 49ers

Not the most impossible scenario for needing help from outside teams. The second scenario:

• Or loss/tie vs. Denver Broncos AND Indianapolis Colts loss vs. Tennessee Titans AND Miami Dolphins loss vs. San Francisco 49ers AND Cincinnati Bengals loss/tie vs. Cleveland Browns

Obviously, the more ideal path is beating the Broncos and letting the rest take care of itself from there.

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