What's the biggest game left on the Chargers schedule? (Tom via email)
Not to sound like Jim Harbaugh here, but my short answer is Sunday's game against the Raiders.
The Chargers Head Coach said as much Tuesday when asked about the home stretch of the 2025 season.
"Win the next game. That's how I make sense of it. It's a huge game this week because it is the next game," Harbaugh said.
The data shows Harbaugh is right. The Chargers sit at 7-4 and are in the No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff picture.
The Bolts currently have a 59 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to The Athletic. Those odds move to 64 percent with a win over Las Vegas, but drop to 37 percent with a loss.
The Raiders have the worst record of all of the Chargers remaining opponents, the Bolts are at home and the Chargers have already topped Las Vegas once this season.
Simply put, this needs to be a win so that the Chargers keep pace — and stay ahead — of the rest of the AFC field jockeying for playoff spots.
Plus, a win Sunday would move the Chargers to 4-0 in AFC West play and get them to 7-2 against AFC teams, both crucial marks that could be used for playoff tiebreakers after Week 18.
But if we take a little peek forward, the games against the Chiefs and Texans look like they're shaping up to be absolutely massive.
Kansas City hosts Houston in Week 14 and then the Chargers go to Arrowhead the following week. The Bolts then host the Texans in Week 17 at home.
Those three games will feel like playoff games within themselves. And if the Chargers beat the Raiders and then find a way to win against the Chiefs and Texans, their playoff odds skyrocket to 98 percent.
The path to the playoffs is quite clear for the Chargers.