San Diego Chargers prepare for Week 17 showdown with Kansas City Chiefs with playoff berth at stake

Chargers Week 17 Practice / Photo by: Oliver Petalver

One week after San Diego overcame a 21-0 deficit against San Francisco to earn an incredible 38-35 comeback victory in overtime, the Chargers are poised now to clinch a playoff berth provided they can pull out a road victory against the Kansas City Chiefs.          

Four teams currently are battling for the final playoff berth in the AFC: San Diego (9-6), Baltimore (9-6), Kansas City (8-7), and Houston (8-7).

But the Chargers' formula is simple -- win and they are in -- because San Diego controls its own destiny for the remaining postseason spot.

The Chargers can also qualify for the playoffs with a tie plus a Baltimore loss or tie.

Kansas City has plenty of incentive this week as well, as the Chiefs can qualify for the playoffs with a win over San Diego, along with losses by both Baltimore and Houston.

Fortunately for San Diego, star quarterback Philip Rivers has been in a good groove lately, despite playing hurt.

Chargers Week 17 Practice / Photo By: Oliver Petalver

This week Rivers was honored for his outstanding efforts in Week 16 against the 49ers, as he was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week by the NFL for the sixth time in his career (first time since 2013 Week 4).

Rivers passed for 356 yards and four touchdowns, with three of Rivers’ four touchdown passes coming in the second half, including a game-tying 11-yard score to wide receiver Malcom Floyd that forced overtime.

Rivers now has 252 career touchdown passes, eclipsing Drew Bledsoe (251) for No. 16 all-time, and joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Fouts (254) as the only quarterbacks in franchise history to reach 250.

Rivers (31), Dallas’ Tony Romo (32), and Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger (30) all reached 30 touchdown passes over the weekend, bringing the season total to eight quarterbacks to reach the mark. This year now has the most quarterbacks (eight) with at least 30 TD passes of any season in NFL history (five in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013).

But Rivers is not the only Charger player clicking on all cylinders, as tight end Antonio Gates has again proven to be Rivers' favorite go to target.

Gates, who has 9,947 receiving yards and 99 touchdowns in his 12-year career, could be entering milestone territory this weekend, as his career touchdown catches are tied for ninth in NFL history.  With one on Sunday at Kansas City, he would tie Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Largent and Tim Brown for seventh all-time. Gates can also join Tony Gonzalez as the only tight ends in NFL history with 100 touchdown receptions.

With 53 receiving yards on Sunday, Gates can join Gonzalez, Jason Witten, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe as the only tight ends in NFL history with at least 10,000 career receiving yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, free safety Eric Weddle received some honors of his own this week, making his third Pro Bowl.

San Diego will need all their stars to perform effectively on Sunday to extend their season -- a formidable task going into a hostile road environment against a division rival.

Chargers Week 17 Practice / Photo By: Oliver Petalver

News and Notes

The San Diego Chargers placed punter Mike Scifres on Reserve-Injured this week.

Scifres suffered a shoulder injury on Dec. 7 versus the New England Patriots ending a streak of 174 consecutive games played, the third-longest streak in team history. He was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Oakland Raiders on November 16, punting nine times and landing five inside the 20 yard line. Scifres finishes the season with 55 punts for 2,516 yards and a 45.7-yard average.

The team filled the open spot on the roster by signing center Jeff Baca from their practice squad.  Baca will wear number 62.

INURY REPORT -- SAN DIEGO at KANSAS CITY

San Diego Chargers

 
OUT
RB Ryan Mathews (ankle), P Mike Scifres (shoulder)
 
DOUBTFUL
WR Keenan Allen (ankle, shoulder)
 
QUESTIONABLE
G Chris Watt (ankle)
 
PROBABLE
DT Corey Liuget (ankle), QB Philip Rivers (chest, back), CB Shareece Wright (concussion)
Practice Report
 
DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday
WR Keenan Allen (ankle, shoulder), RB Ryan Mathews (ankle), P Mike Scifres (shoulder), G Chris Watt (ankle)

Thursday
WR Keenan Allen (ankle, shoulder), RB Ryan Mathews (ankle), P Mike Scifres (shoulder), G Chris Watt (ankle)

Friday
WR Keenan Allen (ankle, shoulder), RB Ryan Mathews (ankle), P Mike Scifres (shoulder)

 
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Friday
G Chris Watt (ankle)

 
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday
DT Corey Liuget (ankle), QB Philip Rivers (chest, back), CB Shareece Wright (concussion)

Thursday
DT Corey Liuget (ankle), QB Philip Rivers (chest, back), CB Shareece Wright (concussion)

Friday
DT Corey Liuget (ankle), QB Philip Rivers (chest, back), CB Shareece Wright (concussion)


Kansas City Chiefs 

OUT
CB Phillip Gaines (illness), QB Alex Smith (spleen)
 
QUESTIONABLE
WR Dwayne Bowe (shoulder), RB Jamaal Charles (hamstring, ankle), G Zach Fulton (foot, toe)
 
PROBABLE
TE Anthony Fasano (knee), LB Tamba Hali (knee), LB Josh Martin (hand), LB Joe Mays (knee)
Practice Report


DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

Wednesday
WR Dwayne Bowe (shoulder), G Zach Fulton (foot, toe), LB Tamba Hali (knee)

Thursday
WR Dwayne Bowe (shoulder), G Zach Fulton (foot, toe), LB Tamba Hali (knee)

Friday
QB Alex Smith (spleen)

 
LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday
RB Jamaal Charles (hamstring, ankle), TE Anthony Fasano (knee), CB Phillip Gaines (illness), LB Joe Mays (knee)

Thursday
RB Jamaal Charles (hamstring, ankle), TE Anthony Fasano (knee), CB Phillip Gaines (illness), LB Joe Mays (knee)

Friday
WR Dwayne Bowe (shoulder), RB Jamaal Charles (hamstring, ankle), TE Anthony Fasano (knee), G Zach Fulton (foot, toe), CB Phillip Gaines (illness), LB Tamba Hali (knee), LB Joe Mays (knee)

 
FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

Wednesday
LB Josh Martin (hand)

Thursday
LB Josh Martin (hand)

Friday
LB Josh Martin (hand)


By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com