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With a Week 18 matchup with the Denver Broncos coming up, the Los Angeles Chargers have made the decision to rest quarterback Justin Herbert. The former Oregon Ducks star has battled a fractured left hand this month while taking the most hits of any quarterback in the NFL.
The Chargers currently have an 11-5 record after losing to the Houston Texans on Saturday, currently putting them in the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff picture. They have clinched a playoff spot.
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Despite Los Angeles head coach Jim Harbaugh's decision to sit Herbert and start backup Trey Lance, there are still playoff seeding implications on the line, with the No. 5, 6 and 7 seeds still a possibility.
The fifth seed could be achieved with a Chargers win over the Broncos and a Texans loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 18, while the sixth seed would be Los Angeles' with several different scenarios, the most prominent being the Chargers beating the Broncos and the Buffalo Bills, who currently occupy the No. 7 seed, losing to the New York Jets.
The seventh seed, which with Herbert sitting out appears to be the most likely scenario, would be occupied by the Chargers with a loss and a Bills win over the Jets.
Claiming the No. 7 seed would mean a road matchup against the No. 2 seed, which is currently occupied by the New England Patriots. Both the Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars could also end up in the second spot.
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With Herbert on the bench for the final regular-season game of the season for Los Angeles, his final 2025 stats, his sixth in the NFL, come out to 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, 13 interceptions while completing 66.4% of his passes. The former Duck also rushed for 498 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Justin Herbert to rest against Denver Broncos in Week 18
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