The Chargers’ Week 17 game against the New England Patriots is scheduled for Dec. 28 at 10 a.m. PST as the NFL Network chose the matchup to lead off a nationally televised Saturday tripleheader, the league announced Tuesday.
The Chargers (8-6) are fighting for playoff seeding while the Patriots (3-11) have already been eliminated from postseason contention. Because of a Thursday night game this week against the Denver Broncos (9-5) at SoFi Stadium, the Chargers will not have to battle a short week before traveling to New England. The Chargers notched a road 6-0 victory over the Patriots last season.
Thursday’s divisional game could decide each team’s playoff seed as the Chargers are currently clinging to the seventh seed behind the sixth-seeded Broncos (9-5). It’s the fourth prime-time game for the Chargers in six weeks as the team emerged as a potential playoff contender. But the Chargers have gone 2-3 during the high-profile stretch, losing three of their last four games.
The Chargers’ regular-season finale at Las Vegas has not been scheduled yet. The divisional matchup can be flexed to Jan. 4 or Jan. 5.