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Melvin Gordon #28 of the San Diego Chargers gives a stiff arm to Quintin Demps #27 of the Houston Texans in the second quarter at NRG Stadium on November 27, 2016 in Houston, Texas. Tim Warner/Getty Images

The Los Angeles Chargers (10-3) will play perhaps the most important game of their season on Thursday night, as they will try to dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs (11-2) in Arrowhead Stadium. The Chargers would be underdogs if healthy, but the murky situation around running backs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler could make things much more difficult for them.

NFL Network reporter Steve Wyche was told by head coach Anthony Lynn that Gordon and Ekeler will likely not be ready to play after the short week.

Gordon was on the way to his best season as a pro when he sustained a knee injury in late November. Ekeler had been an efficient and effective backup option until he suffered a concussion on Sunday.

The two of them combined for 1,298 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns before their injuries. The Chiefs have the 25th ranked rush defense in the league.

The Chargers need to win this game and keep rolling to have any hope of winning the AFC West.