Raiders Playoff Picture 2022: Scenarios To Make Postseason Bracket Without Beating Chargers

The Las Vegas Raiders enter Week 18 outside of the 2022 NFL playoff picture, but scenarios exist for the team to make the postseason bracket even without winning its final game of the regular season. There’s a chance the Raiders can clinch a wild-card berth by either tying or losing their Sunday night matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

If the Indianapolis Colts and Pittsburgh Steelers both lose Sunday afternoon, the Raiders will be in the playoffs, no matter what happens in their game against the Chargers. Indianapolis is a massive favorite against the Jacksonville Jaguars, while Pittsburgh is a road underdog against the Baltimore Ravens.

If the Colts lose and the Steelers win, the Raiders only need a tie to make the final playoff picture. The Chargers would also make the postseason with a tie in that scenario, creating a potentially interesting situation for the season finale in Las Vegas.

"Someone said we could just take knees and tie if that's the scenario [where the Colts lose]," Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said, via ESPN. "I was like, 'Well, that sounds good to you, but I don't want to tie these guys either.' To me, it will be full focus on beating the Chargers, and I'm pretty confident that's how our whole team feels, no matter what. You know, they beat us last time. We kind of just want to play this game."

If the Colts beat the Jaguars — the widely expected result — Sunday night’s matchup turns into an unofficial play-in game. The winner in Las Vegas will clinch the No. 7 seed, while the loser will be outside of the final postseason bracket.

Indianapolis, Los Angeles and Las Vegas all enter Week 18 with the same record, fighting for the AFC’s two remaining wild-card spots. Pittsburgh is a half-game behind the trio in the standings.

The Raiders would get in the playoff over the Colts in the event of a two-way tie because Las Vegas defeated Indianapolis in Week 17.

The Ravens are a game out of the playoff race with a slim chance to make the postseason through various tiebreakers. Las Vegas owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over Baltimore because of their Week 1 matchup. The Raiders beat the Ravens 33-27 in overtime.

The Chargers and Raiders have both beaten the Steelers, giving the AFC West rivals the tiebreaker over Pittsburgh.

The victory over the Colts extended the Raiders’ winning streak to three games. Las Vegas was a long shot to make the playoffs with a 6-7 record, but the team has since defeated the Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos and Colts in consecutive games.

Since losing in Super Bowl XXXVII at the conclusion of the 2002 season, the Raiders have only made one playoff appearance. Las Vegas earned a wild-card berth in the 2016 season with a 12-4 record, but the team lost on Wild-Card Weekend as Carr missed the game with an injury.