Overview
- Head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed Herbert will not play in Week 18, with Trey Lance starting at quarterback.
- The move follows Denver clinching the AFC West and reflects a health-first approach for key Chargers starters.
- New England can secure the AFC’s No. 1 seed only by beating Miami and getting a Denver loss to Los Angeles.
- With Herbert sidelined and other Chargers potentially resting, a road upset in Denver is widely viewed as unlikely, positioning the Broncos for the top seed.
- If the seeding holds, the Patriots would host the Bills on wild-card weekend, with a Patriots–Chargers matchup also mentioned as a potential scenario.