Los Angeles coach non-committal on whether starters will play at Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Raiders’ season has long been lost, but there are plenty at stake Sunday in their season finale when they host the Los Angeles Chargers with a 1:25 p.m. PT kickoff.
Raiders’ coach Antonio Pierce is not assured to return in 2025. Winning a third straight game could help his cause. Of course, there are also draft-pick slotting at play for the 4-12 Raiders. They are currently slotted at No. 8 in the April, 2025 draft. They reportedly could pick as high at No. 4 or as low at No. 10 as they try to be in the position to draft a top quarterback prospect.
What role with the Chargers play in this game? Their coach Jim Harbaugh isn’t tipping his hand.
The 10-6 Chargers clinched a playoff berth in Week 17. They are only playing for wild-card seeding. They could be the No. 5 seed and play a winnable game at Houston if they beat the Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night.
Harbaugh did say Monday the Chargers’ plan will be to win Sunday but he didn’t rule out sitting his starters if the Steelers win.
Jim Harbaugh when asked about potentially resting starters: “The plan will be to win.”
So even if PIT wins and #Chargers can’t gain anything as far as seeding, he would still play his starters?
“I didn’t say that,” Harbaugh said. “I’m not going through all the hypotheticals.”
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) December 30, 2024
So, the intrigue will likely remain until Sunday.