Welcome back to the Chargers Mailbag !

We'll run a Mailbag each week during the regular season. Send in submissions for the Mailbag on Twitter @EricLSmith or by email at eric.smith@chargers.nfl.com .

Off we go...

How soon can the Chargers clinch a playoff spot? (Louis via email)

Not to be the bearer of bad news right away, but the Chargers cannot clinch a playoff spot this weekend.

And that's OK, it simply means the Bolts have some work to do in the weeks ahead.

But if we're looking at a timeline, I believe the earliest the Chargers would be able to clinch a postseason spot is in Week 17 ... which, ironically enough, is when the Bolts secured a spot last season.

As it stands now, the Chargers are currently 9-4 and in the fifth seed in the AFC playoff picture . The

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