The Los Angeles Chargers learned that their Week 16 matchup against the rival Denver Broncos would be flexed to Thursday night football. With the way the season has unfolded, this could be a major game with serious playoff implications.

The 7-3 Chargers are just ahead of the 6-5 Broncos in the AFC West, with the Kansas City Chiefs leading the way at 9-1. The Chargers and Broncos matchup was deemed good enough to highlight as a primetime affair.

While the Chargers would be losing three extra days of rest they'd usually have for a regular Sunday game, they'd be gaining even more recovery time for the next week.

The Chargers play the Broncos on December 19th, with their next game still to be determined the following week against the New England Patriots. The Chargers would either be playing on the 28th or 29th of December, potentially meaning 10 days of rest late in the season for a team headed towards the playoffs.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/ as Chargers get big silver lining with primetime flex .