COSTA MESA, Calif. - Philip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers didn't have much time to celebrate reaching double-digit wins for the first time in nine seasons.
While most teams get 24 hours to savor a victory, the Chargers spent about 24 minutes to revel in their 26-21 win against the Cincinnati Bengals before preparations quickly began for Thursday's pivotal AFC West matchup at Kansas City.
"I heard some of the guys going back to the facility right now, get in a cold tub, start that. Start watching tape. We have to get going, start shifting gears and hurry," quarterback Philip Rivers said after the game.
Los Angeles (10-3) goes into the game one game behind the Chiefs (11-2). A win would clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2013 while also keeping its hopes of a division title and possible top seed in the AFC alive.
Even if the Chargers won, Kansas City would hold the tiebreaker based on a better division record. The Chiefs end the season at Seattle and hosting Oakland while the Chargers wrap up with a home game against Baltimore and trip to Denver.
Kansas City, which has already secured a postseason berth, would clinch the division with a win.
Coach Anthony Lynn is keeping the same preparation plan that he did for last year's Thanksgiving Day game at Dallas. The Chargers ended up winning that game 28-6.
Monday was a walkthrough and today will be non-padded before the team travels Wednesday to Kansas City.
"One of the biggest things about this week is recovery, getting guys to recover and play fast and physical and how you handle that and we always struggle with doing too much and not doing enough. Same thing with Xs and Os," Lynn said.
"That's kind of what we're doing right now. We're working to get that balance as best we can and go out and play a football game."
About the only benefit preparation-wise is that it is a division game. However the Chiefs have won the past nine in the series.
"I think mentally with a team being in the division, and again, there will be some wrinkles that they'll have and wrinkles that we'll have, but at least we know personnel-wise who we are playing," Rivers said.
"Schematically, for the most part, we know what their base stuff is and they know what our base stuff is. It's not a matter of, 'Gosh, we need to dig into this opponent and figure out who they are.' Now, you still have to get all of your preparation in, in a short period of time, but I think that can get done."
The biggest concern going into the week is the status of running backs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler. Gordon, who is fourth in the league in yards from scrimmage per game (125.5), has missed the past two games because of an MCL sprain to his right knee. Ekeler is questionable because of a stinger neck injury suffered late in the fourth quarter against the Bengals after he had 66 yards on 15 carries. Ekeler suffered the injury when he was hit by Cincinnati's Clayton Fejedelem on an onside kick.
Lynn said not having a full-speed practice to evaluate Gordon is a bit of a concern, but the same cuts and moves Gordon would make on the practice field can also be done on the side.
The Chargers' biggest worry defensively is trying to contain quarterback Patrick Mahomes and wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Mahomes passed for 256 yards and four touchdowns while Hill scored three touchdowns in a 38-28 win in the Sept. 9 regular-season opener.
Hill has seven touchdowns - five receiving and two on punt returns - in five games against the Chargers.
"They're a different team and different players, but we're a different team too," safety Derwin James said. "Every week Mahomes is getting better too. He's making some crazy throws. You know what type of guy you are getting this week."