Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos: Betting Guide

Los Angeles Chargers

Next game: at Cincinnati Bengals

Last Game

The Chargers went to the wire with the Steelers and needed some late-game heroics from Herbert and Mike Williams to put away the visitors. While moneyline bettors breathed a sigh of relief, folks who bet online on their spread lost again as the Chargers coughed up a 17-point in the fourth. The loss was the Chargers’ fourth in their last five on the spread.

Justin Herbert and Mike Williams don’t care about your comeback.

(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/AmlhIYIZ9q

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 22, 2021

Injury Report

Several players on the secondary are banged up for the Chargers: cornerback Mark Webb (knee), and safeties Nasir Adderley (ankle), Trey Marshall (ankle), and Alohi Gilman (quad).

Denver Broncos

Next game: at Kansas City Chiefs

Last Game

Denver is coming off a bye week, which is a welcome break as the Broncos have a long injury list. Several of their injured players should be back for the game against the Chargers. Prior to the bye, Denver laid an egg and lost to the Eagles 30-13. This was the fifth time in seven games that Denver failed to hit the 20-point mark.

Injury Report

Among Denver’s many injuries are linebacker Micah Kaser (groin), safety Kareem Jackson (shoulder), tackle Garrett Bolles (COVID), and edge rusher Bradley Chubb (ankle). Kaser and Chubb could return this week.

Betting on the Game

Games between Denver and the Chargers have typically been close. Since Vic Fangio took over as the Broncos’ coach, the average margin of victory has been 3.5 points. Denver is 3-1 both on the spread and straight-up.

The Chargers are 3-3 as a favorite this season. This team has been the epitome of inconsistency. It can win tight contests against Kansas City and Cleveland then get destroyed by Baltimore or lose to Minnesota.

One thing has been consistent for the Chargers: most of their games are close. Eight of their 10 games were decided by a touchdown or less that the loss to Baltimore may be an aberration. Still, with how the Chargers are typically lined on the sportsbook, this team should be expected to be in almost every contest.

As for Denver, it has squandered a 3-0 start by dropping five of its last seven games. Denver has averaged just 17.7 points in this span. Coupled with its solid defense, most of their games have gone under. In fact, Denver is tied with Jacksonville as having the second-best under ratio in the NFL at 80% (2-8-0).

Six of the Chargers’ ten games have also gone under. But their last four meetings against the Broncos have split on the over/under at two apiece, mainly because of the low totals. The average total of their four games has been 43.

But when push comes to shove, Herbert should be able to get the Chargers out of a tight spot. The Broncos don’t have the firepower to run over the Chargers the way Baltimore did and if and when this game comes down to the line, Herbert can add to his NFL-leading five game-winning drives.