The Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos face off on Sunday in a Week 18 NFL showdown at the Empower Field at Mile High. When these two teams faced off in October it was the Chargers that won 19-16 in overtime.
The Chargers come into this game with a 10-6 record overall and they have gone 10-5-1 against the spread. In the last game against the Los Angeles Rams, the offense scored 31 points, and that led to the 21 point victory. Justin Herbert completed 21 of his 28 passes for 212 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Austin Ekeler only had 10 carries but he finished with 122 yards and two touchdowns. Los Angeles is averaging 22.7 points while their defense is giving up 22.1 points per game. The Chargers have their playoff spot locked up and that means they could rest their starters, although it’s unclear if that’s the plan.
On the other side of this matchup is the Broncos who have been nothing but a disappointment this season. Coming into this game they sit with a 4-12 record and they have gone 7-9 against the spread. In the last game against the Kansas City Chiefs they were competitive, but they ended up losing 27-24. Russell Wilson completed 26 of his 38 passes for 222 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He also rushed for 27 yards and two touchdowns. The Broncos are averaging 16 points while their defense is giving up 20.7 points per game.
The Broncos are 4-0 against the spread in their last four games following a loss. The under is 4-0 in the Chargers last four games against the AFC. The over is 4-0 in the Broncos last four games. The under is 5-0 in the Chargers last five games overall.
The Broncos offense was better in the last game, but overall they have had some issues scoring, and I don’t trust Wilson to have two good games in a row. The Chargers will probably be resting some players, and the Broncos defense has been good no matter who starts. The last time these two teams played there were 35 points scored, and this game will finish under that. Back the under to cash.