— Thursday, December 16th Kansas City Chiefs @ Los Angeles Chargers
Week 15 of the NFL season could be a chaotic one with COVID-19 cases spiking around the league and teams jockeying for playoff spots. The top of the AFC West is on the line in the first game of the week as the 9-4 Kansas City Chiefs travel to face the 8-5 Los Angeles Chargers.
The kickoff at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles is set for 8:15 p.m. ET, and the game will air on FOX and NFL Network.
The young Chargers surprised the Chiefs 30-24 in September and also beat the Chiefs in a rather meaningless Week 17 game last season. The Chiefs won the prior three meetings and are 4-0 in Los Angeles since the Chargers moved in 2017. Overall the Chiefs lead the series 64-8-1 with a 12-3 mark in the last 15 meetings.
Chiefs Finally Rolling
The Chiefs are just 6-7 ATS this season, and the under is 7-6 in their 13 games. After a very slow start to the season and a couple of puzzling performances, the Chiefs have won six games in a row and appear to be peaking at the right time. The defense has allowed under 10 points in four of the last five games and hasn’t allowed more than 17 in the win streak.
The offense ranks fourth in total yards, sixth in passing, and eighth in scoring. The defense, much-maligned early in the season, ranks sixth in scoring defense and 14th against the run. They rank 26th against the pass and are still susceptible to a good quarterback, which will make Thursday a challenge.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has 3,642 yards on the season with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. During the win streak, he has nine touchdowns to go with three interceptions, and he completed 83% of his passes last Sunday. Against the Chargers in September, he was picked off twice and threw for 260 yards and three scores.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire returned to the lineup in late November and has had three touchdowns in the last three games. On the season, he has 456 yards in eight games, and he ran for 100 against the Chargers in September.
The passing attack, as always, keys around Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. Hill has a franchise record of 90 catches on the season for 1,030 yards and eight touchdowns, while Kelce has 73 catches for 875 yards and five scores. The duo combined for 12 catches and 158 yards against LA in September, but neither found the end zone.
Herbert Leading Chargers Toward Playoffs
The Chargers are 7-6 ATS this season, and the under is 7-6 in their 13 games. They rank sixth in the league in total yards, fifth in passing, and ninth in scoring. The defense is fourth-best in the NFL against the pass but 31st against the run and 26th in scoring defense.
Second-year quarterback Justin Herbert is having a fantastic season with 3,822 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He has at least 270 yards and two touchdowns in four straight games and has thrown at least one scoring pass in every game this season. Herbert lit up the Chiefs for 281 yards and four touchdowns in the September game as he completed 26-of-38 passes.
Austin Ekeler has 16 total touchdowns this season and is expected to play through an ankle injury suffered last week. He is averaging 108.8 ypg from scrimmage against the Chiefs as a starter in his career. Ekeler ran for 65 yards in the first matchup as the Chargers tallied just 77 yards on 22 carries, but the versatile back also had six catches for 52 yards and a touchdown.
The Chargers hope to have Keenan Allen back from COVID protocol to pair with Mike Williams. Allen has 86 catches for 929 yards and four scores on the season, while Williams has 61 catches for 915 yards and seven touchdowns. Williams was all over the field in the first matchup with seven catches for 122 yards and two scores, while Allen also found the end zone.
Betting Analysis
- Kansas City Chiefs -3 (-110) Money Line -160
- Los Angeles Chargers +3 (-110) Money Line +140
- Total Points: 52.5 Over -110, Under -110
The first two meetings between Mahomes and Herbert have gone down to the final minute, and it is easy to think this one will too. The Chiefs had four turnovers in the first meeting this year, and LA won on a touchdown with 32 seconds left.
Kansas City has major defensive issues if Chris Jones and Willie Gay Jr. are still in COVID protocol while linebacker L’Jarius Sneed is out on bereavement.
Betting Pick: Chargers +3 (-110)
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