Los Angeles Chargers (6-9) at Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)
The Los Angeles Chargers visit the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET. Here’s our complete guide to Chargers-Chiefs Bet Tips. Odds and lines from Chargers-Chiefs picks are from PointsBet, current as of Thursday at 9 a.m. ET.
Chargers-Chiefs Bet Tips
Odds & Betting Lines for Chargers-Chiefs Bet Tips
- Against The Spread: Chargers -3.5 (-110)/Cheifs +3.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Chargers (-195)/Cheifs (+165)
- Total: 44 — Over 44 (-110)/Under 44 (-110)
- Implied Team Totals: Chargers 23.75, Chiefs 20.25
Chargers-Chiefs Picks overview: The Chiefs have the No. 1 seed in the AFC locked up, which means they will be resting “key" players in the season finale.
And while the Chargers are out of it, they would like to end 2020 on a positive note and pick up their seventh win of the year. The Chargers are 4-2 in their past six games, including three straight wins. They should make it four in a row on Sunday against the Kansas City B-team.
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Chargers-Chiefs Key Injuries
Chargers
Chargers WR Keenan Allen missed last week’s win over the Broncos with a hamstring injury. it is the same injury that severely limited him back in Week 15 as well. With nothing to play for but draft positioning — the Chargers can’t even play spoiler as the Chiefs have it all locked up — Allen is doubtful to play in the season finale.
Look for Tyron Johnson to continue operating as one of Los Angeles’ top three wideouts in Allen’s absence. Johnson has scored a touchdown in two of his past three games, excluding last week.
Chiefs
While RB Le’Veon Bell (knee), WR Sammy Watkins (calf), and WR Tyreek Hill (hamstring) are all on this week’s injury report, there is a good chance they could all sit out of the game even if they are good to go. Per reports, the Cheifs will be resting starters with nothing to play for.
Chargers-Chiefs Players to Watch
Since the Chiefs are resting “key" starters, we will see a skeleton crew of notable from them in the season finale against the Chargers. Look for QB Chad Henne to draw the start for Patrick Mahomes while Byron Pringle and Mecole Hardman will get the nod in two-wide sets at the wide receiver position. At running back, expect Darwin Thompson and Darrel Williams to split the workload with Le’Veon Bell unlikely to play.
While facing a Chargers defense allowing the ninth-most points per game (27.0) this season, there should not be very much optimism about the Chiefs’ ability to put up points with the B-team. The Chargers have held opponents to fewer than 17 points in two of their past three games amidst their three-game winning streak.
Chargers QB Justin Herbert has had an incredible Year 1 in the NFL. Although he opened the year on fire, he has colled off in the second half.
In his past five games since Week 12, Herbert has accumulated 3 passing touchdowns once, a feat that he has met six times in his first nine games of the season. In this five-game period, Herbert has thrown for north of 300 passing yards twice.
Herbert made his first NFL start back in Week 2 against the Chiefs and posted 314 yards with one touchdown passing and one rushing. He also posted 9.4 yards per attempt, his third-highest mark of the year in that category.
Chargers-Chiefs Weather Report
The weather at Arrowhead Stadium calls for a cloudy afternoon at the time of kickoff with a 10% chance of precipitation.
The temperature is set at 32 degrees Fahrenheit with 6 mph winds blowing South.
Chargers-Chiefs Picks & Best Bet
BEST BET: Chargers (-195)
Normally, you would give Kansas City the edge in this matchup — and in most Over matchups if we are being honest. However, the Chiefs will be resting starters on both sides of the football and rolling out Chad Henne at quarterback, who has not started a game in the NFL since 2014.
And while the Chargers have had a rough season, they have turned it around in the win column of late.
The Chargers are 4-2 straight up in their past six games and currently enjoying a three-game winning streak. Facing a less-than Kansas City team, the Chargers should end the 2020 campaign with four straight wins.
If Justin Herbert managed to light up the Chiefs’ defense, which does fly under the radar at times despite the fact that they are yielding the sixth-fewest PPG (21.6), back in his first NFL start in Week 2 — Herbert went for 314 yards with two total touchdowns against them that game — he should have no issue getting to a Kanas City defense resting their best players for the playoffs.
While the Chiefs are 9-1 SU against the Chargers in their past 10 meetings, once again, they will be short-handed.
The last time the Chargers defeated the Chiefs was back in December of 2018.
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CONSIDER: Chargers -3.5 (-110)
If the Chargers fail to cover against the Cheifs this week, the organization’s front office needs to do some soul searching on the future of HC Anthony Lynn despite his 4-2 mark in the team’s past six games. Lynn should have his team prepared and ready to beat a normally dominant team that will be mortal for one game.
The Chargers are 2-1-1 against the spread in their past four games against the Chiefs, covering back in Week 2 and pushing the preceding contest.
The Chargers have covered the spread in each of their past three games, all victories.
The Chiefs are 1-6 ATS in their past seven games.
The road team is 8-2-1 ATS in the past 11 meetings between these two clubs.
PASS: Under 44 (-110)
The Chargers are allowing the ninth-most PPG (27.0) this season. While I do think they will handily win this game, I also believe the Chiefs will put some points on the board. After all, this is still an Andy Reid coached team.
Meanwhile, the Chargers are scoring the 12th fewest PPG (23.10 in 2020, but we have seen this team pop, scoring 30+ points in four of their past 10 games.
However, with so much uncertainty on who will be playing and how effective they will be for the Chiefs, I would pass on wagering the total in this game.
The Under is 4-1 in the Chargers’ past five games.
The Under is 3-2 in the Chiefs’ past five games.
The Under is 4-3 in the past seven meetings between these two clubs, hitting back in Week 2.
Anthony Cervino is 61-50-2 on his NFL Best Bets in 2020.
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