Chargers
vs.
Chiefs
Week 15
NFL Pick
12/16/17
By: Jason Green
L.A. Chargers (7-6 SU 7-5-1 ATS) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (7-6 SU 7-6 ATS)
The Chargers have won Four in a row and nothing much is at stake in this Game except first place in the AFC West. The Chiefs won the earlier match up this season in L.A. and if KC can win they have the clear-cut path for the division crown. However, even though they are coming off a win they have struggled in the last several Games while the Chargers are riding a Four-Game win streak. The L.A. defense ranks 2nd in the league in points allowed and in their last three Games they have only allowed a total of 29 points.
At 5 dimes sportsbook this Game is a PICK with the total sitting at 46.
The Chiefs had fallen apart after the first half of the season, but they did snap their Four-Game losing streak in their last Game. They did look good in their last Game in a win over the Oakland Raiders, but they have simply not been the same team on both sides of the ball as in the beginning of the season when they won their first five Games.
In the earlier Game this season between these teams in L.A. the Chiefs beat the Chargers 24-10.
The Chargers have covered the spread in Four of their last five Games facing the Chiefs in Kansas City.
The Chargers are coming off a great 30-13 win over the Washington Redskins where they were up 23-6 at the half and racked up 488 yards. The Bolts also played well on D only allowing 201 total yards, stuffing the run, and holding Washington to 2/12 on 3rd down conversions. Philip Rivers had a big Game passing for 319 yards with 2 TD and no INT and Tyrell Williams and Keenen Allen combined for 243 receiving yards. Rivers has been one of the main reasons the Chargers have turned things around and in their Four-Game win streak he has eight TD and no INT. In the win over the Skins L.A. rushing for 174 yards with Melvin Gordon leading the way with 78 yards on the ground and a TD.
KC only ranks 28th in the league in pass defense and 30th in run defense.
In their last Game the Chiefs stopped the bleeding snapping their Four-Game skid with a 26-15 win over the Oakland Raiders. KC outscored Oakland 16-0 in the first half and for the Gamer they out-GAined them 408 yards to 268 yards and held the Raiders to only 70 rushing yards. Alex Smith did not pass for a TD and was picked off, but did have 268 passing yards. Kareem Hunt rushed for 113 yards with a TD and also had three catches for 22 yards and in his previous two Games he had only totaled 57 rushing yards. Look for Hunt to get a heavy workload in this Game facing a Chargers run defense that only ranks 29th in the league.
The Chargers are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 road Games, 4-1 ATS in their last 5 Games, and in their last 4 road Games their Under record is 4-0.
The Chiefs are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 Games, 5-2 ATS in their last 7 Games after a straight up win, and in their last 5 Games they have an Under record of 4-1.
Jason’s Pick: The Chargers are hot, but on the road this Chiefs will cool them down in their house. Smith will play well and the KC D will keep Rivers from torching them and the Chiefs will get the W and take control of the AFC West with only two Games left on the Schedule.