Chargers vs. Broncos Point Spread: NFL Week 18 Odds, Prediction
Following another wild weekend of football, NFL Week 18 has several compelling matchups, including an AFC West showdown in Denver between the Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers at Mile High Stadium.
The Broncos are coming off another victory, this time against the Chiefs, and given the fact that Denver has won 12 of its last 13 games, this week represents a chance for Sean Payton’s team to finish the season strong and capture the top seed in the AFC heading into the postseason. On the other side, the Chargers are coming off a tough loss against the Texans, but this is still a team that has already clinched a playoff spot prior to their final game.
With the Broncos hoping to close out the season on a high note and Los Angeles looking to play spoiler, let’s get into our Chargers vs. Broncos predictions for this Week 18 clash on Sunday.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Given that they are dealing with injuries and are clearly the inferior side on paper, the Chargers are significant 12.5-point road underdogs on the NFL odds against Denver. Much of that is due to the Chargers’ current plan at quarterback, along with the Broncos needing to win in order to keep their hopes alive of claiming the top seed in the AFC. With the Los Angeles offence unlikely to be operating at its best given the situation at hand, it’s not a surprise at all that the total sits at 37.5 in this one.
The Chargers are 8-7-1 against the spread this season, while the Broncos are 6-9-1 ATS on the year. Games involving the Chargers are generally lower-scoring, with the Under cashing in nine of their 16 games played to this point. Denver has generally been an under team as well, with nine of its 16 games going under the number thus far.
Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert is going to miss this game in order to rest and recover from recent injuries heading into the playoffs, and the Chargers’ offence is in major trouble without Herbert under centre. Based on what we know about the situation at hand for Los Angeles, Jim Harbaugh’s team should look to keep the ball on the ground and try to grind this one out in a game that should be played in the mid-to-high 30s. However, it’s hard to see them staying attached to Denver for all four quarters in this one.
Denver Broncos
Regardless of Denver covering the spread on Sunday, we can expect the Broncos to run the ball effectively and play a simple and efficient game in a spot where they just need to get out of dodge with a comfortable victory over a division rival. With the Broncos’ defence in a position where it should hold a few massive advantages over the Chargers’ anemic offence without Herbert at the controls, it’s hard to see Los Angeles scoring more than 10 points, which should be enough for Denver to secure a win by double digits in this one.
NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Chargers vs. Broncos?
There isn’t much uncertainty in this game, as the Broncos are the deserving massive favourites in this contest. Denver should jump out to an early lead and bottle up a Chargers offence that doesn’t have much to offer in terms of explosiveness in any area. With that in mind, let’s look for the Broncos to cruise to a victory in a lower-scoring affair by a score in the region of 24-10.
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