It’s the penultimate Monday night game of the 2022 season when the Los Angeles Chargers visit the Indianapolis Colts. The Bolts are 3.5-point favourites on the NFL odds.

NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis

How important is a quarterback in the NFL? If you put the Chargers’ Justin Herbert on the Colts, I believe Indianapolis could win the Super Bowl. Instead, Indy will miss the playoffs because of poor play by past-his-prime Matt Ryan (who likely won’t be back in 2023) and also a few games from inexperienced Sam Ehlinger.

As good as Herbert is, the Bolts might miss the playoffs again as they have been destroyed by injury. Rumours are that coach Brandon Staley could be booted if the team misses the postseason and replaced by former Saints coach Sean Payton in the offseason.

These teams last played in the 2019 season opener and the Chargers won 30-24 in overtime when they were playing at a soccer stadium in Carson, Calif. Austin Ekeler rushed for a score and caught two TD passes from Herbert, who had three TDs overall and 333 yards passing. Keenan Allen had eight catches for 123 yards and a TD.

The Chargers are 7-2-1 ATS in the past 10 meetings.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers won their second straight game on Sunday, 17-14 over Tennessee, to improve to 8-6, and they hold the second Wild-Card spot in the AFC. The NFL postseason would be better if Justin Herbert makes it for the first time. He threw for 313 yards but no TDs and two picks vs. the Titans. Herbert did hit Mike Williams on a 35-yard laser with about 30 seconds left to get the Chargers into field-goal range, and Cameron Dicker won it from 43 yards out. Herbert became the only player in NFL history to have 4,000 passing yards in each of his first three seasons and it was his 22nd career game with 300 passing yards, which is five more than any other player before turning 25 in NFL history.

The Chargers played a second consecutive game without Pro Bowl safety Derwin James Jr., who is nursing a quadriceps injury. He might return this week. Ditto star pass rusher Joey Bosa, who has been on injured reserve since undergoing groin surgery after Week 3. Star running back Austin Ekeler injured his shoulder, but tests came back negative and should play. The Chargers are 5-2 ATS in their past seven road games.

Indianapolis Colts

The massively disappointing Colts officially hit rock bottom this past Saturday in blowing a 33-0 third-quarter lead at Minnesota and losing 39-36 in overtime – the biggest comeback win in NFL history. The previous biggest was from 32 points down by the Bills against the Oilers in the 1992 Wild-Card round. The Buffalo QB that day? Frank Reich, who was fired as the Indy coach earlier this season. Saturday’s loss almost surely means that interim coach Jeff Saturday will not get the full-time job or owner Jim Irsay will be laughed out of town.

Unfortunately, QB Matt Ryan will no longer be remembered for being a one-time league MVP but for being the only QB ever to lose two games with his team leading by at least 25 points. Ryan’s Falcons blew a 28-3 third-quarter lead in Super Bowl LI to the Patriots in OT. Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, the 2021 NFL rushing champion and the Offensive Player of the Year betting favourite entering this season, suffered a high-ankle sprain in the loss, and he’ll be shut down with nothing to play for. The Colts are 2-5 ATS in their past seven following an ATS win.

NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Chargers vs. Colts?