With time running out in their quest to catch the division-leading Kansas City Chiefs, the Los Angeles Chargers need every break they can get – and Sunday’s encounter with the host Houston Texans is a good place to start.

NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis

This marks the first time this season that the Chargers have been a double-digit fave; it happened just once in 2020, and L.A. came up short of a cover in a narrow 34-28 home win over the New York Jets. Houston has much more experience being on the other end of the trend. The Texans have been underdogs of 10+ points seven times prior to this weekend, going 2-5 SU and 3-4 ATS while scoring fewer than seven points four times in that span.

The Chargers have the support of a whopping 87 percent of Sports Interaction bettors, while there’s a near-dead-even split among total bettors, with 51 percent siding with the O46 at -110. The Chargers are 7-7 O/U for the season but have converted the Over in four of their previous five games, with each of those Overs coming in above the 55-point plateau. Houston, on the other hand, has gone 4-8 O/U in its last 12 overall.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers’ chances of catching the red-hot Chiefs are already remote (Kansas City is a -960 fave to win the division, while L.A. is at +675), and the visitors will have to gain ground without the services of two of their best players. Running back Austin Ekeler says his chances of playing “don’t look good” as he sits on the COVID-19 list, while linebacker Joey Bosa also tested positive earlier this week and is expected to miss this one.

Houston Texans

Houston would love to take advantage of the Chargers’ key absences, but they’ve been even more ravaged by the coronavirus. The Texans have more than two dozen players on the COVID-19 reserve list – most notably leading wide receiver Brandin Cooks, whose 945 yards represent more than a third of the team’s season total through the air. All impacted players must produce two negative tests 24 hours apart in order to be cleared to play.

NFL Prediction: Who Will Win Chargers vs. Texans?

• Regular Season

Chargers Team Leaders

LAC

Touchdowns	Austin Ekeler 20
Rushing	Austin Ekeler 911
Passing	Justin Herbert 5014
Receiving	Keenan Allen 106
Sacks	Joey Bosa 10.5
Interceptions	Asante Samuel Jr. 2

HOU

Touchdowns	Brandin Cooks 6
Rushing	Rex Burkhead 427
Passing	Davis Mills 2664
Receiving	Brandin Cooks 90
Sacks	Jonathan Greenard 8
Interceptions	Desmond King II 3

• Regular Season

Texans Team Leaders

LAC

Touchdowns	Austin Ekeler 20
Rushing	Austin Ekeler 911
Passing	Justin Herbert 5014
Receiving	Keenan Allen 106
Sacks	Joey Bosa 10.5
Interceptions	Asante Samuel Jr. 2

HOU

Touchdowns	Brandin Cooks 6
Rushing	Rex Burkhead 427
Passing	Davis Mills 2664
Receiving	Brandin Cooks 90
Sacks	Jonathan Greenard 8
Interceptions	Desmond King II 3

Weather

temp	77
condition	dome

Injuries

L.A. Chargers

Joe Gaziano (DE)

Out Sun Ankle - 06 / 01 / 22

Linval Joseph (DT)

Prob Sun Shoulder - 06 / 01 / 22

Damon Lloyd (LB)

Out indefinitely Undisclosed - 06 / 01 / 22

Jared Cook (TE)

Out indefinitely Illness - 31 / 12 / 21

Damon Lloyd (LB)

Out indefinitely Illness - 31 / 12 / 21

Stephen Anderson (TE)

Prob Sun Shoulder - 30 / 12 / 21

Tevaughn Campbell (CB)

Prob Sun Hamstring - 30 / 12 / 21

Linval Joseph (DT)

Prob Sun Shoulder - 30 / 12 / 21

Uchenna Nwosu (LB)

Prob Sun Shoulder - 30 / 12 / 21

Jerry Tillery (DT)

Prob Sun Ankle - 30 / 12 / 21

Houston

Jordan Akins (TE)

Out Sun Illness - 06 / 01 / 22

Chris Conley (WR)

Out Sun Knee - 05 / 01 / 22

Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB)

Prob Sun Knee - 05 / 01 / 22

Justin Britt (OL)

Prob Sun Knee - 05 / 01 / 22

Jonathan Greenard (DL)

day-to-day Foot - 03 / 01 / 22

Jonathan Owens (DB)

I-R Wrist - 03 / 01 / 22

Justin Reid (DB)

Out indefinitely Ankle - 03 / 01 / 22

Grayland Arnold (DB)

I-R Ankle - 03 / 01 / 22

Kevin Pierre-Louis (LB)

Out indefinitely Illness - 31 / 12 / 21

Antony Auclair (TE)

Out indefinitely Illness - 30 / 12 / 21

Injuries

L.A. Chargers

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Joe Gaziano (DE)	Out Sun	Ankle - 06 / 01 / 22	1-0	1-0	+ -
Gaziano is dealing with an ankle injury, and he will not face the Raiders on Sunday.
Linval Joseph (DT)	Prob Sun	Shoulder - 06 / 01 / 22	1-0	1-0	+ -
Joseph is projected to line up for Sunday's clash with the Raiders despite a shoulder issue.
Damon Lloyd (LB)	Out indefinitely	Undisclosed - 06 / 01 / 22	1-0	1-0	+ -
Lloyd has ended up on the injured reserve list with an unspecified ailment, and there is no timetable for return.
Jared Cook (TE)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 31 / 12 / 21	1-1	2-0	+ -
Cook has been shifted to the IR/COVID-19 list, and it is unknown when he will return.
Damon Lloyd (LB)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 31 / 12 / 21	1-1	2-0	+ -
Lloyd has been moved to the IR/COVID-19 list, and team officials have yet to provide an exact return date.
Stephen Anderson (TE)	Prob Sun	Shoulder - 30 / 12 / 21	1-1	2-0	+ -
Anderson is expected to be active against the Broncos on Sunday despite a shoulder injury.
Tevaughn Campbell (CB)	Prob Sun	Hamstring - 30 / 12 / 21	1-1	2-0	+ -
Campbell is likely to take on the Broncos on Sunday despite a hamstring issue.
Linval Joseph (DT)	Prob Sun	Shoulder - 30 / 12 / 21	1-1	2-0	+ -
Joseph is dealing with a shoulder injury, but he is expected to take the field against the Broncos on Sunday.
Uchenna Nwosu (LB)	Prob Sun	Shoulder - 30 / 12 / 21	1-1	2-0	+ -
Nwosu has injuries to his shoulder and hip, but it is anticipated that he will dress for Sunday's matchup with the Broncos.
Jerry Tillery (DT)	Prob Sun	Ankle - 30 / 12 / 21	1-1	2-0	+ -
Tillery is hobbled by an ankle injury, but he is projected to line up for Sunday's contest against the Broncos.

Houston

player (position)	status		ats*current	o/u*	notes
Jordan Akins (TE)	Out Sun	Illness - 06 / 01 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Akins is nursing an illness, and he will not be active for Sunday's matchup with the Titans.
Chris Conley (WR)	Out Sun	Knee - 05 / 01 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Conley is nursing a knee issue, and he will not partake in Sunday's matchup with the Titans.
Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB)	Prob Sun	Knee - 05 / 01 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Grigier-Hill has a knee injury, but it is anticipated that he will partake in Sunday's showdown with the Titans.
Justin Britt (OL)	Prob Sun	Knee - 05 / 01 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Britt has a knee injury, but it is projected that he will lace up against the Titans on Sunday.
Jonathan Greenard (DL)	day-to-day	Foot - 03 / 01 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Greenard exited Sunday's tilt against the Titans with a foot injury, and he will not return.
Jonathan Owens (DB)	I-R	Wrist - 03 / 01 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Owens has ended up on the injured reserve list due to a wrist injury.
Justin Reid (DB)	Out indefinitely	Ankle - 03 / 01 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Reid is dealing with injuries to his ankle and knee. He has also been assigned to the IR/COVID-19 list, and it has yet to be established when he will be available.
Grayland Arnold (DB)	I-R	Ankle - 03 / 01 / 22	0-1	0-1	+ -
Arnold has landed on the injured reserve list with an ankle injury.
Kevin Pierre-Louis (LB)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 31 / 12 / 21	1-1	1-1	+ -
Pierre-Louis has been shifted to the IR/COVID-19 list, and it is unknown when he will return.
Antony Auclair (TE)	Out indefinitely	Illness - 30 / 12 / 21	1-1	1-1	+ -
Auclair has been assigned to the IR/COVID-19 list, and it is unclear when he will return.