The 8-6 Baltimore Ravens hit the road to StubHub Center in Carson California to meet the 11-3 Chargers this Saturday. Going into this sweet Week 16 game, NFL Futures price the Ravens at +6000 to win the Super Bowl and +2200 to take down the AFC Championship while the Chargers are given +900 odds to win Super Bowl 53 and +375 odds to win the AFC, tied with the Houston Texans to do the same as we edge oh-so much closer to the playoffs. Of course, the sportsbook favors the home team in this meeting, however some bettors are digging the somewhat closer than expected spread which has opened at 4.5-points for Los Angeles.
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Betting Preview for the Baltimore Ravens vs Los Angeles Chargers NFL Week 16 Game on December 22, 2018
Where: Rokit Field at StubHub Center, Carson California
When: Saturday, December 22 2018, 8:20 PM ET
Line: Baltimore Ravens (+4.5) vs Los Angeles Chargers (-4.5) – view all 2018 NFL lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Betting on the Baltimore Ravens (8-6)
The Ravens are rated 11th in the league on offense but 1st in defense which will be their bread and butter in this matchup with the 6th rated (offense) Chargers who are less impressive on the defensive end, although they (Chargers) managed to hold off the Chiefs in Week 15 with a close 29-28 win. In the Ravens’ own performance last week, they improved to a 4-1 record under rookie starting QB Lamar Jackson, taking down the Buccaneers on Sunday with a final tally of 20-12. In the game Jackson threw for 131 yards and a touchdown, but impressively ran for 95 yards on 18 carries. Running back Gus Edwards continued his string of surprising plays with 104 yards and a TD on a total of 19 carries. Raven’s Coach John Harbaugh may have changed this offense with little time to think when Joey Flacco went down five weeks ago, but it was the right decision and now Flacco, now healthy, is left wondering if he’ll get his job back as Baltimore keeps its playoff goals alive under Mr. Jackson.
On the road so far this season, the Ravens are 3-4 straight up (SU) and conversely 4-3 against the spread (ATS). Yeah, they just may take this one in California. Maybe.
Betting on the Los Angeles Chargers (11-3)
The Chargers locked in their playoff spot in Week 15 against the Chiefs but it wasn’t easy. Los Angeles was down by 14 points three times throughout the game, including deep into the fourth quarter but somehow pulled off a 29-28 victory. That “somehow” came in the form of wide receiver Mike Williams who caught a 1-yard TD (for two) pass with four seconds left. What was most impressive in the Chargers win, is that for the third game straight they played without running back Melvin Gordon who has an injured knee, while also losing wide receiver Keenan Allen who went down with a hip injury during the game against Kansas City. At press, there is no official word as to the status of Gordon or Allen, although the former (Gordon) is fully expected to return, according to sources.
When playing at home this season, the Chargers are 5-2 SU and conversely just 2-5 ATS which might explain the fact that the sportsbook expects a closer game than many other experts predict.
Writer’s Prediction
Los Angeles wins but doesn’t cover, 29-27.
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