It seemed like only yesterday that the San Diego Chargers were on a downward spiral that would ultimately see them crash out of the playoff race completely.
Fast forward to today and not only are the Chargers one of the hottest teams in the AFC, they’re also very much in the driver’s seat for a playoff spot. However, they’re credentials as actual AFC contenders will be severely tested when they face the New England Patriots, who are stinging from a rare defeat.
The Pats don’t lose back-to-back games very often, but can Philip Rivers and the Chargers shock the AFC leaders? See our complete game preview below.
The team that beat the Pats, the Green Bay Packers, are also in action on prime time against the Atlanta Falcons. Check out our preview of that game here.
[sc:Football ]New England Patriots vs. San Diego Chargers Betting Preview and Prediction
Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego
When: Sunday, December 7, 8:30 PM ET
Line: New England Patriots (-3.5) vs. San Diego Chargers (+3.5); total 51.5 – see all NFL lines
Betting on the New England Patriots
The New England Patriots were good, but not quite good enough to topple the Packers at Green Bay as their 26-21 loss snapped a seven-game winning streak. It was also the first game they failed to cover in the past five games.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Make no mistake though, the Pats played far from their best, specifically the offensive line, which didn’t respond well to the Packers’ pass rush. But they still came the closest to winning at Lambeau than any other team this season, a little moral victory they can take to their game against the Chargers.
The Pats’ offense, which was held to 21 points, their lowest total since that 41-14 Week 4 loss to the Chiefs, should have a bounce-back game against a subpar San Diego defense that can still be exposed by very good offenses, especially in the air. The Pats are one of those very good offenses and are second in passing DVOA through Week 12.
And on the other side of the ball, expect a Pats pass defense to also come back strong after it was made to look amateurish by Aaron Rodgers’ 368 passing yards, 121 of which went to rookie Davante Adams. It will be especially keen to create some takeaways against Rivers, who has thrown eight of his nine interceptions this season in the last six games.
No team comes back from a loss better than the Pats. Since 2003, the Pats are 36-4 after a loss, and have won the last nine in a row. The Patriots have won their last three games following a loss by an average of 27.7 points.
Create a betting account now and bet on one of the surest things in the NFL in well over a decade.
Betting on the San Diego Chargers
Many were writing the San Diego Chargers off as legitimate playoff contenders after three consecutive losses from Weeks 7-9 against the Chiefs, Broncos and Dolphins. Even more thought they were done when they were down 10 in the fourth quarter on Sunday on the road against the Ravens.
But San Diego sure proved them wrong. Since that three-game skid, the Chargers have now won three in a row after a spectacular 34-33 comeback win in Baltimore against the Ravens. Quarterback Philip Rivers was sensational with 383 passing yards and three touchdowns, including a perfectly executed eight-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to clinch the victory.
Rivers did well to expose a banged up Ravens secondary, but he may not get as much joy throwing to a Pats defense as adept as any in taking away the passing game. The Chargers will need more balance on offense, which running back Ryan Mathews can provide.
After rushing for 175 yards in his first two games back from injury, Mathews was limited to just 2.8 yards per carry against a physical Ravens front seven. But he may have a little more success against a Pats defense that gave up 130 yards to the Packers on Sunday.
However, the Chargers had their own issues against the run in Baltimore, ones they must sort out against an unpredictable Pats offense. San Diego’s shorthanded secondary and pass defense ranked 28th by DVOA through Week 12 could also be put under some duress by the Pats’ passing offense.
In their previous three games against top-10 pass offenses by DVOA (Denver, Miami and Baltimore) the Chargers have given up eight passing touchdowns against zero interceptions.
Writer’s Prediction
The Pats bounce back once again to win and cover against the Chargers on the road.
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