San Diego’s playoff hopes are very much alive after recording a nerve-wracking overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers Saturday night. With Baltimore’s loss to Houston Sunday, the Chargers’ playoff fate is now in their own hands.
Grabbing that all-important postseason spot will be easier said than done, however, as standing in their way this coming Sunday are the Kansas City Chiefs who are still very much in the playoff picture despite their wretched form as of late.
Can San Diego seal their passage to their next round? Or will the Chiefs spoil their party? Read on for a complete preview of this showdown and while you’re at it, you can check out our previews of Packers vs. Lions and Cowboys vs. Redskins.
[sc:Football ]San Diego Chargers vs. Kansas City Chiefs Betting Preview
When: Sunday, December 28, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
Line: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – view all NFL lines
Betting on the San Diego Chargers
With the Chargers’ season hanging in the balance, Philip Rivers proved once again why he is one of the most clutch performers in the National Football League today.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Rivers completed 33 of 54 passes for 356 yards and four touchdowns with three interceptions to lead San Diego to a stunning 38-35 comeback victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Trailing by 21 points at the break, the Chargers outscored the 49ers, 31-7, the rest of the way to notch the second-largest comeback win in the league this season.
Much of the credit should go to Rivers who carried most of the scoring cudgels with wide receiver Keenan Allen and running back Ryan Mathews out because of various injuries. He was particularly impressive in the fourth quarter where he converted fourth-and-8 and fourth-and-10 situations on the key final drive of the Chargers to help set up San Diego’s improbable equalizer and eventually the win.
Rivers found his rhythm in the second half and overtime, completing 16 of 27 passes when passing more than five yards downfield. He was even more impressive on throws at least 15 yards downfield. He completed seven such passes in the second half, matching his most in a game this season. He was a perfect 5-of-5 when targeting star wide receiver Antonio Gates.
Gates had another stellar outing for the Chargers, catching seven passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns. Gates and Rivers will have their work cut out for them, however, this coming Sunday as they will face a Kansas City secondary that is second in passing defense this season, allowing 200.4 yards per game.
Another source of concern for head coach Mike McCoy is the news that Rivers is suffering from a bulging disc in his lower back. With the way he battled against San Francisco last Saturday, though, expect Rivers to gut it out against the Chiefs.
The Chargers are 6-4 in their last 10 meetings with the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.
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Betting on the Kansas City Chiefs
With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense let them down once again.
The Chiefs’ offensive woes resurfaced in their biggest game of the season as they managed to score only four field goals in their 20-12 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday. It was the first time in Andy Reid’s two-year reign as head coach that the Chiefs failed to score a single touchdown in a game.
To say that they picked the worst time to pull off such a feat would be the understatement of the year. The loss, their fourth in their last five games, means that Kansas City’s playoff fate is now out of their own hands. It isn’t enough that they beat San Diego in their last game. They would also need Cleveland and Jacksonville to score victories over Baltimore and Houston respectively this coming Sunday.
That would be a tall task indeed but at least the Chiefs still have a fighting chance of making the playoffs heading into the final week of the regular season. If they are to pull off the great escape, they will need to keep their end of the bargain first and defeat the Chargers this coming weekend.
Andy Reid will have to address Kansas City’s faltering offense, though. In their last four defeats, the Chiefs have managed to score an average of just 15.5 points per game. Their scoring woes were pretty much evident against Pittsburgh Sunday as they scored a paltry 12 points, their second-lowest output this season.
What was most disappointing for the Chiefs Sunday was their inability to convert their red zone opportunities. Prior to their game against Pittsburgh, the Chiefs were second in the league in scoring touchdowns while inside the red zone with a 67.5 percent clip. Surprisingly, they were 0-for-4 against the Steelers as they were repeatedly denied by Pittsburgh’s impressive defensive line.
The onus is on Jamaal Charles to improve on that mark and carry the scoring cudgels for the Chiefs in their final game of the season. Charles rushed for a paltry 29 yards on nine carries against the Steelers. That output is simply not enough for Kansas City’s struggling offense. He will need to attack San Diego’s defensive line that is seventh-worst in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing 125.0 yards per game.
The Chiefs are 5-1 SU/ATS in their last six home games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Chiefs edge past the Chargers but still bow out of the playoffs.
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