NFL Sportsbook – AFC West Pretenders Close it Out – Chargers versus Broncos

Two teams that have let the NFL Sportsbook experts down this season square off in what will be their last game of the 2010-2011 season. Both the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos have underwhelmed this season and shockingly, it has only cost one coach their job.

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (8-7) vs. DENVER BRONCOS (4-11)
Sunday, January 2, 4:15 PM ET
INVESCO Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
Broadcast: CBS

NFL Sportsbook Lines:

San Diego: -3 ½ (-105)
Denver: +3 ½ (-115)

Total: 47 ½ points

The NFL Sportsbook will have to wrestle with realization that motivation is gone for the Chargers for the first time in a game in five seasons. Philip Rivers doesn’t know the meaning of a meaningless game but unfortunately, this one is.

The Chargers have said that Rivers will start and guide the league’s 3rd best passing offense in the NFL (282.40 yards per game). Unfortunately, Mike Tolbert, Antonio Gates, Malcolm Floyd and Patrick Crayton are likely to sit. Rivers has a chance at the passing title this season – he should be motivated to go regardless of who he is throwing to.

The 17th ranked running game (109.73 yards per game) has looked better. Ryan Mathews is as healthy as he’s been and should shoulder the load on Sunday.

The San Diego defense – don’t worry about them. They are the #1 pass defense and the #2 run defense in the NFL. They are more than adequate to stop the banged up and schizophrenic Broncos.

The Denver Broncos have had their NFL Sportsbook luck change around since they inserted Tim Tebow as quarterback. Tebow looks like that spark that the Broncos needed after looking totally outclassed in a few games. Denver still has the 7th ranked passing offense (256.47 yards per game) in the NFL but will be seriously challenged by a superb San Diego team this week.

Knowshon Moreno is very questionable to start this week so the already bad run offense (28th ranked – 93.20 yards per game) becomes a whole lot worse.

Another key injury is that of Champ Bailey who may not play this weekend. He is the only good thing in a defense that is 25th ranked against the pass (233.13 yards per game) and is 31st versus the run (153.93 yards per game). To think that this unit, minus Champ Bailey, is going to stop Philip Rivers is lunacy.

NFL Sportsbook Outlook:

The San Diego Chargers are 6-2 SU in their last eight games. They are 2-5 SU and ATS in their last seven games on the road and are just 5-18 SU in their last 23 trips to Denver. Overall, the Chargers are 7-2 SU and 7-1-1 ATS in their last nine games against the Broncos.

The Denver Broncos are 1-5 SU in their last six games and are 3-8 ATS in their last 11. At home they are 2-4 SU in their last six and 7-15-1 ATS in their last 23 games. At home the Broncos are 18-5 SU in their last 23 against San Diego and are 0302 ATS in their last five versus the Chargers.

As long as Philip Rivers is playing in this game, I can’t count out the Chargers. It’s true that they have lost more than their share of games this year, but the Chargers are at or near the top of every offensive and defensive category. Somehow, the Chargers are out of the playoffs. Against the Broncos, they will prove why they should be in.

NFL Sportsbook Pick: San Diego Chargers -3 ½ 

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