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The Los Angeles Chargers head north to Santa Clara Sunday night, opposing the San Francisco 49ers. Both teams are coming off victories. The 49ers are favored by 7½ points (total at 45½), according to NFL odds.
Chargers Stalking Chiefs
The Los Angeles Chargers are on a two-game winning streak, and a game behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West. Los Angeles has made a habit of keeping it close. In the Chargers’ last three wins, they haven’t won any by more than a field goal. The Chargers need to find a way to put games away. It will be a huge challenge Sunday night.
LA is getting some sneaky support to win the AFC, priced at 14-1, or +1400, as per NFL conference odds.
So, how good are the Chargers? Their five wins have all come against teams with losing records. LA surrenders the third-most points in the NFL per game, and need to find a way to limit a San Francisco offense with weapons in Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel.
Los Angeles can hang its hat on the passing game, fourth in yards per game. Justin Herbert continues to progress into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. One of the biggest issues with Los Angeles is the health of wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams.
Niners and Winning Record
The San Francisco 49ers, back after their bye, ought to be feeling a lot better after the last game. Having lost games in a row, they defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 24-9. It was their first win after their trade-deadline overhauls. Currently at 4-4, teetering as a playoff team, beating the Bolts would provide a victory over a good team while getting them closer to the NFC West lead.
They haven’t been able to string more than two wins together thus far. However, with the addition of running back Christian McCaffrey, the Niners may have found balance to their team that would make them a force in the season’s second half. San Francisco is 15th in rushing yards per game, and the Chargers figure to be a tough test.
Defensively, San Francisco is a juggernaut, allowing the sixth-fewest points per game at 18.4, are stingiest in yards allowed per game, and has the best run defense in the league. Charger running back Austin Ekeler goes against a unit averaging less than 90 rush yards per game. If the offensive line is not working, edge rusher Nick Bosa could have a massive game against LA.
Bolt Boys In Nail Biter
LA’s defense really struggles against high-powered offenses, and San Francisco’s if getting better as the season enters the second half. This is going to be close, as the Chargers have been accustomed. Seven-and-a-half seems to be a lot of points Take the Bolts.
The under is also the selection, as the 49ers will be trying to shrink the game to keepo Herbert off the field. There’s been more to the Charger offense than San Francisco’s this season, even though LA has done its damage against some bad teams.
