Denver at L.A. Chargers
Time: 3:05 PM CT
Spread: LAC -7.5
Total: 47

Odds c/o 5dimes

The Los Angeles Chargers are 7-2 and in second place in the AFC West. It trails 9-1 Kansas City by 1.5 games and will be 7.5-point favorites Sunday on CBS against the visiting Denver Broncos. The over/under is set at 47 points according to NFL Oddsmakers at 5dimes.

The Chargers have won six straight games since its week 3 loss to the Rams. Wins over San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks, and Oakland a second time have been enough to improve the record to 7-2, but the Chiefs are hot atop the AFC West.

LAC

Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers is having yet another huge season with 2,459 yards on 67.3 percent passing. He has 21 TD passes and just four interceptions while averaging 264.9 yards per game. Rivers has also incurred just 12 sacks in nine games, which is a good mark. His top receiver has been Keenan Allen, who has caught 687 yards on 53 catches with two TDs and a team-high 32 first downs. Tyrell Williams is the No. 2 receiver with 497 yards on 26 catches (19.1 yards per catch) and a team-high 10 receptions for 20-yards or more.

Melvin Gordon, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler have each added 361, 338, and 246 yards respectively. The Chargers have 21 reception TDs but just seven via the rush. Leading rusher Melvin Gordon has all seven rushing TDs as well as a team-high 672 yards, and he averages 5.4 yards-per-carry. Ekeler is No. 2 in rushing yardage with 345 yards, and No. 3 on the team is wide receiver Keenan Allen with 74 yards on four random rush plays run for him. The Chargers are not a major threat via the rush, but Gordon is effective.

DEN

The Denver Broncos have lost two straight to fall to 3-6 on the season. Case Keenum has broken out in a major way with 2,400 yards on 63.6 percent passing. He has 11 TD passes, but he has thrown 10 interceptions and has a passer rating of just 83.9. Phillip Lindsay is the No. 1 rusher with 591 yards on 110 attempts with five rushes for 20-yards or more and three TDs. Royce Freeman leads the team in rushing TDs (4) but averages just 4.4 yards-per-carry on his 71 attempts.

Keenum has not been too successful rushing just nine times for 35 yards on this season. His No. 1 receiver has been Emmanuel Sanders who has 707 yards and three TDs and a team-high 28 first downs. Demaryius Thomas has 402 yards and three TDs, and Cortland Sutton has 381 yards on 20 catches. Four others have 100 yards or more on the season. Broncos kicker Brandon McManus has hit 13 of 16 FGs with all three of his misses coming beyond 50 yards. He is 22 of 22 on PATs. Punters Colby Wadman and Marquette King each average 43.3 yards and 44.1 yards, respectively, per punt.

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