Los Angeles Chargers are set to welcome the Kansas City Chiefs to the SoFi Stadium in this week’s huge Thursday Night Football clash, and our betting expert is on hand to provide some free NFL Picks for the game, as well as details on a $1,000 welcome bonus at BetOnline
- NFL – Los Angeles Chargers vs Kansas City Chiefs
- Thursday, December 16 at SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
- The game begins at 20:20 EST
- Broadcast live on FOX Sports
A game that’s likely to have big implications on the race to clinch AFC West divisional honors is set for Thursday night when the 9-4 Kansas City Chiefs travel to the sunshine state to duke it out with division rival the 8-5 Los Angeles Chargers.
For the latest odds available at BetOnline, a full betting preview, up to date team news, and our selection of NFL Picks for the game, read on:
Chargers vs Chiefs Odds
Below are the latest NFL odds for Los Angeles Chargers vs Kansas City Cheifs as seen on BetOnline on Wednesday, December 8.
As always, our betting picks are highlighted in bold (odds subject to change).
| Game Lines | Chargers | Chiefs |
| Moneyline | +166 | -191 |
| Spread | +4 (-105) | -4 (-115) |
| Total Points | U51.0 (-105) | O51.0 (-115) |
| NFL Picks on the Prop Market: Chiefs up by -2.5 points at the end of the first half | n/a | -125 |
Click here to bet on Chargers vs Chiefs at BetOnline
Chargers vs Chiefs Preview
In recent weeks, only fellow AFC Conference contenders the New England Patriots can hold a torch to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Pats have won seven successive games. The Chiefs have won six in a row as both teams have risen to the top of their divisions and now look set to be on a crash course for a mouth-watering playoff clash.
Last up for the Chiefs were the Las Vegas Raiders. Andy Reed’s team wiped the floor with the AFC West’s bottom side, winning 48-9. Led by the always-excellent Patrick Mahomes (20/24, 258-yards & 2 TDs) at quarterback and backed up by the RedZone prowess of returning sophomore RB Clyde Edwards Helaire (2 TDs), the Kansas offense put on a show for the home crowd at the Arrowhead.
But it was the play of the defense that stole the headlines once again. Combined, the Kansas D chalked up four sacks on Raiders QB Derek Carr, Tyrann Mathieu picked him off, and the Chiefs forced/recovered four fumbles, including one that was taken to the endzone early in the first quarter by Mike Hughes. With the defense now playing the kind of football that you’d expect from a team tipped to go all the way to the Super Bowl before we ever kicked off for Week-1, the Chiefs have rapidly risen back into the Lombardi conversation as likely favorites to hoist the trophy come February.
Fitting then that the Chiefs should be visiting the home of the 2021/22 Super Bowl, the SoFi Stadium, this Thursday night to face off against the one team still probably capable of spoiling their push for AFC West divisional honors, the LA Chargers.
The Chargers have been in good form themselves of late. Led by the excellent Justin Herbert at quarterback, L.A. has picked up big wins in three of their last four games against the likes of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, and, most recently, the New York Giants in a game that the Chargers won 37-21.
Against the Giants, Justin Herbert had himself a career day, finishing up with 23/31 for 275-yards and three touchdowns, including one of the highlight passes of the year that rainbow arched some 60-yards straight into the hands of WR Jalen Guyton in the endzone.
On the year, the Chargers boast the NFL’s sixth-ranked offense in terms of yards per game (385.2 YPG) and the league’s tenth best offense for point scored per game, averaging 27.0 PPG. Defensively, things haven’t been quite so great for Brandon Staley’s team: the Chargers rank fourth in the NFL for passing yards against per game (207.3 YAPG) but it’s against the run where things haven’t been so great, with L.A. ceding 140.7 YAPG on the ground, a stat that’s only good enough to see the Chargers ranked 31st in the league.
The Chiefs match up well against the Chargers, especially now that Edwards-Helaire is back in action and backup RBs Darrell Williams and Derrick Gore seem to have found their feet. Combined with Mahomes’ ability to scramble for extra yards, expect to see the Chiefs pound the ball up the middle more often than usual against a below-par Chargers run defense.
The Chiefs can also lay claim to the NFL’s fourth best-ranked offense for yards per game (389.6 YPG) and the sixth-best passing attack, averaging 277.9 YPG. The defensive stats on the year are strangely irrelevant given the recent upturn in form we’ve seen in both the Kansas secondary and pass rush. Besides which, the likes of Frank Clark and Tyrann Mathieu are a high-impact bunch, and, after amassing another five vs Raiders on Sunday, the Chiefs now rank sixth in the NFL for takeaways with 23.
In short, don’t sleep on the Chiefs D – they are back in business!
Chargers vs Chiefs Team News
The Kansas offense will be without WR Josh Gordon and RT Lucas Niang for the trip to L.A. On the defense, RDT Derrick Nnadi, LB Nick Bolton, and CBs Rashad Fenton & L’Jarius Sneed are expected to miss out, too.
As for the Chargers, head coach Brandon Staley is hopeful of having leading WR Keenan Allen back in action assuming he passes his COVID check. This is great news for Chargers fans, especially with the likes of RB Austin Ekeler and big WR Mike Williams currently listed as questionable to feature. TE Jared Cook and LT Rashawn Slater are the other injury doubts for the Chargers’ offense.
On Renaldo Hill’s defense, NT Linval Joseph, rookie CB Asante Samuel Jr., and DE Justin Jones are questionable to feature vs Chiefs and will be game-time decisions for coach Staley. Plus, the one man you definitely don’t want missing when Mahomes comes to town and arguably the league’s best SS, Derwin James Jr., is likely to miss out again with a hamstring injury.
NFL Picks: Chargers vs Chiefs
First and foremost, we’re excited to watch a game that will feature two of the 2021 NFL season’s best gunslingers when Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert go head-to-head for the second time this season.
Herbert did win the first dual with Mahomes when the Chargers eked out a surprise 30-24 win on the road at the Arrowhead stadium back in week-4. But this Chiefs defense has come on such a lot since then that it’s hard to read too much into that result anymore.
In fact, in the 10 games played since the Chiefs D averages just 17.3 points against. Plus, in the last five games, that number is down at 9.6 PAPG!
Chargers won’t lay down easy but, on current form, it’s hard not to take the Chiefs – especially not if they get their run game going again come Thursday night.
Prediction: Kansas City win and cover
Click here to bet on the Chiefs to beat the -4 spread (-115) at BetOnline
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