NFL: CHARGERS TOUGH OUT AT HOME
The San Diego Chargers won its last four games to take the AFC West, but they’re a pick’em at home against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night.
Indianapolis is a one-point road favorite and the Over/Under is 51. In addition to the game and Total wagering, we also have our Primetime Prop for this contest.
Pick the ‘First Scoring Play’ prop for this game and if it hits, and the same scoring play occurs again any time in the third quarter, your winnings will be doubled, up to $100.00 for this specific prop. San Diego averages an impressive 6.2 yards per play offensively. The Chargers are also 19-8 versus AFC foes under Norv Turner, including 3-1 ATS in the playoffs. However, Indy head coach Tony Dungy is 19-4 versus teams exceeding 6.0 yards per play.
These teams have become familiar foes, playing five times since 2004, all decided by nine points or less. That includes a 28-24 road win by the Chargers in last year’s playoffs as a double digit dog. In those games, San Diego is 3-2 straight-up and 4-1 ATS.
San Diego entered December with a 4-8 record but won their last four regular-season games to capture the AFC West crown for a third straight year and enter the playoffs as one of the most dangerous .500 teams in NFL history.
Last Sunday night they took a winner-take-all game against visiting Denver, 52-21, behind quarterback Philip Rivers’ 33rd and 34th touchdown passes and LaDainian Tomlinson’s three rushing scores. Two of Rivers’ touchdowns and 288 of his 4,009 yards came in San Diego’s 23-20 home loss to the Colts in Week 12.
Indianapolis (12-4) rolls into the playoffs winners of nine in a row. They took advantage of a weak schedule down the stretch, beating Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit and Jacksonville in the weeks following their victory over the Chargers.
Quarterback Peyton Manning emerged as a leading MVP candidate and surpassed 4,000 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and it’s unlikely the visitors will escape with a win without a huge performance from him.
Manning is getting little help from the running game. Only Arizona managed fewer yards on the ground than Indianapolis, which averaged less than 80 yards per game rushing and 3.5 yards per carry.
Joseph Addai scored only three times over the last 12 games (he missed four with injuries) and may not get his number called as much as backfield mate Dominic Rhodes, who had nine touchdowns.
The Colts had 91 rushing yards on 23 attempts in the regular-season meeting and Manning completed 32 of 44 passes and set up Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning 51-yard field goal.
Similar plays might be necessary if the Indianapolis defense struggles like it did against the Lions and Jaguars. San Diego’s passing offense ranks 7th overall, and there’s always the threat of Tomlinson and elusive backup Darren Sproles.
While Manning picked apart the Chargers’ defense for 730 yards and five touchdowns in two games a year ago, he was intercepted eight times. The Bolts are lucky to be here, but they’ve gone toe-to-toe with the Colts more than once and will be a tough out.
