Buffalo Bills vs San Diego Chargers Betting Preview
What a difference two months can make.
Both the Buffalo Bills and the San Diego Chargers were chugging their way into the postseason in early October with 4-1 records, but now both are well out of the playoff hunt nearing mid December, sporting identical 5-7 records.
Buffalo v San Diego
When: 4:15 PM ET, Sunday, December 11, 2011
Where: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
TV:CBS
LINE: -7 (San Diego) O/U 47.5
Still, Sunday’s battle will mean something to both teams as San Diego will try to salvage a train wreck of a season by beating up on an already deflated Bills squad that will be looking to avoid a sixth consecutive loss in a city where it hasn’t won in 30 years.
After starting the season 5-2, the bus ran off the cliff and the entire Buffalo fan base has felt the impact.
The Bills, who led the league in scoring over that span, averaging just under 33 points per game, have fallen well off the mark by putting up a meager 13.4 points during its five-game skid.
Sure, one can blame injuries to team MVP Fred Jackson, big nose tackle Kyle Williams, and several other players on the offensive line for the Bills dip in performance. But that still doesn’t excuse the poor execution from QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.
However, after throwing seven interceptions in a three-game stretch, Fitz been far better, throwing four TD passes in his last two outings. He needs only 163 passing yards to match last season’s career high of 3,000, but if the rest of the team can’t step it up, he could very well have to wait until next season. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Take for example Stevie Johnson dropping the potential game-winning touchdown with seconds to play against the Jests, or C.J. Spiller’s fumble in the end zone last week in the Bills loss to the Titans. Of course, the officials ruled that Spiller recovered the ball in the end zone for the touchdown during the relay review, but it’s that kind of sloppy play that has landed the Bills near the bottom floor in the AFC East.
The same kind that will allow the Chargers to manhandle the Bills on their home turf.
The Bolts should be in a better frame of mind after ending their own six-game losing streak by dismantling Jacksonville 38-14 on Monday night.
Quarterback Phillip Rivers, who’s had a disappointing season (19 TD, 17 INT), threw three touchdown passes, as San Diego scored the final 28 points to pull within two games of co-AFC West leaders Denver and Oakland.
San Diego matched its best offensive output of the season in blowing out the Jaguars, thanks in part to RB Ryan Mathews’ second straight 100-yard game.
Matt’ s Prediction: San Diego 34 , Buffalo 24–
San Diego has an NFL-best 19-1 record over the final four weeks of a season since 2006, and will be looking to avoid their first four-game home losing streak since 2001.
I just don’t see how Buffalo, which last won at San Diego in December 1981, and has dropped five straight road games, can shut down a San Diego offense that if clicking can be a scoring machine.
I expect the Bolts to keep their faint playoff hopes alive with another December surge.
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