A critical matchup will be heading our way in Week 17 as the Los Angeles Chargers host the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium. Both teams suffered gut-wrenching defeats in Week 16, sending the Chargers and the Broncos outside the playoff picture. Who will reign supreme in this AFC West clash? Here's a preview of the Broncos vs Chargers showdown.
Denver Broncos installed as +6.5 underdogs
Denver stumbled to its second straight defeat in Week 16, losing 17-13 to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Vic Fangio's men are now in danger of missing the playoffs as they dropped to 13th place in the AFC standings with a 7-8 record.
The good news for Denver fans is that the Broncos are not far off from the teams holding the wild card spots in the AFC. They trail the Miami Dolphins by just a single game heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.
The Broncos struggled to put some points on the board in Week 16 with their starting quarterback sidelined due to a concussion. Denver sorely missed the services of Teddy Bridgewater, racking up just 158 total yards in the loss to Las Vegas.
Drew Lock failed to impress in his emergency start, completing 15 of 22 passes for 153 yards with no touchdowns and interceptions. Bridgewater again missed practice this week as he remained in the team's concussion protocol. All signs point to Lock being the Broncos' starter once again in their must-win game against the Chargers.
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Los Angeles Chargers enter Week 17 as -6.5 favorites
The Los Angeles Chargers crashed to their second consecutive loss with a humiliating 41-29 defeat at the hands of the lowly Houston Texans. They had no answer for Rex Burkhead, who ran for a career-high 149 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.
It was a costly defeat for the Chargers, who dropped out of the playoff picture with the heavy loss. They are currently in ninth place in the AFC standings with an 8-7 record. The good news for the Chargers is that they share the same record as the Miami Dolphins, who hold the last AFC wild card spot heading into Week 17.
Help is on the way for the Chargers, with lead running back Austin Ekeler activated off the team's reserve/COVID-19 list. Ekeler missed the game against the Texans after testing positive for the coronavirus. This season, he leads Los Angeles with 789 rushing yards and has 17 total touchdowns in 2021. Ten of his touchdowns have come on the ground.
Also returning to the Chargers lineup for Week 17 are center Corey Linsley, edge rusher Joey Bosa, receiver Jalen Guyton, defensive back Trey Marshall, and cornerback Kemon Hall. Bosa's return is vital for the Chargers after the Texans' running backs gashed their defensive line in Week 16.
Houston entered Sunday's game against the Chargers with the 32nd-ranked rushing offense but still managed to put up 189 yards on the ground. That needs to change for LA if they are to record the win against Denver.
Writer's Prediction
LA wins and covers the spread.
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