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Prepare to be invaded LA. Home games have been anything but for the Los Angeles Chargers now that they have left San Diego. They are playing in a 30,000 seat soccer stadium in a city that didn’t really want them in the first place and have failed to draw any significant interest. In their last home game, Eagles fans outnumbered Chargers fans and the game felt like it was being played in West Philadelphia. The Denver Broncos are sure to bring a lot of fans to the City of Angels this week in another game that may as well be played in a smaller version of Mile High.
This contest in Week 7 of the regular season will go down Sunday, October 22, 2017, at 4:25 p.m. ET at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. The game will be broadcast on CBS.
Odds Analysis
Odds have not yet opened in this game because of an injury suffered by Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian in their loss to the previously winless Giants last week. Siemian hurt his left shoulder and although he finished the game against Big Blue, he is questionable for this game. If he can’t go, Brock Osweiler will likely get the start for the Broncos.
Key Injuries
It’s been a tale of two Siemian’s this season. The bad Siemian is inaccurate early and then has to play from behind. That has been the case in both of Denver’s losses. Early interceptions have meant that Siemian has had to keep digging the hole even deeper and he is less efficient the more he has to throw.
In Siemian’s two losses, he has thrown the ball 90 times, but in the three wins he has thrown the ball 86 times. Less is more has been the case with Siemian and while that’s great when you can run the ball and play good defense, it makes it hard to come from behind.
The other key injury for Denver is Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders has already been ruled out for this game and without him, either Siemian or Osweiler will have to find a new receiver to throw to underneath.
Matchup to Watch
Denver has the best run defense in the NFL according to Football Outsiders, but can be beat through the air. The Broncos have a middle of the pack pass defense, which is a bit surprising when you consider who their cornerbacks are.
That’s an area that Philip Rivers and Keenan Allen might be able to exploit. Allen has proven to be worthy of the extension he signed with the team in the offseason, and already has 446 receiving yards in 2017. Rivers targets him a ton and he only has a 55 percent catch rate, but he is the most reliable option on this team.
Free ATS Pick
These teams have already met once this season. LA traveled to Denver for its season opener and came close to knocking off the Broncos then. Rivers rallied the team from a 24-7 fourth quarter deficit and they had a chance to tie the game late with a Younghoe Koo field goal. However, Koo’s field goal attempt was blocked and that gave Denver the win.
The spread in this one should be within three points based on how these teams have performed this year. While Denver is playing better, LA is technically playing at home and that means the Chargers don’t have to deal with the rigors of travel.
Assuming the Chargers aren’t favored by more than three points, jump on LA here. Siemian is getting roasted in the local media and Denver might be getting ready to make a change at quarterback. Despite their record, the Chargers haven’t been that bad and can pick up a win here.
NFL Odds: Chargers 26, Broncos 23
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