NFL Football Betting: Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers

Thursday night football action serves up an AFC West divisional battle between the Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers. The Broncos are 4-1 on the year and in a first place tie with the Oakland Raiders. They’re coming off their first loss of the year dropping a 23-16 decision at home against the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday. The San Diego Chargers are 1-4 on the season and in last place in the division. They’ve lost three start though all have been close games with their last two losses coming by a combined total of four points.

San Diego is a tough team to figure on a number of levels but the reason for their recent struggles are fairly obvious. They’ve got a one dimensional offense putting up only 145 yards of rushing in their past three games. Granted, they’ve always been a passing oriented team but that still doesn’t justify a completely inept running game. The Chargers have also been turning the ball over way too much with 10 in the past three games. Given the narrow margins in the Chargers’ losses these turnovers could have spelled the difference between winning and losing.

The Broncos defense turned in their worst performance of the season in the loss to Atlanta but have otherwise been very solid this year. They didn’t do much to help Paxton Lynch in his NFL starting debut, however, leaving him to get sacked six times. The latest word is that starter Trevor Siemian will be back here but head coach Gary Kubiak definitely won’t be. Kubiak has been ordered to step away from the team after a medical issue described as a ‘complex migraine condition’. Special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis will be his proxy on an interim basis. Team offensive and defensive coordinators Rick Dennison and Wade Phillips have remained in their usual roles which should provide for greater continuity this week.

The Broncos are 10-2 SU/8-4 ATS against divisional foes over the past three years and there’s every reason to think that they’ll be highly focused off the loss to Atlanta. The Chargers are just 9-9 SU/6-12 ATS L3 at home and a brutal 1-10 SU against opponents with winning records though they are 5-6 ATS. A prideful Broncos team will likely play hard for their absent head coach and get back on the winning track.

BET DENVER BRONCOS -3 OVER SAN DIEGO CHARGERS