Los Angeles Chargers vs. Denver Broncos Odds & Game Pick (2020)
Justin Herbert versus Drew Lock has the potential to be the start of a heated AFC rivalry. Both young signal-callers appear to be the future of their franchises and are part of ascending offenses with franchise cornerstones in place on the other side of the ball. This contest could be the start of something special.
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LAC
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-3.5
-105
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o44.5
-110
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-182
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DEN
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+3.5
-115
|
u44.5
-110
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+155
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Overview
The Los Angeles Chargers are 2-4 on the season, but their future is looking bright. Derwin James being lost for the season always suggested that the Chargers would not be the force many had hoped for this season, as Tyrod Taylor would not be able to carry them to wins. Justin Herbert taking over under center has given them a quarterback who can win them games, but the run game and defense will need to get healthy before the Chargers can look to make a true push in 2021. The rest of this season will be spent trying to improve with the players on hand as the team evaluates what holes they will need to prioritize this offseason. When healthy, Los Angeles has exciting potential, but one has to wonder if Chargers fans even want them to win more games this season. With blue chip prospects on the line, the desire to win games will need to be balanced with an eye on putting the best team possible on the field for future seasons.
The Denver Broncos suffered the same fate as the Los Angeles Chargers with their star defensive player being lost for the season before it even began. They have dealt with injuries throughout the roster, and have spent most of the season without top receiver Courtland Sutton. They are 2-4 on the season and are likely already in evaluation mode. They have little chance at making the postseason and will need to decide which players to carry over to the 2021 version of the roster. Drew Lock will likely need to show improvement for the Broncos to avoid bringing in talented competition. A win against the Chargers would go a long way until turning Drew Lock’s uneven season around, as he has been a shell of himself since returning from injury.
Trends
- Chargers are 4-0-1 ATS in their last five road contests
- Broncos are 5-1 ATS in their last six contests against teams with losing records
- Over is 6-1 in the Chargers last seven road contests
- Over is 4-1 in the Broncos last five contests against teams with losing records
- Over is 5-1 in the Chargers last five contests in Denver
Prop Bets
Justin Herbert over 252.5 passing yards (-110)
Justin Herbert has been spectacular this season. He has had one of the hottest starts ever for a rookie quarterback from a passing yardage perspective and weather permitting should be one of the highest probability prop plays for Week 8. He has averaged 308.4 passing yards and has thrown for more than 264 passing yards in each of his starts this season. I am not sure why Vegas refuses to believe in Herbert, but until they do, let’s continue to cash. It is however imperative to wait until closer to kickoff to plug this in, as the game being played in Denver could mean that we see inclement weather conditions affect the game for the second week in a row at Mile High.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned above, Justin Herbert has looked the part of a franchise quarterback, and he has just played five games. Perhaps things change when the league gets enough tape on him to learn to stop him, but for now, he looks like a future top-12 talent. The Denver Broncos are still a tough challenge despite their injuries, but with Drew Lock struggling, the Los Angeles Chargers pass rush is not the tonic to cure what ails him. It could be a long afternoon for the Broncos offensive line and Drew Lock, who has taken five sacks and threw four picks over the last two weeks alone. The Chargers are the easy pick based on form, but as we know, divisional battles are never that cut-and-dry. This may turn out to be a more competitive game than one would assume, and the weather could play a major factor. Keep it to one unit, but the Chargers are the play for Week 8 at BetMGM.
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Raju, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyContext.