Broncos vs. Chargers TNF Predictions & Player Props: A Rivalry Matchup for AFC Playoff Seeding

• The Chargers beat the Broncos 23-16 in Week 6

• A Chargers win would move them to sixth in the AFC

• A Broncos win would put them fifth in the AFC until at least Sunday 

The Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers are both fighting for playoff position when they meet in an AFC West rivalry showdown on Thursday Night Football.

The Broncos, one of the surprises of the NFL, are the projected sixth seed in the AFC standings, tied with the Baltimore Ravens and one game ahead of the seventh-seeded Chargers. If LA wins they will move into the sixth spot and control the head-to-head tiebreaker, having already beaten Denver 23-16 in Week 6.

The magnitude of this matchup makes it one of the best TNF matchups of the season, and we’re here to share our favorite Broncos vs. Chargers betting picks.

Broncos vs. Chargers Odds 

Odds for the Broncos vs Chargers matchup are provided by FanDuel Sportsbook, where new users can receive $150 in bonus bets after placing and winning a $5 wager.

Broncos vs. Chargers Predictions 

The Broncos already exceeded expectations in Sean Payton’s second year in charge and quarterback Bo Nix’s rookie campaign. They had a projected win total of 5.5 wins during the offseason and were +15000 to win the Super Bowl. 

A few months later, they’re 9-5 with +4400 Super Bowl odds. They also won four straight games and essentially cemented a trip to the playoffs by beating the Indianapolis Colts 31-13 last week.

Denver’s success largely came on the back of the defense, which leads the NFL in EPA per play and allowed the joint-fewest points per game (17.6). It also held its opponents to the second-fewest yards per play.

Everything hasn’t been as straightforward on offense. Nix has made his fair share of plays, but he’s also 23rd in QBR, 26th in EPA+CPOE (completion percentage over expected), and threw five interceptions in his last two games. He went 19/33 for 216 yards, two TDs and an INT in his only previous meeting with the Chargers. 

On the other side, the Chargers have become extremely reliant on their defense and Justin Herbert’s raw talent to win games. Jim Harbaugh, fresh off of a national championship at the University of Michigan, instituted a number of positive changes as soon as he arrived on the West Coast, but his team is still flawed.

LA’s biggest hindrance is injuries. Herbert already had very few weapons to work with and now has even fewer, which is a major reason why he has three touchdowns in his last four games and did not throw for three touchdowns in a single game this season.

The Chargers defense led the NFL in points allowed by a wide margin until it surrendered 40 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend. It is now tied with the Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles at 17.6 points allowed per game. 

Broncos vs. Chargers My Pick

• My Pick: Chargers Spread at -2.5 (-115) via FanDuel

It’s tough for any team, much less one led by a rookie quarterback, to face a division rival in primetime on the road and on a short week of rest. Denver has the best record in the NFL against the spread (11-3), but Nix also did his best to lose the game last week with three terrible ealy interceptions.

LA’s previous win against Denver and their contextual advantages give us enough confidence to take them on the spread since they don’t have to lay a full field goal. 

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Broncos vs. Chargers Best Player Props

Bo Nix to Throw an Interception  (-140 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

Nix did not demonstrate good control of his passes in his last two outings, throwing five interceptions in eight quarters. He also threw a pick in his previous matchup with the Chargers and has to face Harbaugh, one of the best defensive minds in football. 

Chargers opponents throw one interception per game (fourth) and at the fifth-highest rate of any team in football. Being on the road in primetime and having to deal with lots of pressure is tough for a rookie, and Nix should make at least one big mistake in this game.

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Justin Herbert Over 20.5 Completions (-108 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

Hertber recorded 21 completions in three of his last four games and in his last meeting with the Broncos (clearly, 21 must be his favorite number). The Broncos also rank 26th with an average of 22.9 completions allowed per game.  

With LA’s piling injuries, particularly in the running back room, Herbert is going to need to throw the ball. Harbaugh has allowed him to cut losses in recent months, and we expect more of the same.  

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Devaughn Vele Over 31.5 Receiving Yards (-113 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

Vele did not record a catch last week and, naturally, finished with no receiving yards. He also only caught one pass for 16 yards in the week before, which means that this is the perfect time to buy low and sell high.

Vele is second among Broncos receivers in receptions, targets, and yards. He went over this line in half of his games and had four catches for 78 yards the last time he played the Chargers, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him targeted early.

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Broncos vs. Chargers How to Watch

• When: Thursday, Dec. 19 at 8:15 p.m. ET

• Where: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA

• Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video

Broncos vs. Chargers Best Promos and Sportsbooks

The Chargers are favored by 2.5 points at all major NFL sportsbooks except for ESPN Bet, where Broncos bettors can find them for +3 (-120).

Chargers bettors will find the best deal at BetRivers, where they are -2.5 (-114).

Anyone who bets at FanDuel Sportsbook can win $150 in bonus bets with a winning $5 wager. Find the full overview of the TNF FanDuel Promo Code for Broncos vs Chargers, right here!

As for more NFL betting promos, have a look in the table below.

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Broncos vs. Chargers Injuries

Broncos Injuries

• Jaleel McLaughlin (RB) - Questionable (quadriceps)

• Riley Moss (CB) - Questionable (knee)

• D.J. Jones (DT) - Questionable (finger)

• John Franklin-Myers (DE) - Questionable (foot)

• Delarrin Turner-Yell (S) - Out (knee)

• Alex Singleton (LB) - Out (knee)

Chargers Injuries

• Will Dissly (TE) - Questionable (shoulder)

• Zion Johnson (G) - Questionable (ankle)

• Otito Ogbonnia (DT) - Questionable (pelvis)

• Cam Hart (CB) - Questionable (concussion)

• Elijah Molden (CB) - Questionable (knee)

• J.K. Dobbins (RB) - Out (knee)

• Eli Apple (CB) - Out (hamstring)

• Asante Samuel Jr. (CB) - Out (shoulder)

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