This game could have been quite interesting. The Broncos competing for the number one seed against the New England Patriots while the Chargers battle for better placement within the AFC seeding ranks. But then the Chargers decided it would be in their best interest to rest Justin Herbert and other key starters. A shame, really.

But I don’t blame them. Since re-alignment, a wildcard team has never hosted an NFL playoff game. The Chargers know they will be on the road regardless of seed and health is more important. So it’s our job now to dig through the rubble and figure out if there is a play to be made here with our predictions and picks!

Even if you just want to see the Chargers vs. Broncos odds and have Chargers vs. Broncos picks of your own, stick around so that you can also learn how to snag a $1,500 BetMGM Sportsbook sign up bonus!

 

 

 

Chargers vs. Broncos Predictions For Sunday 1:00 PM ET, NFL Week 18

These teams naturally play a ton. And, though the Broncos lead the series 73-58-1, the Chargers have gotten the best of them lately. They’ve won the last three matchups between the two teams, including earlier this year in September, 23-20. 

But there’s a reason we’ve arrived where we have. The Chargers finished with an 11-5 record, which included a loss last week to the Texans. The Broncos have been red hot with a 13-3 record, including a 7-1 record at home. They’ve already won the division and could cruise into the top seed in the AFC with a win here. 

Los Angeles Chargers: Resting Key Starters

Resting Justin Herbert with a broken hand is smart. But it’s not just him. They’ll also rest starting running back Omarion Hampton as well as lineman Jamaree Salyer. And that’s a chance they pull back on other key players as well as the game progresses. Jim Harbaugh said that the guys “with the most bruises” will be given a chance to rest up for the playoffs. 

And it won’t be much different on defense, starting with safety Elijah Molden who has dealt with a broken hand of his own as well as hamstring trouble. Molden is listed as doubtful, while Nikko Reed is listed as out already and I don’t expect either to play. Again, any one of these guys could be pulled mid game as well. 

Denver Broncos: Leaving Nothing To Chance

The reality of the Denver Broncos situation is that they would look like complete fools here if they lose this game. If that were to happen then they would very likely lose the one seed and the bye week, requiring them to play an elimination game next week. There’s no guarantee that their starters will play the entire game either if they get a big lead but they will certainly be playing to win from the start.

 

 

 

Chargers vs. Broncos Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines

As promised, the latest Chargers vs. Broncos vs. odds can be found below courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook:

 

 

 

Chargers vs. Broncos: Bo Nix Under 5.5 Rush Attempts (-135 at BetMGM Sportsbook)

With all the strangeness here, the sportsbooks aren’t really giving us much to work with. They’re obviously aware of Keenan Allen’s contract incentives and his comments on those as they aren’t given us any way to bet on him having six receptions and hitting his $1M bonus. If you’d like to see the incentives, milestones, and which teams are playing to win, I did a little write-up on that over here.

Let’s think about this 37.5 over/under combined with the 12.5 point spread. That not only means the Broncos should win easily here but the implied point total for the Chargers here is 12.5. That’s about as a low as they make them. 

I mentioned earlier that the dumbest thing the Broncos could do is somehow lose this game so that they have to win next week. But that seems unlikely. The second dumbest thing they could do is get their starting quarterback hurt right before playoffs. His over/under is set at 5.5 rushes which is a number he’s been under in four of the last six and six of the last nine anyway. So we’re willing to bet the Broncos coast in this one and keep their key players healthy too.

 

 

 

Chargers vs. Broncos Injury Report & Latest News

Finally, let’s take a quick look at the projected starting lineups for both teams heading into tonight’s matchup:

Los Angeles Chargers:

Denver Broncos:

 

 

 

How To Bet On Chargers vs. Broncos At BetMGM Sportsbook & Claim Your $1,500 Bonus With Promo Code ALARM

Now that you’re armed with our Chargers vs. Broncos predictions, let’s take you through the aforementioned $1,500 BetMGM sign up bonus. You’ll just need the BetMGM promo code ALARM when creating a new account, but our links and banners should have it filled in for you.

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You’ll either see your winnings hit your account, or if it loses, a full refund will be issued in bonus bets. It’s the best way to take advantage of our Chargers vs. Broncos predictions, and you can click here to activate our exclusive BetMGM promo code ALARM now!