Los Angeles Chargers at Atlanta Falcons Betting Preview
Sunday afternoon features a battle of AFC versus NFC as the Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) take on the Atlanta Falcons (4-4). The Falcons will host this one at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 pm ET.
In their last game, the Chargers dropped a home game 37-23 to the Seattle Seahawks. In the loss, Justin Herbert threw for 293 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Austin Ekeler had 12 receptions, 96 yards, and a touchdown through the air, but he also just had 31 rushing yards on the ground.
The Falcons won their last game in overtime 37-34 over the Carolina Panthers. Marcus Mariota threw for 253 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions. On the ground, Caleb Huntley led the way with 16 rushes for 91 yards.
The Chargers are the slight favorites despite playing on the road. They are -158 to win, while the Falcons’ moneyline sits at +134. The spread features Atlanta +3 (-110), and the over/under for total points is 49.5.
Chargers Look To Regroup Off Of Bye Week
After a disappointing home loss to the Seahawks, Los Angeles is trying to regroup as they enjoyed their bye week last week. With two weeks to prepare, the Chargers will look to get back in the win column on the road, where they are 2-1 to this point.
Leading the offense under center is quarterback Justin Herbert. In seven games, he has thrown for 2,009 yards, 12 touchdowns, and four interceptions. As a testament to the offensive line, he has also been sacked just ten times on the year.
One of the best weapons for the Chargers’ offense is running back Austin Ekeler. He has rushed 84 times for 380 yards and five touchdowns. Through the air, he has 61 receptions for 357 yards and another three scores.
Unfortunately for Chargers’ fans, Mike Williams is out for this one (ankle), and Keenan Allen is doubtful (hamstring).
Defensively, the Chargers have struggled this year. They rank 31st in the league, allowing opponents 27 points per game.
Falcons Look To Stay Atop NFC South
In a bit of a shocker, the Atlanta Falcons currently lead the NFC South despite having just a 4-4 record. With both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints struggling, the Falcons will look to pick up another win at home Sunday, where they are 3-1 on the season.
Marcus Mariota leads a Falcons’ offense that ranks sixth in scoring, averaging 25 points per game. On the season, he has thrown for 1,432 yards, ten touchdowns, and six interceptions.
Mariota’s favorite target thus far has been Drake London. The wide receiver has 30 receptions for 346 yards and two touchdowns.
On the ground, Cordarrelle Patterson leads the way with 340 yards and three touchdowns in four games. Patterson has been dealing with a knee injury, but he is probably for Sunday’s contest.
On the defensive side, the Falcons have also struggled. They rank 29th in scoring defense, allowing 25.6 points per game.
Take The Falcons And The Points
On paper, this looks like a game that the Chargers should win, but their inconsistent play has been concerning. It also doesn’t help they will be without their two top receivers, despite playing a team that has been almost as bad as they are on the defensive side.
Looking at the trends, the Chargers are 2-6 in their last eight games against Atlanta, and they are 1-10 against the spread in their last 11 November games.
For the Falcons, they are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight games, and they are 4-2 overall in their last six games.
Expect a shootout in this one, but it would not be surprising for this one to stay close throughout. For that reason, take Atlanta at +3 (-11) playing at home.
The OVER 49.5 points (-110) is also an interesting bet, as the OVER has hit in four of the last five Chargers’ games and six of the last nine Falcons’ games.
