Chargers Seahawks Betting – Rivers, Defense Leads Chargers On The Road
Sports betting players know that San Diego is a tough team to beat away from home, and that’s why the Chargers are a favorite on Sunday when they head to Seattle to face the Seahawks, who were beaten by another AFC West team last week. The Seahawks will play better at home, but a strong quarterback and a pesky defense will power the Chargers.
- What: NFL betting
- When: Sunday, September 26th, 4:15 PM ET
- Where: Qwest Field, Seattle, WA
- Pick: San Diego Chargers -5.5
What’s On The Line
The Chargers (1-1) rebounded from a tough Week 1 upset in Kansas City with a 38-13 romp at home against Jacksonville as they continue to look for receiving replacements during the Vincent Jackson saga that threatens to overshadow the entire season. The Seahawks (1-1) fell back to earth after their big opening-week win as they were dropped 31-14 in Denver. We’re wondering which side of these Jekkyl-and-Hyde teams we’re going to see this week as the Chargers go into one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL.
Offensive Matchups: Chargers Seahawks Betting
Even without Jackson, who we’re willing to bet will never play another game in San Diego, the Chargers were prolific last week, putting up 477 yards of offense. Philip Rivers threw for 334 yards, three touchdowns and a pair of picks, and he’s still the No.3-rated passer in the league right now. However, rookie running back Ryan Mathews has yet to make an impact on the offense, and now he has a bad ankle, which opens the door for Mike Tolbert.
The Seahawks moved the ball against the Broncos, but four turnovers stopped them right in their tracks. Three of those turnovers came off of picks by Matt Hasselbeck, who also tossed for 233 yards and a touchdown, and that was the worry for the Seahawks coming into the season: would Hasselbeck regress further and become a turnover machine like Jake Delhomme did in Carolina? The Seahawks did manage to average 5.5 yards on the ground, but they had to nix the running game once they got behind.
Betting Edge: Chargers
Defensive Matchups: Chargers Seahawks Betting
The San Diego defense has played pretty well so far this season, and they were turnover kings against the Jaguars, forcing six of them, four on interceptions. Safety Steve Gregory had 13 tackles, while Antoine Cason had a pair of picks from the Chargers, who also managed a couple of sacks. The Chargers’ defense doesn’t have to be spectacular as long as Rivers is guiding the offense, but they need to continue to be opportunistic.
Seattle just couldn’t stop the Broncos from moving the chains: Denver went 14-of-20 on third down, which is why they held the ball for over 37 minutes and wore down the Seahawks. Rookie safety Earl Thomas had eight tackles, but the Seahawks still allowed 307 yards against Kyle Orton…so how are they going to fare against Rivers? Week 2’s defense probably looked more like the unit we’re going to see on Sunday.
Betting Edge: Chargers
Notable Injuries: Chargers Seahawks Betting
Mathews (ankle), linebacker Stephen Cooper (knee) and receiver Malcom Floyd (leg) are all questionable for this game.
For Seattle, linebacker Leroy Hill (ankle) and fullback Quinton Gaither (knee) are definitely out.
Betting Edge: Draw
Outlook and Pick: Chargers Seahawks Betting
NFL betting odds have the Chargers as a 5.5-point favorite on the road, and they won their last trip to Seattle, a 20-17 loss back in December 2006. That was their first win in five games against the Seahawks, who figure to play better at home than they did last week on the road. But they’re playing a very tough road team in San Diego, who are 7-3 SU in their last 10 away games, and 5-5 ATS. The Chargers are a tough-minded team led by Rivers, while the Seahawks still have a ways to go. Look for the Chargers to swarm Hasselback into making mistakes, and if they get an early lead, it’s over. Take San Diego on the road for the online betting win.
Stan’s Pick: San Diego Chargers
