The Los Angeles Chargers are off to their best seven-game start in four seasons behind a high-flying offense and a more efficient Philip Rivers. They look to continue their strong play as they travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks in one of the most difficult home environments in the NFL. Seattle’s famous “12th Man” gives the Seahawks the tiniest of spreads in oddsmakers’ eyes, as they are 1-point favorites, and the total is set at 48 points for this Week 9 bout.
- Seattle is 44-11 SU in its last 55 home games.
- The total has gone OVER in five of LA’s last seven games (avg. combined score: 51.14).
- LA is 2-5 SU and ATS in its last seven games following a bye week.
Chargers vs Seahawks Game Center
WHY I LIKE THE OVER AT 48
This Week 9 contest comes at a time when both teams are seeing their offenses run on all cylinders.
The Chargers have been scoring points all year, sitting sixth in yards per game, seventh in points per game and topping 20 points in every game they’ve played. Quarterback Philip Rivers is third in the NFL with 17 touchdowns, while only throwing three interceptions, Melvin Gordon is averaging 5.1 yards per carry and has six rushing touchdowns, while Keenan Allen leads a receiving corps that has five players on pace for more than 500 receiving yards (including two running backs).
Seattle, meanwhile, is playing the same record over: a slow offensive start, but the Seahawks turn it around come October and roll the rest of the season. They’ve topped 370 yards in three straight games, including a season-high 413 in a Week 8 win at Detroit.
Unlike previous seasons, however, the Seattle offensive turnaround hasn’t been all due to quarterback Russell Wilson; this time it’s the running game leading the charge. After mustering just 138 yards in their first two games – both losses – the Seahawks have rushed for at least 113 yards in every game since, topping 170 yards in three of the last four contests. Chris Carson has led the charge, with 457 yards in just six games, and the Seahawks sit fifth in the NFL with 134.7 rushing yards per game and are third in rushing attempts.
Both teams have consistently topped the 20-point mark all season, and their offenses are getting even better. I anticipate this game being a shootout, so I’ll put my money on the OVER winning on Sunday.
LA’S BIG ACQUISITION … A PUNTER?
For years, the Chargers were infamously known for one thing: finding ways to have special-teams blunders when it mattered the most.
Since the start of the 2017 season, Los Angeles was dead last in the NFL in field-goal percentage (69 percent) and extra-point percentage (83.3 percent) and had gone through six different kickers.
Everything seemingly changed, however, when the Chargers went … and switched punters. After releasing Drew Kaser, LA signed 15-year veteran Donnie Jones to handle their punting and placeholding duties.
It’s a small sample, but in the three games since Jones has been a Charger, Caleb Sturgis and Mike Badgley (who has filled in the last two games while Sturgis has nursed a hamstring injury) have made five of six field goals and nine of 10 extra points.
It’s not perfect, but it’s a drastic improvement on where they were. Those added points could be the difference between a win or a loss, covering the spread or the OVER hitting on any particular day.
TIME FOR the Seahawks TO PROVE THEY’RE REAL
Things are looking good for the Seahawks: they’ve won four of their past five games, the offense is clicking and they’re about as healthy as they can be for the remainder of the season.
Seattle can also take solace in knowing that six of its last nine games will come in the comfort of their home turf, CenturyLink Field.
The problem, however, is a challenging stretch ahead. The Seahawks’ next four games come against the Chargers, Rams, Packers and Panthers, who have a combined 21-7-1 record, and they also face the Vikings and the 7-1 Chiefs further down the road.
There’s no doubt Seattle is a playoff contender, and will be highly competitive, especially at home. But the next few weeks will feature a lot of tight spreads, and Seattle will either prove a smart team for bettors to follow or one for which they may be more better off looking at totals.
