It's not often the Los Angeles Chargers are featured in the 1 p.m. ET window, but that will be the case this week when L.A. travels east to take on the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. Let's break down the matchup and find some winning bets for Packers-Chargers.
This isn't the best matchup of Week 11, but it's intriguing because both teams need a win to have a realistic shot at making the playoffs. The Chargers have a better chance to sneak in with their 4-5 record, but the 3-6 Packers can't afford to lose more than two games the rest of the season.
The Chargers have been humming offensively with 31.7 points per game over their last three. They scored 38 last week in a demoralizing loss to the Detroit Lions, but it was an encouraging performance that proved L.A. can still compete with the top-tier teams in the NFL.
As for the Packers, they've lost five of their last six games after a 2-1 start. Green Bay has been banged up on both sides of the ball all year, but the team is finally starting to get healthy at crucial positions. Jordan Love, who's thrown the second-most interceptions (10) in the league this season, will need to protect the ball to give the Packers a chance here.
If you ever get a chance to fade Brandon Staley as a favorite on the road, you have to take it.
Love has played well against bad passing defenses this season, and the Chargers fit that mold considering they rank 30th in the NFL in yards allowed per pass attempt. On the other side of the ball, the Packers can limit Keenan Allen with Jaire Alexander and force L.A.'s young, unproven wide receivers to beat them.
This feels like a one-possession game either way, so we'll gladly take the home dog.
Love hasn't been effective at pushing the ball down the field this season, but he sure does love his trusty security blanket. Jones has recorded at least five targets in four straight games, and he's gone over 3.5 catches in three of them. The Chargers can generate pressure with Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa off the hedge, which will force Love to get the ball out quickly to his closest option.
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